Projecting a kitchen isn’t easy, especially when you don’t have a vast amount of space. Placing too much furniture into a small kitchen will make it feel cramped and suffocating. That’s where knowing the standard size of countertops and cabinets comes in handy.
The standard kitchen countertop depth is 25 ½ inches from the edge of the top to the backsplash or wall. However, the cabinets often have a smaller depth, depending on the overhang. If you want to save space, opt for a shallow, 22-inch counter.
Main Topics
What Is Countertop Depth?
The countertop depth is the distance from the edge of your countertop to the back wall or backsplash. Most kitchen cabinets have a standard depth, although they can vary from 24 to 26 inches, depending on the manufacturer.
The average kitchen countertop depth is 25 ½ inches. This depth works well with most cabinet sizes, ensuring sufficient overhang even for the deeper models. At the same time, the depth works well with all standard cabinet lengths, including eight, ten, and 12 feet kitchen cabinet installations.
In a smaller kitchen, you could opt for shallow cabinets and countertops. You can find cabinets and tops as shallow as 20 inches on the market. Very few manufacturers make countertops and cabinets with a smaller depth, but custom-made options allow you to tailor the size to your space and needs.
Standard Kitchen Counter Depth
Standard kitchen counter and cabinet dimensions have been calculated to provide you with the greatest amount of usable space. Shallower models provide less storage space, but they might be necessary if you have a very small or shallow kitchen.
Counters and cabinets with a larger depth also exist. However, you shouldn’t install them in your kitchen. The reason is the vast amount of wasted space you’ll end up with if you can reach into all corners comfortably.
Cabinet Depth
Standard kitchen cabinets have a depth of 24 inches for the base units. Most suspended units have a depth of 12 inches, although there are exceptions.
For shallower kitchens, it is possible to find 12-inch or 16-inch base units on the market. Some wall units are also deeper, some reaching a depth of 24 inches. This is often the case of suspended cabinets with built-in range hoods or extractor fans and designed to go above the stove.
Generally speaking, deep wall units are impractical to use and could represent an injury hazard, as you might hit them, especially if your kitchen is small.
Shallower base units don’t provide too much storage, but they are an excellent choice for studio apartments or small kitchens where saving floor space is paramount.
Countertop Depth
Conventional kitchen countertops have a depth of 24 inches. However, don’t mistake the conventional size for the standard one. Because most base cabinets are 24 inches deep, manufacturers slowly moved to deeper counters that could cover the cabinet with an overhang.
Thus, most countertops today have a standard size of 25 ½ inches from the backsplash or back wall to the edge of the counter.
It is easy to understand that shallower or deeper counters also exist, matching the shallower or deeper base units. You can also have a custom counter made on dimension.
Overhang Depth
Standard kitchen counters have an overhang depth of 1 ½ inch regardless of the actual depth of the cabinet and counter. Thus, if you choose a deeper cabinet, you should make sure the counter has a 1 ½-inch overhang.
This overhang is calculated to allow for comfortable use of the top drawers right under the counter. Again, you could change the overhang depth if you opt for custom-made kitchen units.
Standard Bathroom Counter Depth
When remodeling their kitchens, many people think about repurposing the old cabinets. Using them in the bathroom could seem like a good idea, but do they match your vanity and other bathroom cabinets? Long story short, they don’t.
Cabinet Depth
Bathroom cabinets are shallower than kitchen ones to match the reduced dimensions of a bathroom. Moreover, bathrooms also have more fixtures compared to the kitchen; hence, the need to use smaller furniture.
Standard bathroom cabinets have a depth between 18 and 21 inches. In other words, you could use shallow base kitchen units in your bathroom, but the standard-sized ones could be too deep.
Countertop Depth
Standard bathroom countertops are between 19 ½ to 22 ½ inches deep. This depth is calculated to help you maximize storage space and make the most out of your bathroom.
Overhang Depth
Like kitchen counters, bathroom counters have a standard 1 ½-inch overhang.
Standard Kitchen Island Depth
Standard kitchen islands are designed to accommodate two standard kitchen base units without the counter. Thus, the depths match those of your kitchen cabinets.
Cabinet Depth
Like standard kitchen cabinets, kitchen islands have a depth of 24 inches. They are generally four feet long, accommodating two base units back-to-back.
Countertop Depth
Similar to kitchen counters, kitchen island counters should have a standard depth of 25 ½ inches.
Overhang Depth
If you haven’t figured it out yet, the standard overhang depth of a kitchen island counter is 1 ½ inch – on all sides, except for the sides attached to a wall.
3 Major Factors That Determine The Standard Kitchen Counter Depth
Knowing the standard depth of the kitchen counter and cabinets can help you design your perfect kitchen and plan the layout of each unit. But what factors do specialists use to come up with these numbers?
The size of the base cabinets
The standard size of the base kitchen units is the primary factor used when determining the standard depth of the kitchen counter. Considering the ideal overhang depth of one and a half inches, manufacturers can calculate the perfect depth for each counter.
Wheelchair accessibility
According to The Americans With Disabilities Act Accessible Guidelines, counters must have at least 30 inches of accessible space and a minimum clearance of 27 inches below. This size makes it accessible to people with disabilities, and many manufacturers calculate their standard sizes taking into account these recommendations.
Average room surface
Lastly, standard counter and cabinet depths were calculated, taking into account the average size of the American kitchen. The figures below determine the sizes that work best and provide the most space efficiency in American homes.
Next Steps
With this in mind, you can now start planning and projecting your perfect kitchen. What do you say? Do the standard sizes suit you, or would you rather opt for a tailored solution?
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