Cabinets & Countertops: Calculators, Diagrams & Guides
3 calculators · 9 diagrams
Kitchens and baths are planned by the running foot: base cabinets in 3-inch width increments, wall cabinets over them, corner solutions that consume more length than they return, and countertops measured in square feet but priced and seamed by the slab. The three calculators in this hub turn a wall layout into a cabinet schedule — box counts, filler strips, toe kick, crown, and hardware — and a countertop takeoff with backsplash area, edge linear footage, and realistic seam placement.
The diagrams document the conventions the trade assumes you know: standard base (24 inches deep, 34½ high) and wall cabinet dimensions, the corner-cabinet decision between a lazy susan, blind corner, and diagonal unit, countertop overhang limits and where unsupported stone needs corbels, and the seam-placement logic that keeps countertop joints away from sink cutouts, cooktops, and the high-visibility runs guests see first.
Dimensional standards follow KCMA conventions and the NKBA planning guidelines that kitchen designers work from — landing areas, work-aisle widths, and the 25-inch countertop depth over a 24-inch base. Both room composers (kitchen and bathroom) call these same calculators under the hood, so a hub-level estimate and a whole-room remodel plan always agree with each other. Every tool is free with no signup.
Cabinets & Countertops calculators
- Kitchen Cabinets CalculatorEstimate kitchen cabinets, doors, hinges, slides, knobs, pulls, and trim by tier — RTA, stock, semi-custom, custom. ANSI/KCMA & NKBA. Free.
- Bathroom Cabinets CalculatorEstimate vanity cabinets, sink cutout, plumbing rough-in, linen tower, medicine cabinet & mirror. Powder, full & primary baths. ANSI/KCMA & NKBA. Free.
- Countertop CalculatorCalculate net square feet, slabs, edge LF, seams, and weight for granite, quartz, marble, and butcher block. NSI, ANSI/ISFA, NKBA. Free.
Cabinets & Countertops · 9 diagrams
- Cabinets & Countertops
Countertop edge profiles compared — eased to waterfall, cheapest to priciest
Picking an edge is picking a fabrication tier. Eased, pencil, and bevel (Tier 1) are the only edges laminate supports and cost the least to run; bullnose, ogee, and Dupont are mid-tier; mitered and waterfall are built-up edges that bond two slab thicknesses, so they cost the most.
- Cabinets & Countertops
Countertop seam placement — where seams are forced and where they are forbidden
Seams are forced by slab size (runs over ~110″) and by inside corners. They are forbidden within 18″ of a sink or cooktop (AWI §3.3.1) and directly over a dishwasher (NSI 17-D-1). Green = allowed, red = forbidden.
- Cabinets & Countertops
Countertop overhang support — the seated cantilever limit and when a bracket is required
A seated overhang has a hard unsupported limit: ~6″ at 2 cm, ~10″ at 3 cm (NSI). Go past it and the stone cracks at the cabinet line — a deeper seating overhang needs a corbel or hidden steel bracket. A standard front overhang is only ~1¼″, so it never needs support.
- Cabinets & Countertops
Standard kitchen cabinet dimensions — base, wall, and tall cabinet sizes in a section
Standard cabinet sizes: a base cabinet is a 34½″ box + 1½″ top = 36″ counter height, 24″ deep; wall cabinets are 12″ deep, 30/36/42″ tall, hung 18″ above the counter; tall/pantry cabinets run 84/90/96″. These fixed sizes are what the take-off is built on.
- Cabinets & Countertops
How kitchen cabinet linear feet become a cabinet count — 3-inch increments and fillers
Base cabinets = ⌈ base LF × 12 ÷ 24″ avg ⌉, rounded up. Cabinets come in 3″ width steps, so a run rarely hits the wall exactly — 3″ fillers absorb the leftover at each end, and appliance openings (range ~30″, dishwasher ~24″) are subtracted from the cabinet run.
- Cabinets & Countertops
Kitchen corner cabinet dead space — why two runs of an L-kitchen don’t simply add up
Where two runs meet, one corner cabinet sits in both — the 24″-deep bands overlap in a 24″ × 24″ square. So an L- or U-kitchen’s run ≈ wall A + wall B − 24″; add both walls whole and you double-count the corner. A lazy Susan reaches the back — a blind corner leaves it dead.
- Cabinets & Countertops
Bathroom vanity clearances in plan — IRC and NKBA minimums around the vanity
Code sets the floor: a toilet centerline ≥15″ from the vanity edge (IRC R307.1 / IPC 405.3.1) and ≥21″ of clear floor in front of the lavatory, and the entry door must not swing into the vanity. NKBA’s 18″ and 30″ make the room comfortable.
- Cabinets & Countertops
Vanity height by sink type — why a vessel cabinet ships shorter
The cabinet height follows the sink: a standard 32–34½″ cabinet + ¾″ top lands the rim in the 34–36″ comfort band; a vessel bowl adds 4–6″ so its cabinet ships ~30″; an ADA lavatory caps the finished rim at 34″ AFF with open knee clearance. Pedestal and wall-mount lavatories have no cabinet — the fixture sets the rim.
- Cabinets & Countertops
Bathroom sink rough-in heights and double-vanity centerline spacing
Rough-in: the drain stubs 18–20″ above the finished floor, the supplies 20–22″. An 8″ widespread faucet drills 3 holes (one 4″ each side of center); centerset is 3 holes 4″ apart; single-hole is 1. Two sinks need centerlines ≥30″ apart (IRC P2705.1.5; NKBA 36″), so a double vanity runs 60″ or wider.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I measure my kitchen for cabinets in linear feet?
Run a tape along each wall that will carry cabinets, at counter height, wall to wall — then subtract appliance widths (range, dishwasher, fridge) and note window positions. Corners count once, along the longer wall. The kitchen cabinets calculator converts the runs into a box-by-box schedule with fillers and panels included.
What are standard cabinet dimensions?
Base cabinets: 24 inches deep, 34½ tall (36 with the countertop), in widths from 9 to 48 in 3-inch steps. Wall cabinets: 12 inches deep as the default, 30, 36, or 42 tall depending on ceiling height and whether crown fills to the ceiling. Vanities drop to 21 inches deep and 30 to 36 tall — the bathroom calculator uses its own dimension set.
How much overhang can a countertop have without support?
The working limits for 3 cm stone: about 10 inches unsupported for granite and most quartz, 6 for marble — beyond that you add corbels, steel, or a thicker build-up. Standard front overhang is 1½ inches; seating overhangs run 12 to 15, which nearly always means visible or hidden support. The countertop calculator flags spans that exceed the limit.
Where should countertop seams go?
Away from sink and cooktop cutouts (the narrow webs crack), out of the main sightline from the room entry, and ideally over a cabinet partition where the joint gets full support. Slab size drives seam count — most quartz slabs run about 120 by 55 inches, so an L-shaped kitchen usually needs at least one. The takeoff diagrams in this hub show the standard placements.