Enter your ceiling height. You get the upper cabinet height that fits, where the counter, the uppers and the range hood go, drawn on the wall.
Upper cabinets to buy
42″ tallfrom 54″ to 96″, up to the ceiling · counter 36″ · 18″ between
Quick answer: base cabinets are 34½″ tall, and a 1½″ countertop makes the counter 36″. Upper cabinets hang 18″ above the counter, starting 54″ from the floor. Under an 8′ ceiling, 42″ uppers reach the ceiling; 36″ or 39″ uppers leave room for crown molding. A 9′ ceiling takes 54″ uppers, and a 10′ one a 54″ cabinet with a 12″ one stacked on top.
How to use the kitchen cabinet height calculator
- Type your ceiling height: 8′, 9′, 8’6″ and 259 cm all work.
- Check the countertop and the gap. A laminate top is 1½″; stone is often 1¼″ to 3″. The gap to the uppers is 18″ unless you want more room under them.
- Choose the look. Up to the ceiling gives the most storage, with no dust shelf on top. Room for crown leaves 3″ or more for crown molding or lighting above the doors.
- Read the wall. You get the uppers to buy, where each line falls, the cabinet over the range and the hood’s height. Copy link keeps the result.
The rules behind the numbers
The counter: 34½″ + 1½″ = 36″
KraftMaid, one of the largest cabinet makers, builds base cabinets 34½″ tall and 24″ deep. With a 1½″ countertop the counter is 36″ from the floor, the industry standard.
The gap: 18″ between the counter and the uppers
KraftMaid hangs wall cabinets 18″ above the counter, so their bottoms sit 54″ from the floor. The NKBA’s kitchen planning guidelines ask for at least 15″. The 18″ fits a stand mixer and a coffee maker under the cabinets.
The uppers: whatever is left, in the heights sold
From 54″ to your ceiling is the room for uppers. KraftMaid sells wall cabinets 12, 18, 21, 24, 30, 36, 39, 42, 48 and 54″ tall. A 42″ cabinet reaches an 8′ ceiling; 36″ and 39″ ones leave room for crown molding; past 54″, a short cabinet is stacked on top. A gap of 3″ or less is closed with molding.
Over the range: 30″ to cabinets, 24–30″ to the hood
The building code (IRC M1901.1) and the NKBA’s guideline 18 keep cabinets 30″ above a cooktop, or 24″ to a range hood. Broan-NuTone, which makes hoods, puts the bottom of the hood 24–30″ above the cooktop: 60–66″ from the floor. So the cabinet over the range starts at 66″ and is shorter than its neighbors.
Upper cabinet height by ceiling height
| Ceiling | Up to the ceiling | Room for crown | Cabinet over the range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7′6″ | 36″ | 30″, 6″ above | 24″ |
| 8′ | 42″ | 39″, 3″ above | 30″ |
| 8′6″ | 48″ | 42″, 6″ above | 36″ |
| 9′ | 54″ | 48″, 6″ above | 42″ |
| 9′6″ | 48″ + 12″ stacked | 54″, 6″ above | 48″ |
| 10′ | 54″ + 12″ stacked | 54″, 12″ above | 54″ |
Every upper starts 54″ from the floor. The cabinet over the range is for cabinets that go up to the ceiling.
Kitchen cabinet heights at a glance
| What | Height |
|---|---|
| Base cabinet | 34½″ (88 cm) |
| Counter, with a 1½″ top | 36″ (91 cm) |
| Between the counter and the uppers | 18″ (46 cm), 15″ at least |
| Bottom of the uppers | 54″ (137 cm) |
| Bottom of the range hood | 60–66″ (152–168 cm), 24–30″ over the cooktop |
| Cabinet over the range, bottom | 66″ (168 cm), 30″ over the cooktop |
| Tall pantry | 84, 87, 90, 93 or 96″, level with the uppers |
Three worked examples
An 8′ ceiling, uppers to the ceiling. From 54″ to 96″ is 42″, so buy 42″ uppers. The cabinet over the range is 30″, from 66″, and a 96″ pantry lines up with the uppers.
An 8′ ceiling with crown molding. 39″ uppers end at 93″ and leave 3″ for the crown; a 93″ pantry lines up with them.
A 10′ ceiling. 66″ from the uppers’ bottom to the ceiling is more than one cabinet: a 54″ cabinet with a 12″ one stacked on it reaches the ceiling. Tall cabinets stop at 96″, so the pantry needs a stacked cabinet too.
Common cabinet height mistakes
- Uppers lower than 18″ over the counter. At 15″ you lose the room for a mixer, a coffee maker and a clear view of the backsplash.
- A 2–6″ gap under the ceiling. Too small to decorate and just right for dust. Go to the ceiling, or leave a real shelf.
- Forgetting the range. A cabinet over the cooktop needs 30″ of clearance, so it is shorter than the rest.
- A thick countertop. Stone slabs run 1¼″ to 3″ thick. A thicker top raises the counter and everything above it: a 3″ top under an 8′ ceiling takes 39″ uppers, not 42″.
- Measuring the ceiling at one spot. Ceilings are rarely level. Measure at both ends of the wall and plan to the lowest.
Planning the whole kitchen? Lay it out to scale in the free 2D room planner, and size the island with the kitchen island calculator.
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Kitchen cabinet height questions
What is the standard kitchen cabinet height?
Base cabinets are 34½″ tall, 36″ with the countertop. Upper cabinets come in 12″ to 54″ heights; the most common are 30″, 36″ and 42″, hung 18″ above the counter, from 54″ off the floor.
What is the standard upper cabinet height?
It depends on the ceiling. Under an 8′ ceiling, 42″ uppers reach the ceiling, 36″ or 39″ leave room for crown, and 30″ leave a 12″ space. Taller ceilings take 48″ or 54″ uppers, or a cabinet stacked on top.
How high are upper cabinets above the counter?
18″ is the standard, which puts their bottoms 54″ from the floor. The NKBA’s kitchen guidelines allow 15″ at the least.
What is the base cabinet height?
34½″ from the floor to the top of the cabinet box, 24″ deep. A 1½″ countertop brings it to the standard 36″ counter height.
How high should a range hood be above the stove?
24–30″ from the cooktop to the bottom of the hood, as Broan-NuTone and most hood makers advise, which is 60–66″ from the floor. Your hood’s own instructions set the final number.
What size upper cabinets for a 9 foot ceiling?
54″ uppers fill the 54″ from the uppers’ bottom to a 9′ ceiling. For crown molding, 48″ uppers leave 6″ above.