Stack functionally.
Linear feet of upper and base cabinets for any kitchen. Budget and cabinet count by kitchen size and layout.
How we calculated this
Kitchen cabinets are measured in linear feet, the combined length of all base and upper cabinet sections. Base cabinets (on the floor, 24" deep, 34.5" tall before countertop) run along most walls. Upper cabinets (mounted on the wall, 12" deep, typically 30-42" tall) cover 70-75% of the same wall length because sinks, stoves, and windows interrupt the run.
Layout determines total perimeter. Single-wall: one run of 10-15 ft typically. Galley: two parallel walls, 8-12 ft each. L-shape: two walls meeting at a corner. U-shape: three walls. L + island: L-shape plus an island (typically 6-8 ft of base cabinets, no uppers). Your layout + wall lengths tells the calculator everything.
Appliance deduction: each major appliance (stove, sink, dishwasher) replaces about 3 feet of base cabinet. A kitchen with stove, sink, and dishwasher loses 9 linear feet of base cabinetry. Single-wall layouts have 6 ft deducted (usually no dishwasher or smaller kitchen).
Cabinet count uses 24-inch average width. Real cabinets range from 12" (single door) to 36-48" (wide double-door or drawer banks), the 24-inch average produces a realistic estimate for typical kitchens. Tight kitchens with many small cabinets have more units; spacious kitchens with fewer-but-larger cabinets have fewer.
Price estimates (installed, 2025-2026 US) by grade: stock cabinets (IKEA Sektion, Home Depot Hampton Bay) $80-180/ft: pre-assembled or flat-pack, limited sizes, basic finishes, quick install. Mid-range semi-custom (Kraftmaid, Thomasville, Diamond) $180-400/ft, most Americans' choice, 8-10 week lead time, lots of options. Custom cabinetry $400-800/ft: made-to-spec, any size or style, 12-20 week lead time.
Not captured: countertop (see countertop calculator), backsplash (see backsplash calculator), appliances themselves, hardware upgrades (pulls/knobs average $5-20 each, 20-40 per kitchen), crown molding and trim, lighting. Total kitchen remodel budget (materials + labor + permits) typically 2-3× the cabinet cost alone.
Every cabinet line is a 3-inch ruler
The entire US cabinet industry runs on one quiet convention: widths come in 3 inch increments, from a 9 inch tray base up to 48 inches, while heights and depths are fixed. That is the "3 inch increment cabinet line" people go hunting spreadsheets for, and it is why a kitchen designer can fill any wall with stock boxes plus one filler strip. Base cabinets are 34-1/2 inches tall and 24 deep; the countertop brings the work surface to 36. Wall cabinets are 12 deep in heights of 30, 36, or 42. Tall pantries run 84, 90, or 96 to meet the wall cabinet top line.
Once the sizing system clicks, cabinet estimating collapses into one number: linear feet of run. The calculator above converts your layout and wall lengths into linear feet and a budget range by cabinet grade. This page carries the full size chart, the cost-per-linear-foot table quotes are actually built from, and the layout rules that decide how many boxes a wall really holds.
How we calculated these numbers▾
Dimensions follow the KCMA/ANSI A161.1 cabinet standard and NKBA planning guidelines. Cost ranges reflect typical 2026 installed pricing across US markets for the three industry grades; the benchmark "10x10 kitchen" (two 10 foot walls, about 20 linear feet) is the unit shops use to compare lines, and this calculator prices your actual footage the same way.
The 3-inch increment size chart
Widths (3 in steps) | Height | Depth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 9" to 48" | 34-1/2" | 24" |
| Sink base | 24" to 42" | 34-1/2" | 24" |
| Wall | 9" to 48" | 30", 36", 42" | 12" |
| Wall over fridge/range | 24" to 36" | 12", 15", 18", 24" | 12" or 24" |
| Tall pantry / oven | 18" to 33" | 84", 90", 96" | 24" |
| Corner (lazy susan) | 33" or 36" | 34-1/2" | 24" |
Standard widths by cabinet type. Every width between the ends exists in 3 inch steps; sink bases and drawer bases share the base widths.
Two working answers from that chart. Cabinets per linear foot: there is no fixed count, because a 10 foot wall might be four 30 inch boxes or eight 15s, but budget math does not care; kitchens price by the linear foot regardless of how the widths divide it. And the filler question: no wall is an exact multiple of 3 inches, so every run ends with a filler strip of 1 to 3 inches scribed to the wall. A layout that needs more than about 4 inches of filler is a layout that should swap one box size.
Cost per linear foot: the number quotes are built from
Stock | Semi-custom | Custom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $/linear ft installed | $100-300 | $200-650 | $500-1,200+ |
| Lead time | Days (RTA) to 2 weeks | 4-8 weeks | 8-16 weeks |
| Sizing | 3" increments + fillers | 3" increments, mod depths | Built to the wall, no fillers |
| Box construction | Particleboard or plywood | Plywood common | Plywood standard |
| Best fit | Rentals, flips, tight budgets | Most owner remodels | Odd walls, forever kitchens |
What moves a quote inside each grade. Installed prices; a 20 linear foot kitchen spans roughly $2,000 in RTA stock to $24,000 or more in custom.
The upgrade ladder inside any grade is predictable: plywood box over particleboard adds 10 to 20 percent, soft-close hardware is standard in the mid tier and a cheap retrofit below it, drawer bases cost more than door bases but win on function every time, and finish choice moves price more than wood species does. Installation runs $50 to $150 per cabinet on top of material when it is quoted separately, which is worth knowing when one bid is "installed" and another is not.
An L-shaped kitchen, 12 foot and 8 foot walls: 20 linear feet, the classic 10x10-equivalent. The run takes a 36 inch sink base, a 30 inch drawer base, two 24 inch door bases, a 33 inch lazy susan in the corner, and wall cabinets in 36 inch heights above, with a 2-1/4 inch filler at each dead end.
Priced three ways from the same footage: KCMA-certified stock in a painted shaker at $185/LF installed is about $3,700. Semi-custom with plywood boxes and two depth modifications at $340/LF is about $6,800. A local custom shop quotes the same layout at $520/LF, about $10,400, with no fillers and a matching hood surround. The boxes are a third of a full remodel: counters, backsplash, and appliances ride on top of all three numbers.
Composite illustration based on typical project dimensions, regional contractor pricing, and 2026 material costs. Not a specific real project.
Where cabinet estimates go wrong
Measuring the floor instead of the walls. Cabinet runs follow walls and stop at appliances. Measure each wall, then subtract the range, the fridge, and the dishwasher opening (30, 36, and 24 inches are the usual holes), because those linear feet cost zero cabinet dollars.
Forgetting the corner eats two runs. An L or U corner consumes about 36 inches from each wall it touches. Two 10 foot walls hold roughly 17 usable linear feet of boxes, not 20, once the corner unit takes its share.
Comparing quotes across different scopes. One bid includes demo, install, crown, and toe kicks; another is boxes on a pallet. Normalize everything to installed cost per linear foot for the same box construction, and the spread between shops usually shrinks to something explainable.
Buying wall cabinets short. The 30 inch wall cabinet exists for soffited kitchens. In a modern 8 or 9 foot room with no soffit, 36 or 42 inch uppers to the ceiling cost maybe 10 percent more and add a third more storage, and no one has ever remodeled back to the gap above the cabinets.
The rest of the kitchen stack
Cabinets set the geometry everything else follows. The counter that sits on the run is the countertop calculator's job, the wall between counter and uppers belongs to the backsplash calculator, and a bathroom vanity is the same math at 22 inch depth in the vanity calculator.
Measure the walls, subtract the appliances, run the calculator above, and carry linear feet into every showroom. It is the only number all three grades quote in.
Frequently asked
How many linear feet of cabinets do I need for a 10×12 kitchen?
Depends on layout. Galley (cabinets on two opposite walls): 20 linear ft base + 15 upper = 35 total. L-shape: 20 base + 14 upper = 34. U-shape with 3 walls: 28 base + 20 upper = 48. The calculator above handles any layout and wall dimensions.
What's the difference between stock, semi-custom, and custom cabinets?
Stock: pre-made in standard sizes (3-inch increments), limited door styles and colors, cheapest. Semi-custom: pre-made but with more size options, dozens of finishes, door style choices, mid-range price. Custom: made to your exact specifications, any size, any finish, any style, most expensive and longest lead time.
Should I buy assembled or flat-pack (RTA) cabinets?
Flat-pack (ready-to-assemble) cabinets save 20-30% but require 2-4 hours per cabinet to assemble. IKEA Sektion is the most common flat-pack; very good quality for the price but requires patience. Pre-assembled cabinets cost more but arrive ready to install. For most DIYers: pre-assembled is worth the extra cost.
How do I measure my kitchen for cabinets?
Measure each wall's length (floor to wall intersections). For an L-shape, measure both legs. For U, all three. Note locations of doors, windows, electrical, plumbing. Measure floor-to-ceiling to pick upper cabinet height (30" short, 36" standard, 42" tall to ceiling). The calculator uses linear feet; you convert measurements to individual cabinet sizes in final design.
Do I need an island?
An island adds counter space and storage but requires 42-48 inches of clearance on all sides (more for walk-through). Minimum kitchen for an island: 12×10 ft. Smaller kitchens with islands feel cramped. Alternative: a peninsula (attached to one wall) uses less floor space. Budget $1,500-5,000 for a basic island, much more for fully finished.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost?
Budget: $15,000-25,000 (stock cabinets, laminate counters, DIY paint, keep existing layout). Mid-range: $30,000-60,000 (semi-custom, quartz, some layout changes). High-end: $60,000-150,000+ (custom, premium appliances, full layout reconfiguration). Cabinets alone are 30-40% of total budget. Countertops 10-15%. Appliances 10-20%. Labor 15-25%.
What about cabinet hardware?
Pulls and knobs typically $5-20 each for basic, $20-50 for premium. A typical kitchen uses 30-50 pieces. Budget $200-1,500 just for hardware. Soft-close hinges are often upgrade-only on stock cabinets (add $50-100 per cabinet). Semi-custom and custom usually include soft-close as standard.
Can I reuse existing cabinets?
Options: refinishing (sand and stain or paint existing, $1,500-4,000 for a typical kitchen), refacing (replace doors and drawer fronts, keep the boxes, $5,000-15,000), or full replacement. Reusing makes sense if cabinets are solid wood in good structural condition: particleboard or MDF boxes 15+ years old are usually not worth refinishing.
Sources
- KCMA/ANSI A161.1: Cabinet Performance Standard - The industry standard behind fixed heights, depths, and the 3 inch width system
- NKBA: Kitchen Planning Guidelines - Clearances, work triangle, and landing space rules that shape cabinet layouts
- KCMA: Certified Cabinet Directory - Which stock and semi-custom lines actually carry the certification seal
- ANSI/BHMA A156.9: Cabinet Hardware - The cycle-testing standard behind hinge and slide durability claims
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