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Gap between overhead cabinets and benchtop

Suzanne Preston

7 years ago

Can someone please advise me what the minimum gap between the benchtop and overhead cabinetry would be? I want them reasonably low because I'm not very tall but want the bench space to still be useable.

Thanks heaps!

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Suzanne Preston
Original Author

7 years ago

Thank you for the tip Gallifrey. I will be sure to check:)

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Comments (6)

oklouise
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
usually the counter is 90 cm high with the wall cabinet 45cm above the counter and 60cm above a hotplate but, for a shorter person, it's easy to have the base cabinets made shorter simply by reducing the height of the kickboard/toespace (usually 15cm high) which can be reduced keeping all other measurements the same..eg by reducing the kickboard to 10cm the counter would be at 80cm and the bottom of the wall cabinet would be at 125cm above the floor...so if an average person is OK with a counter 90cm high and you are 5cm below average height then reduce the kickboard by 5cm..another method is to work out what size step (stack of phone books?) you need to stand on to be able to rest your hands flat in the bottom of the sink and that will help work out what should be comfortable working height and what amount needs to be taken off the kickboard. ....sometimes a couple of cms is all it takes to make the cabinets more comfortable and you will have a real custom kitchen that will be a pleasure to work in, congratulations for planning ahead!!
Suzanne Preston
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you so much Louise! Some great tips there. I really appreciate it.
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Your renovations are well underway, so after seeing the small floor plan and that the vanity is on an internal wall and you apparently still want the Shaving Cabinet. Having cavity brick walls I would get your brickie to remove a section of the brick wall so that the shaving cabinet can be recessed back into the cavity, this will overcome any concerns you have about bumping your head, this opening can then be patched along with other walls. I would take all of your photos and measurements to someone like Reece to pick a hand basin to fit,, I would also keep in mind that if say the width of the vanity is around 900 the shaving cabinet would match that width and you would end up with say 2 x 450 mirrored doors, which puts the mirror join in the middle and in your face when using the vanity. cheers
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Gallifrey
7 years ago
If you are using a gas cooktop, make sure you check what is the minimum legal height. I was told that the height needed to be greater to comply with gas. We built in the Tweed Shire in NSW.
Nicole K
7 years ago
600mm gap. Ours is 650mm wanted the cupboards a bit higher
Suzanne Preston thanked Nicole K
Jules
4 years ago
Nicole K... 650mm off the bench top is quite a reach! Maybe necessary if you have a very shallow bench.

I prefer a deep bench of at least 700mm with overheads around 450mm off the bench top and around 320mm to say maximum 350mm deep. Even with 350mm deep overheads set at that height, you still have 350mm working area at the front of the bench top, open to the ceiling!

If the person is taller, just raise the overheads a centimeter or two, to allow for their line of sight. But remember nobody needs to see the upper inside corner underneath the overheads. Only you when you're cleaning.

You won't hit your head to lean forward and look into a bowl in the front 350mm working area, and nobody is going to throw themselves forward and bang their head on the overheads for no reason I hope.

Beware cost cutting by cabinetmakers for illogical reasons. They get your business because their quote comes in cheaper, and then you end up with overheads that are short (reducing storage capacity) and set so high that they are outside the zone of comfortable reach. Most impracticable!

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