Remodeling a kitchen requires a lot of measurement details. When contractors come over, they make it seem so difficult. They draw; they write down numbers and come over with tools you have never seen before. This makes it seem like rocket science. In as much as it is not as easy as measuring one wall and multiplying it by four, it is easy enough for you to do on your own.
The whole idea of measuring your kitchen for cabinets is to identify all the fixtures in the room. This will help in picking out the most appropriate cabinets.
It will also help the designers in working around important items in the kitchen such as water pipes.
To measure your kitchen you will need:
• A straight plank of wood
• A level
• A tape measure
• A notebook
• A pen/ pencil
Make a sketch
Before you start measuring, make a general sketch of the kitchen as it is. This drawing does not have to be to scale. It is meant to show the designers a blueprint of the kitchen. It will act as a map during the design. In your drawing, show where the door and the windows are. If there are any fixtures like ovens and sinks in the kitchen, include them. This will enable us to anticipate where things like pipes and wires are.
Tip: as opposed to feet, note all your measurements in inches. It will make life easier on your designer J.
Measure the height of the kitchen
As the house ages, the ceiling may start to sag and the floor may get uneven. To get the right height, put a straight plank of wood on the floor and use the level to ensure it is completely flat. Where the wood is not flat, use some fillings to make it flat. Remove the wood and measure where there was no filling of the portion that had the least filling. Do this for all walls.
Note: when measuring the height of a wall, do it in the middle of the wall.
Measure the width of your walls
It’s important to know how much horizontal space your kitchen cabinets will occupy. Measure the width of each wall starting from corner to corner. Be sure to note any ‘holes’ in the wall. Note where the window, door or arches start and end. This will help in knowing where you can install a full length cabinet and where a counter cabinet will do.
Measure all the fixtures in the kitchen
Fixtures are not normally moved during the installation. Therefore, measure their height, depth and width and note them together with the wall measurements. This will help in determining the width of the new cabinet. The last thing you want is things not matching because the fixtures in your kitchen are different depths.
Take note of where all the electrical wires, water pipes and outlets are.
The worst thing that can happen to you when renovating your kitchen is to destroy it in the process. What is the use of having beautiful cabinets when the water pipes are not working? It is important that after the installation, everything still functions properly. Therefore, to help the designers, note where all the useful pipes and wires pass. It will give them an easier time.
Take a look at our video below and click here to submit your measurements.