Kitchen Cabinet Height in Ohio

[sftong2000]

Good morning everyone,

First of all, I would like to thank you for taking time to read and answer my questions.

I have a 10 foot ceiling, and I also have a 1 feet kitchen suffit which should attach to the top of my kitchen wall cabinets. I plan to install 42-inch cabinet. Here's the problem. The 42-inch cabinet is actually 39 1/2 inches tall only.

Here's my questions

1) Measuring from ground level of kitchen, what is the recommended height or range of height that the bottom of the wall cabinet must be at ? This does not count the 2 1/2 height mounting stripes that I am putting on at the bottom of wall cabinet which will hide my under cabinet lightings and wires.

2) Since I am installing under cabinet lightings with the 2 1/2 height mounting stripes to hide them, what should the range (or minimum and maximum) of the distance between my granite counter top and the mounting stripes ? I understand typically people will use 18 inches as the distance between the counter top and the base of cabinets, but this additional mounting stripes is throwing off the standard equation. If I continue to use just 18 inches, then that will leave me only 15 1/2 inches of working space between the stripes and counter top.

3) I am adding a 2 1/2 inches of mounting stripes to fill the gap between the top of my wall cabinets and my kitchen suffit. Is that all right or a standard practice ? Or you will recommend me to lift my wall cabinets higher such that I have a larger working space between counter top and base of wall cabinets (distance of 21 inches) ? However, in this later case, I think my wall cabinet will be too high, isn't it ?

Thanks again for your time! Shawn

[sftong2000]

Good morning everyone,

First of all, I would like to thank you for taking time to read and answer my questions.

I have a 10 foot ceiling, and I also have a 1 feet kitchen suffit which should attach to the top of my kitchen wall cabinets. I plan to install 42-inch cabinet. Here's the problem. The 42-inch cabinet is actually 39 1/2 inches tall only.

Here's my questions

1) Measuring from ground level of kitchen, what is the recommended height or range of height that the bottom of the wall cabinet must be at ? This does not count the 2 1/2 height mounting stripes that I am putting on at the bottom of wall cabinet which will hide my under cabinet lightings and wires.

2) Since I am installing under cabinet lightings with the 2 1/2 height mounting stripes to hide them, what should the range (or minimum and maximum) of the distance between my granite counter top and the mounting stripes ? I understand typically people will use 18 inches as the distance between the counter top and the base of cabinets, but this additional mounting stripes is throwing off the standard equation. If I continue to use just 18 inches, then that will leave me only 15 1/2 inches of working space between the stripes and counter top.

3) I am adding a 2 1/2 inches of mounting stripes to fill the gap between the top of my wall cabinets and my kitchen suffit. Is that all right or a standard practice ? Or you will recommend me to lift my wall cabinets higher such that I have a larger working space between counter top and base of wall cabinets (distance of 21 inches) ? However, in this later case, I think my wall cabinet will be too high, isn't it ?

Thanks again for your time! Shawn

[RayV]

The 18 inch standard is to allow for blenders, mixer, coffee pots. etc. as well as room to work on the counter. Some people get a higher counter because they are taller or maybe they have short arms. The main thing to be concerned about is the space between the countertop and the bottom of the cabinets (including the 2 1/2" spacers.

To me 23 1/2" (21 + 2 1/2) is too high for the bottom of the cabinets but it might be OK for you. Hang one on the wall and try it out. When I redid our kitchen I changed from 30" to 36" uppers and had to rip out and replace the bulkhead or soffit. Replacing the soffit is easy as long as there is no hidden plumbing or electrical wires stuffed in there.

Finish off the top any way you like. Leave mor than 18 inches above the cooktop, we went to 21 and made a huge difference.

[dadiOH]

The height above the floor doesn't matter...what matters is the distance between the top of the base cabinets and the lowest point of the upper cabinets. That heigth depends on how you use the base cabinets. I set mine at 18" but could use everything easily if it was 12"; however, 12" would not accomodate many appliances. The lower you set the upper cabinets the easier they will be to use because the lower shelves will be easier to reach.