How high should upper cabinets be above the counter?

18 in (46 cm) is the standard. 15 in is the usual minimum and 20 in suits tall people or tall appliances. In Europe the gap is 500–600 mm.

How high are upper cabinets from the floor?

The bottom of the cabinets sits at 54 in (137 cm) above the floor: a 36 in counter plus an 18 in gap.

What size upper cabinets for an 8 ft ceiling?

42 in cabinets reach the ceiling. 36 in cabinets leave 6 in for crown moulding, 30 in cabinets leave 12 in for a soffit or an open shelf.

How high should cabinets be above a stove?

At least 30 in (76 cm) above the cooktop, unless the range or hood maker allows less. Many kitchens use a shorter cabinet or a hood there.

How deep are upper cabinets?

12 in (30 cm) is standard, 13–15 in for large plates. Cabinets over the fridge are often 24 in deep so they can be reached.

Upper Cabinet Height: Standard Sizes and Placement

Upper (wall) cabinets usually hang 18 in (46 cm) above a 36 in counter, which puts their bottom edge 54 in (137 cm) from the floor. They come 30, 36 and 42 in (76, 91 and 107 cm) tall and 12 in (30 cm) deep. Which height you choose depends mostly on your ceiling. That 54 in is the typical upper cabinet height in American kitchens. For base and tall cabinets, see standard cabinet height.

Standard upper cabinet sizes

Dimension	US standard	Metric (Europe)
Height	30, 36 or 42 in	700–720 or 900–920 mm
Depth	12 in (13–15 in for big plates)	300–350 mm
Gap above the counter	18 in (15–20 in)	500–600 mm
Bottom edge from the floor	54 in	1400–1500 mm
Widths	9–36 in in 3 in steps	300–1200 mm
Above a cooktop	30 in or more	650–750 mm or more

Which height for your ceiling

With the bottom of the cabinets at 54 in, the cabinet height decides how much space is left above them:

Ceiling	30 in cabinets	36 in cabinets	42 in cabinets
8 ft (96 in)	Top at 84 in, 12 in gap	Top at 90 in, 6 in gap	Top at 96 in, to the ceiling
9 ft (108 in)	24 in gap	18 in gap	12 in gap, or add a 12 in top row
10 ft (120 in)	36 in gap	30 in gap	24 in gap, or stack 18 in boxes on top

A gap under 6 in collects dust and is hard to use: either fill it with crown moulding or take the cabinets to the ceiling. Above 12 in, an open shelf, a soffit or a second row of short cabinets looks intentional.

Remember that most people reach comfortably to about 72 in (183 cm). The top shelf of a 42 in cabinet sits near 90 in, so it holds things you rarely use, or needs a step stool.

Over the stove, sink and fridge

Over the cooktop: leave at least 30 in (76 cm) between the burners and an unprotected cabinet, or follow the clearance given by the range or hood maker. A range hood usually takes this space.
Over the sink: a shorter cabinet (24–30 in tall), raised to line up at the top, keeps your head clear when you lean over the sink. Many kitchens put a window or open shelves there.
Over the fridge: 12–24 in (30–61 cm) tall, and often 24 in deep so its doors are within reach above a deep fridge.

Metric kitchens

European kitchens follow the same logic in millimetres. With a worktop at 900–910 mm and a 500–600 mm gap, wall cabinets start at 1400–1500 mm. A 720 mm cabinet then ends near 2200 mm, level with the top of tall pantry and oven cabinets; a 920 mm cabinet reaches about 2400 mm, which suits taller ceilings.

Hanging and building wall cabinets

Draw a level line at 54 in (or your chosen height), screw a temporary ledger board under it to rest the cabinets on, and fix each cabinet through its back rail into the wall studs. Our wall cabinet plan gives every part for any height from 300 to 1000 mm, with the matching base cabinet below:

Upper Cabinet Height