Tools Needed to Measure Cabinets

Before you start measuring your cabinets, make sure you have all the right tools. Here’s what you’ll need for accurate kitchen cabinet measurements:

Tape measure: A reliable tape measure is the primary tool for measuring the dimensions of your cabinets.
Notepad or digital device: Keep a notepad or use a digital device to record your measurements as you go. This will help you stay organized and prevent confusion later.
Level: A level is useful for ensuring your cabinets are properly aligned.
Straight edge: A straight edge, such as a ruler or a level, help you keep your measurements straight and accurate.

Measuring Your Cabinet Doors

Giving your kitchen a fresh look with new cabinet doors and drawer fronts instead of going the full-scale renovation route? If so, measuring cabinet doors is a relatively straightforward process, but it can involve quirks. Here’s how to measure cabinet doors accurately:

If you’re replacing existing doors with the same overlay (the amount the door hangs over the opening), simply record the exact measurements of existing doors and drawer fronts.
When changing the overlay or measuring for new openings, follow this process:
For single doors: Measure the opening and add two times the desired overlay. For example, a 12-inch-wide-by-24-inch-high opening with a 1/2-inch overlay would need a 13-inch-by-25-inch door: 2 x .5 + 12 = 13″.
For double doors: The width of each door equals the opening width plus two times the overlay, minus 1/8 inch, divided by two. For example, a 24-inch opening with a 1/2-inch overlay would need two doors at 12 7/16 inches: (24 + (2 x .5) – .125) ÷ 2 = 12.4375″.
To figure height, use the same formula for single doors.

Recording Your Measurements

Write down or input the measurements you’ve taken for each cabinet. It’s important to keep track of the width, height, and depth for accurate ordering of replacement parts.
It’s mentioned above but bears repeating: Double-check your recorded measurements to ensure accuracy. Mistakes in measurements could lead to ill-fitting replacement parts.
You might also consider sketching a diagram of your cabinet layout to better visualize your measurements and to serve as a blueprint for the installation process. Plain or old-fashioned graphing paper works great. Or you can download one of the many helpful design apps available to further dial in the renovation process. SmartDraw, Space Designer 3D, and SketchUp.

Remember, precision is key when measuring your cabinets, as even slight variations can affect the fit of replacement components. Take your time, use a reliable tape measure, and double-check your kitchen cabinet measurements to ensure a successful renovation project.

What is Cabinet Overlay?

A cabinet overlay refers to how much cabinet drawers or doors cover the face frame. There are three main types of cabinet overlay styles:

Partial overlays, where the cabinet doors and drawers are smaller than the cabinet box. This means that part of the face frame is visible when the doors and drawers are closed
Full overlays, where the cabinet doors and drawers are larger than the cabinet box, resulting in very little or no visible face frame when the doors and drawers are closed
Inset overlays, where the doors and drawers are installed inside the cabinet box, rather than overlaying it, allowing them to sit flush with the face frame

Cabinet overlays serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. For example, full overlays maximize the interior cabinet storage while creating a cleaner, seamless appearance. Meanwhile, partial overlays remove the need for hardware and give a more traditional look.

Measuring cabinet overlay means you need to calculate the dimensions of your cabinet doors and drawers in relation to the face frame of the cabinet box. This will allow you to locate your overlay style and size.

Measuring Cabinet Door Overlay

If you are wondering how to measure cabinet overlay, the answer is actually quite simple. There are two main ways of measuring cabinet overlay, the first being the tape method:

With your cabinet door closed, place a piece of tape on the hinged side of the face frame
Ensure the tape is directly against the edge of the door for accurate measurements
Open the cabinet and measure from the inside tape edge to the cabinet opening
The resulting number will be the cabinet door overlay size

Another answer for how to measure cabinet door overlay is to do some simple calculations:

Measure the width of the cabinet door (while closed) from edge to edge
Measure the width of the cabinet opening from inside edge to inside edge
Subtract the opening width from the door width
Divide the result by 2 to find the overlay size on each side of the door

For example, if the door width is 20 inches and the cabinet opening width is 18 inches, the overlay measurement on each side would be (20 – 18) / 2 = 1 inch overlay

That said, it is important to note that the calculation method is not as accurate as the tape method. To be as exact as possible and ensure consistency, it is best to do both methods.

Potential Challenges

Measuring cabinet overlays can be met with several challenges:

Inconsistent cabinet construction, leading to discrepancies in measurements
Uneven or warped doors, resulting in varying overlay measurements
No clear reference points to measure from, e.g., decorative moldings may obscure edges
Not accounting for cabinet door thickness when measuring
Human error. Always double check measurements and use a reliable measuring tool
Types of trim and cabinet hardware, which may require the overlay to be adjusted to account for their presence

Mistakes to Avoid When Measuring Overlay

To know how to measure cabinet overlay properly, you must also know the common mistakes so that you can avoid their consequences, like misaligned doors or installation difficulties.

The most common mistakes made when measuring cabinet overlay are:

Not closing the door properly
Neglecting to account for door thickness
Not lining the tape up with the door correctly
Using incorrect reference points when measuring
Ignoring hinge requirements for the specific overlay style
Failure to measure both sides of the door to check overlay is even
Overlooking door sag, resulting in inconsistent measurements
Not double-checking measurements for accuracy
Rushing the measuring process

To ensure a smooth and successful cabinet installation, it is crucial to be mindful of these common mistakes and pay attention to the specific requirements of your chosen overlay style.

Questions about your project?

Talk to the people who build your doors.

Measuring Guide