Dimensions / Furniture / Kitchen cabinets / Wall cabinet
Kitchen wall cabinets are 12 in (30.5 cm) deep and 12–54 in (30.5–137.2 cm) tall at KraftMaid, hung 54 in (137.2 cm) above the floor, 18 in (45.7 cm) above the counter; a 42 in cabinet then reaches an 8 ft ceiling. IKEA’s METOD wall cabinets are 37 cm deep and 40–100 cm tall. Over a range, US code wants 30 in (76.2 cm) to unprotected cabinets, and every wall cabinet has to be fixed into studs.
| Depth | Above the counter | Above a range |
|---|---|---|
| 30.5cm12 in | 45.7cm18 in | 76.2cm30 in |
Sources: KraftMaid, IRC M1901.1 (Seattle). Checked October 2026.
Enter the cabinet, your counter, how high it hangs and your ceiling. Each check uses the numbers in the tables on this page.
All in centimetres. 1 in = 2.54 cm.
Its underside is 45.7 cm above the counter; 45.7 cm is the usual height.
KraftMaid and Whirlpool use 18 in. Over a range, US code wants 30 in to unprotected cabinets.
Its top is at 213.3 cm, 30.5 cm below your 243.8 cm ceiling.
Hung at 54 in, a 42 in cabinet reaches an 8 ft ceiling; 36 in and 39 in leave room for crown moulding.
Its top is at 213.3 cm, within the 213.4 cm NKBA counts as everyday storage.
NKBA counts storage more than 84 in above the floor only as miscellaneous storage.
Planning the upper cabinets for a client? Photograph the wall, mark the ceiling, window and hood in SizeMarker and check the heights before you order.
Mark a photo| Cabinet | W × D × H |
|---|---|
| KraftMaid W3030, two doorsTwo adjustable shelves | 76.2 × 30.5 × 76.2 cm30 × 12 × 30 in |
| KraftMaid W3036Three shelves | 76.2 × 30.5 × 91.4 cm30 × 12 × 36 in |
| KraftMaid W3042Three shelves | 76.2 × 30.5 × 106.7 cm30 × 12 × 42 in |
| KraftMaid wall refrigerator cabinet, WR3615Additional support required; a 37 in one for 36 in fridges | 91.4 × 61 × 38.1 cm36 × 24 × 15 in |
| IKEA SEKTION wall cabinetAlso 15, 20 and 40 in high; must be securely anchored | 76.2 × 37.5 × 76.2 cm30 × 14 3/4 × 30 in |
| IKEA METOD wall cabinet frameAlso 40, 60 and 100 cm high | 80 × 37 × 80 cm |
| IKEA SEKTION top cabinet for a fridgeVented top and bottom | 91.4 × 61 × 38.1 cm36 × 24 × 15 in |
Sources: KraftMaid (spec book) · IKEA (SEKTION wall) · IKEA (METOD wall) · IKEA (SEKTION top cabinet)
| Guide | Size |
|---|---|
| Wall cabinet heightsKraftMaid | 30.5–137.2 cm12–54 in |
| Underside above the floorKraftMaid | 137.2 cm54 in |
| Above the countertopKraftMaid, Whirlpool | 45.7 cm18 in |
| Above the countertop, IKEA US | 50.8 cm20 in |
| Above the worktop, EN 1116 minimum | 45 cm (450 mm) |
| A 42 in (106.7 cm) cabinet hung at 54 inKraftMaid | Reaches an 8 ft (243.8 cm) ceiling |
| Higher than this counts only as miscellaneous storageNKBA | 213.4 cm84 in |
| Room above the IKEA rail to lift cabinets on | 1.3 cm1/2 in |
Sources: KraftMaid · Whirlpool · IKEA US (installation guide) · EN 1116 (CATAS) · NKBA
| Rule | Size |
|---|---|
| Above a cooktop, to unprotected cabinetsUS code, IRC M1901.1 | 76.2 cm30 in |
| With a listed hood or protectionIRC G2447.5 | 61 cm24 in |
| Deepest upper cabinet beside a Whirlpool range | 33 cm13 in |
| Screws for a wall cabinet wider than 15 inAmerican Woodmark: each at least 1 in into a stud | At least 4 |
| IKEA suspension rail“Always a hole over a wall stud” | 213.4 cm, cut to length84 in |
| IKEA UTRUSTA shelf, 30 in | Holds 24.9 kg55 lb |
Sources: IRC M1901.1 (Seattle) · IRC G2447.5 (Seattle) · Whirlpool · American Woodmark · IKEA (SEKTION rail) · IKEA (UTRUSTA shelf)
12 in (30.5 cm) is standard at KraftMaid, and 24 in (61 cm) cabinets go over a refrigerator. IKEA’s SEKTION wall cabinets are 14 3/4 in (37.5 cm) deep with the rail, METOD 37 cm.
KraftMaid and Whirlpool use 18 in (45.7 cm), with the underside 54 in (137.2 cm) above the floor. IKEA’s US guide gives 20 in (50.8 cm), and EN 1116 sets 450 mm as the minimum.
KraftMaid makes them 12–54 in (30.5–137.2 cm) tall: hung at 54 in, a 42 in (106.7 cm) cabinet reaches an 8 ft (243.8 cm) ceiling. IKEA’s METOD wall cabinets are 40, 60, 80 or 100 cm.
US code asks 30 in (76.2 cm) from the cooking top to unprotected cabinets, or 24 in (61 cm) with a listed hood or protection. Follow the hood’s own instructions too; Whirlpool keeps uppers beside its range to 13 in (33 cm) deep.
Into studs: American Woodmark uses at least 4 screws, each at least 1 in into a stud, on cabinets wider than 15 in. IKEA hangs them on a suspension rail with always a hole over a stud, and needs 1/2 in (1.3 cm) above it to lift them on.
Yes, it is 24 in (61 cm) deep to line up with the fridge front. KraftMaid says its wall refrigerator cabinets need additional support and suggests a 37 in one for 36 in fridges; IKEA’s are vented top and bottom.
As high as the ceiling, but NKBA counts storage more than 84 in (213.4 cm) above the floor only as miscellaneous storage. A 30 in cabinet hung at 54 in tops out right at 84 in.
Wall cabinets are sold by height to suit the ceiling, so buyers ask the heights, the depth with doors, the shelves and how the cabinet hangs: on a rail, or screwed through rails at the back. Mark the real sizes on your own product photo in SizeMarker, as in the picture at the top, and send one product card for WhatsApp or WeChat.
