Dimensions of kitchen countertops - standard: thickness, depth, photo, video, price, DIY installation instructions

The dimensions of the kitchen countertop are selected taking into account the dimensions of the future set. Width and length play a key role, because... These parameters determine the working surface area. For ease of cooking, it is advisable to install a large countertop. However, you also need to take into account the dimensions of the room. For a small kitchen, it is better to choose a compact countertop. Thickness and structure of the material - these parameters determine the degree of strength of the product and service life. When choosing a suitable option, you should take into account the type of material, because... in each case the dimensions will be different.

Standard dimensions of a kitchen work surface

A wide range of countertops designed for installation in rooms of the same type of configuration significantly simplified the task of selection. Not long ago, a tabletop surface with the following parameters was sufficient:

length – 1000 mm;
width – 600 mm;
thickness – 28, 38 mm.

In earlier times, chipboard sheets were more often used. Accordingly, these dimensions were considered in relation to countertops of this type. As other materials appeared and as a result of more obvious changes in the configuration/size of rooms, work surfaces also changed more.

Today, longer products (2400, 3050, 4100 mm) are popular. In this case, the sink and hob are taken into account, which should not protrude beyond the coverage. The dimensions are the same, but the thickness is set individually.

The standard height of the countertop in the kitchen from the floor depends on human height. Possible options:

height is no more than 150 cm, then the height of the working surface should not exceed 76 cm;
150-160 cm – 82 cm;
170 cm – 88 cm;
170-180 cm – 91 cm;
190 cm – 94 cm;
about 2 m – 1 m.

These sizes are recommended, so if desired and the need arises, you can choose another option. However, in this case, the ease of use of the product cannot be guaranteed. Using a lower tabletop or, conversely, a high analogue will lead to discomfort; in particular, your back may hurt if you work for a long time in an uncomfortable position.

Non-standard kitchen area

In a private house, the size of a kitchen countertop is not limited to standard square meters. Even the maximum length is greater than the standard length of sheet materials of 3 m. They can be spliced to any size. Everything is decided by the opinion of the hostess. The depth of the kitchen countertop on wall-mounted cabinets is no more than 80-90 cm, otherwise it will be inconvenient to wipe the kitchen apron.

In small apartments, where every centimeter counts, the width of the countertop for the kitchen corner narrows to 50, 40 and even 30 cm. For such miniature kitchens, household appliance manufacturers offer a special range of sizes. Hobs with two burners, narrow dishwashers with dimensions less than 45 cm.

In a small kitchen, a countertop made of premium material is possible. This is the same technical waste, trimmings when cutting sheets of agglomerate or porcelain stoneware. Sometimes companies put them up for sale at significant discounts. The length of the tabletop is small, so it is possible to select suitable pieces.

What should you consider when choosing a size?

Key parameters:

type of material;
installation method and type of fastening;
dimensions;
compliance of the selected material, shade and size of the product with the general style of the interior;
comfort during use.

The material is the determining factor because... may have a different structure. If you install a thin tabletop, which is characterized by an insufficiently dense structure, for example, made of wood-containing boards, then the service life of the product will be short. The use of thick sheets is also not always justified. Thus, you should not make a large countertop if you use natural or artificial stone, because these varieties are characterized by increased strength, wear resistance and significant weight.

The type of fastening is also a determining parameter when choosing materials and sizes of floor pedestal coverings. There are 2 options:

installation on cabinets;
wall mounting using brackets.

Postforming worktops – what is it? Manufacturing technology

The word postforming is a compound word that actually means a certain result “after formation.” From a technological point of view, during the postforming manufacturing process, the leading edge of the tabletop is formed with a rounded edge and lined with plastic. The procedure of bending and sticking is carried out with heating, under a special press.

For cladding, thin laminated plastic with a thickness of 0.6-0.8 mm is used. How durable and wear-resistant the working surface will be depends on its quality. To save money, some manufacturers use much thinner plastic, which negatively affects overall performance. This can be determined by visual assessment, by cutting the finished countertop. And also tactile: thin plastic is not able to hide the slightest irregularities on the surface of the workpiece; any chips, scratches, bubbles are immediately visible.

Plastic can be bent onto a postforming tabletop:

on one side of the end (at 90 degrees or type L);
from both ends (180 degrees or U type).

An indirect sign of the quality of the countertop can be the presence of a drip tray - a convex plastic strip on the back side of the working surface. The drip collector (sometimes called a drip separator) does not allow drops flowing along the rounded edge to fall on the “underside” that is not protected by plastic.

For the convenience of choosing ready-made countertops, there are:

Plain, fancy collections of plastic, imitation stone and solid wood.
Matte, smooth, glossy surfaces, with embossing of varying degrees of severity and different directions (along and across the canvas) to resemble wood, limestone, sandstone, marble, etc.

Headset design

If you intend to independently draw up a project and assemble a kitchen set with your own hands, you need to know the standard dimensions that are used in the manufacture of kitchen furniture:

floor standing cabinets 860 mm
cabinets 720 mm
cabinet legs 100 mm
table tops = 40 mm

This is important to consider, because when you change one parameter, you need to change all the remaining ones. Ordering materials for making kitchen cabinets yourself will cost less if you use standard sizes of kitchen cabinets. Thus, the executing company will not need to create a separate layout, but can immediately begin manufacturing furniture.

Taking measurements from the kitchen

The number of manipulations performed will depend on the configuration of the future headset. To obtain more accurate dimensions for the manufacture of kitchen furniture, perform the following measurements:

Determine the distance between two opposite walls; this should be done at 2-3 points.
Obtain the size of the height of vertical structures (in several places).
Determine the distance from the window opening to the floor/ceiling. In this case, the opening angle of the sash is taken into account.
On the drawing of the headset, the locations of sockets and pipeline outlets are indicated.
Sets the height of the kitchen countertop from the floor.

Standard sizes in different materials

If you choose the right work surface, you can help reduce the cost of the headset. It is also worth noting that the dimensions of the kitchen countertop depend on the manufacturer.

Products made from the same material, but from different brands, may have different dimensions. The more massive the surface for floor cabinets is considered, the more expensive it will cost.

Plastic

Such products are chipboard or MDF boards coated with a polymer material. Standard sizes of plastic table top:

thickness – 28, 38 mm;
length varies from 2000 to 4000 mm;
The width is most often 600 or 620 mm.

Wood

The thickness of a wooden tabletop is often 40 mm. The width can vary significantly from 600 to 1000 mm. It is advisable to choose the highest value of this parameter for large premises. Moreover, a wide countertop is not suitable for a corner kitchen unit. The length of a solid wood work surface often varies between 1000-3000 mm.

What affects the standard

A custom kitchen uses many standard elements. The customer will have to agree with this. Standard kitchen countertop sizes depend on several factors:

Dimensions of material blanks
Technical requirements for the installation of hobs and plumbing
Typical kitchen sizes

There are optimal sizes dictated by ergonomics and regulatory documents. They are calculated by occupational safety and health experts. For example, the optimal depth of a kitchen work area is 600 mm (60 cm). It is adopted when designing kitchen units.

Material and price

It happens that setting up a large kitchen costs comparable to a kitchen corner in an elite studio. This depends on the choice of finish and the complexity of the design. The more natural materials are used in the interior, the more expensive it is to install countertops in the kitchen.

Comparative cost of materials

Material	Price per 1 sq.m
Laminated chipboard (board)	600 -1200 rub.
Acrylic stone	13,000 – 20,000 rub.
Natural stone (slab)	Up to 50,000 rub.
Porcelain tiles (sheet)	1200 – 1500 rub.

The cost of a kitchen countertop consists of the cost of delivery, processing, and on-site installation. Delivery is critical for natural stone, since slabs (slabs) are transported from remote quarries. The complexity of processing significantly increases the cost of the product:

Example: Porcelain stoneware countertop. Dimensions 2334x606x80 mm. The cost according to the manufacturer’s calculations is 51,350 rubles. or 36,000 rub/sq.m. The cost of a similar tabletop made of acrylic stone 3100x600 mm is 50,400 rubles. or 27090 rub/sq.m.

Acrylic stone is more expensive, but the countertop will be cheaper. Porcelain stoneware is more difficult to process due to its high hardness. A kitchen countertop made of this material is not very popular. Although this particular material is considered the best in terms of physical characteristics and color range.

When purchasing material, the customer also pays for the so-called technical waste - everything that remains after cutting the tabletop according to the drawing.

The influence of acrylic stone thickness on cost and quality

The table shows the standard sizes of acrylic stone sheets and the average price

Example prices depending on thickness:

If you compare the sizes and price of sheet acrylic stone, there is a slight gain in price. But the kitchen is a place where something is placed on the tables every day and spilled. Even the most durable material loses its shine. When updating your interior, it is cheaper to polish the countertop than to replace it. And the possibility of polishing depends on the thickness of the acrylic layer.

The thickness of the kitchen countertop is 12 mm, which is optimal when using artificial stone. This size allows you to increase the required length or join parts for an L-shaped or U-shaped surface. When gluing, a strong, almost invisible seam is obtained.

Tabletop design and construction

The larger the kitchen area, the more impressive heavy countertops made of solid wood, marble, or their imitations from modern materials look. Ends with a complex profile and even carvings decorate the interior in a classic style and in Provence style.

But the heavier the tabletop, the stronger the furniture should be. Balance is achieved through a combination of a lightweight frame and a relatively thin face covering. If you turn the concrete slab of a loft-style kitchen island over, there will be stiffening ribs and voids on the reverse side, reducing weight.

You may be interested in: Properties of artificial stone and material WERZALIT (Werzalit)

A frame made of wood, plywood or chipboard is needed for rigidity and stability, for attaching to the sides of cabinets and for installing built-in appliances.

Wide edges at the ends allow you to create the effect of a massive tabletop. A bead at the end of the required size is glued in and then milled, ground and polished. On the reverse side, a wooden block is glued along the sides.

Ready-made countertops are sold post-formed. The end of laminated chipboard slabs or a finished acrylic tabletop is bent and completely covers the end on the facade. After cutting, the edge tape is glued to the side ends using hot-melt adhesive.

The minimum thickness is 18-22 cm for laminated plywood and chipboard. The thinnest material is stainless steel 1.5 -2 mm. For rigidity, the sides of a steel tabletop are bent and a metal frame or base is made of chipboard.

Narrow countertops for the kitchen - how to combine them with a stove?

Most of this product goes between the hob and the sink. All built-in elements must match the width of the countertop. If there is not much space in the room, and the working surface is small in size, you should consider installing a stove with 2 burners. It is quite narrow and will fit freely even on a tabletop with a minimum width.

In the case when you need to purchase a stove with 4 burners, it is recommended to choose from models with a sequential arrangement of burners. However, in this case, you need to calculate whether there is enough space to install other equipment and furniture.

The option of installing a stove with a small margin around the perimeter is allowed for consideration, but you should not purchase a hob whose dimensions exceed the width of the countertop.

How to take measurements correctly

To accurately calculate the parameters of the future countertop, it is necessary to take into account many factors. If you already have a set, then it is simply enough to prepare the surface to be measured, freeing it from unnecessary objects. The unit of measurement can be millimeters or centimeters. In the latter case, rounding cannot be done. Correct measurements are taken as follows:

Length measurement. The simplest task, especially if the product is located along the wall, is not interrupted by household appliances and a sink. You can measure the distance with a tape measure or take data from the technical passport of the premises. It is necessary to take into account the thickness of the wall finishing, especially if it is drywall or other bulk materials.
Measurement of built-in equipment. Often the countertop is interrupted by a gas stove and sink. Such devices must be measured along one side and subtracted from the length of the panel. For vibrating devices, you need to leave a reserve. Pieces of furniture and household appliances, for example, a washing machine, dishwasher, cabinets, counters, the upper part of which is closed, are not included in the measurements. They will simply be covered with a tabletop on top.
Tabletop depth. This parameter cannot be less than 40 cm. It is determined solely by personal preferences and ideas about convenience. If you have built-in devices, you need to take into account their dimensions. The countertop will look better if there are no large differences in depth among several household elements. If this cannot be avoided, when measuring you should focus on the deepest insert.
Measurements of the island countertop. For products that simultaneously act as a kitchen table and work area, the depth and length must be determined based on the square footage of the room and the convenience of the household. The island countertop should be comfortable for working and sitting. Recommended width – 80 cm.

Dimensions for corner kitchen

In the case of a corner kitchen set, you need to remember the need for the correct location of the seams. Thus, the connection of two slabs in the area where the direction of the working surface is changed should be at an angle of 45°. The joints are carefully sealed. If you plan to install an acrylic countertop, you can use a seamless surface.

This version of the working surface is distinguished by the ability to change the width when changing direction. Product parameters may vary, it all depends on the configuration of the room. If the kitchen is of standard dimensions, install the previously discussed options for working surfaces. In the case where the room has an unusual configuration, one part of the tabletop may be 10-20 cm or more wider than the other.

The working covering for the corner set is selected according to the same parameters as for the linear version. However, in this case it is recommended to consider types of materials that are resistant to water. This is due to the need to install individual parts of the coating, which will lead to the formation of joints.

What should the tabletop be like?

It is necessary to select the ideal option for the kitchen according to certain criteria that suit all family members. First of all, you need to determine its main qualities. It should be durable and comfortable for all household members. In order for the product to please and bring pleasure every day, when choosing, you need to take into account the following points:

Damage resistance, impact resistance;
Water resistance;
High temperature resistance;
Easy care, ability to use chemicals;
Beautiful modern design;
Resistance to dyes and acids;
Possibility of repair;
No harmful substances in the material;
Acceptable price;
Long service life.

Ease of use

Finally, it is important to decide whether your kitchen will be practical. Do you like everything about it, or maybe you should add some details or change the dimensions. It all depends on your taste and wishes. Remember that standard countertops are a much more profitable option in terms of finance, but is it right for you? Such surfaces can be installed and, if necessary, repaired independently. That is, you don’t have to look for a specialist and spend money in vain.

A tabletop ordered according to your individual drawing is original and stylish. This will definitely not happen to anyone. You will enjoy every time you are in the kitchen. But the cost is most often very high. This largely depends on the material. Also, when installing a non-standard countertop, you will need to contact a specialist who will competently carry out the installation depending on the load distribution. Whichever option you choose, weigh the pros and cons and find what suits you. And the tips from our article will certainly help you with this.

How to choose a countertop for the kitchen is described in the following video.

Postforming tabletop - what's inside?

The bulk of budget countertops with laminated plastic cladding are made from chipboard, 26-28 mm or 32 mm thick (double chipboard 16 mm thick).

Postforming worktops are “more expensive” and use moisture-resistant chipboard with a characteristic greenish color, which can be seen in the cut. The thickness of such countertops is offered in two versions, 38 mm and 60 mm.

Thickness directly affects the weight of products. The thicker the postforming tabletop, the heavier it is. But not always. There are two more types of lightweight options, with different contents:

First type . Inside there is a honeycomb filler, the so-called tamburat. Such postformed countertops are absolutely not suitable for the kitchen, since they are not designed for intensive use under conditions of constant temperature and humidity changes. But they are widely used in residential and commercial premises, for the production of household and office furniture, reception desks, etc.

Second type. Inside there is a base made of chipboard 22 mm thick, with paneling along the edge to simulate a thickness of about 40 or 56 mm. The kit includes a block for decorating visible edges. Installing a postforming countertop for a kitchen is somewhat unique, but quite simple and straightforward. A sink and hob can also fit into it without any problems, if necessary.

Lightweight postforming tabletop “Prof-Standard”