BASE = WALLS − CORNER ALLOWANCE (60 cm × CORNERS) − TALL CABINETS [+ ISLAND]
WALL CABINETS = WALLS WITH WALL CABINETS − CORNER ALLOWANCE (35 cm × CORNERS) − TALL − GAP
TALL = QUANTITY × UNIT WIDTH · WORKTOP = BASE CABINET RUN
IF THE CORNER IS COUNTED IN FULL, NO CORNER ALLOWANCE IS DEDUCTED
Linear metres in typical kitchens
| Layout | Walls (cm) | Base | Wall cabinets | Total (corner deducted) | Total (corner in full) |
|---|
| Single wall | 300 | 3 m | 3 m | 6 m | 6 m |
| L-shaped | 300 + 200 | 4.4 m | 4.65 m | 9.05 m | 10 m |
| U-shaped | 240 + 300 + 240 | 6.6 m | 7.1 m | 13.7 m | 15.6 m |
| Galley (parallel) | 300 + 300 | 6 m | 6 m | 12 m | 12 m |
Assumption: wall cabinets on every wall; no tall cabinets or island; base cabinet depth 60 cm, wall cabinet depth 35 cm. Values are produced by the calculator on this page.
How are kitchen cabinet linear metres calculated?
A linear metre is the length of the cabinets measured along the wall; it is a length, not an area. Each wall is measured from the corner to the end, and base, wall and tall cabinets are totalled separately. The width of tall cabinets is deducted from the base and wall runs, because that section holds a single floor-to-ceiling cabinet. For example, in a 360 + 240 cm L-shaped kitchen, counting the corner once and deducting a 60 cm fridge housing gives 4.80 m of base cabinets, 5.05 m of wall cabinets and 0.60 m of tall cabinets.
How is the corner counted in an L-shaped kitchen?
Where two walls meet, a square as deep as the base cabinets (commonly 60 cm) is part of both wall measurements. One method counts this square once: the corner is deducted and the result is the physical length of the cabinets. The other method adds the two walls as they are: the corner is counted in full, justified by the extra work a corner unit needs, such as a blind corner or a carousel mechanism. The difference is about 60 cm of base cabinets and 30–35 cm of wall cabinets per corner. Which method is used varies from company to company; when comparing quotes, make sure they were calculated the same way.
How many linear metres is a U-shaped kitchen?
A U-shaped kitchen has two corners, so the difference between the methods is twice that of an L-shaped kitchen. In a 240 + 300 + 240 cm U-shaped kitchen with the corners deducted, the base cabinets come to 6.60 m, the wall cabinets to 7.10 m and the total to 13.70 m; with the corners counted in full the total rises to 15.60 m. If the back wall is shorter than two corner depths (about 120 cm), the corner cabinets collide and the layout needs to be rethought.
Are tall cabinets included in the linear metres?
Tall cabinets such as a fridge housing, a built-in oven column or a larder unit run from floor to ceiling; there are no separate base and wall cabinets in their section. Their width is therefore deducted from the base and wall runs and listed separately as tall cabinet linear metres. Because a tall cabinet has a different carcass and fittings from base and wall cabinets, companies usually price it as a separate item or with their own coefficients. Always ask how tall cabinets are calculated in your quote.
Does a price per linear metre cover base and wall cabinets together?
It depends on the company. Some price base and wall cabinets as separate linear metres; others price them together as a set, based on the worktop run or on the average of the base and wall cabinet lengths. When two quotes for the same kitchen differ widely, the reason is often this measuring method rather than the price. This calculator gives base, wall and tall cabinets separately; if your company quotes a single set price for base and wall cabinets, enter it in the base cabinet field and leave the wall cabinet field blank.
How is the worktop length calculated?
The worktop follows the base cabinet run: there is no worktop in front of tall cabinets, while an island worktop is added. At the corner the length follows the method you choose; the worktop area (m²) is given as the physical area, with the corner square counted once. Because stone and composite worktops may be priced per linear metre or per square metre depending on the company, the calculator shows both values. Sink and hob cut-outs and the splashback between worktop and wall cabinets are not included in this calculation.
This calculator gives a preliminary estimate and does not replace an on-site survey. The actual linear metres depend on how square the walls are, appliance sizes, the corner solution and the company's measuring method. The calculator does not suggest prices.