The gap required between the top of the worktop and the base of the wall units is usually around 490mm. This figure is achieved by taking into account a 40mm worktop. Some worktops are about 30mm in height, so you may end up with a gap of 500mm, which is perfectly fine.
If you have no tall units in a kitchen run, just standard base and wall units, then there is nothing stopping you from making that gap slightly bigger, if there was some reason that you need to do it. But bear in mind, the higher the wall unit, the more difficult it is to get items from the top shelf of the wall unit.
The standard heights needed from the base unit fitting are as follows, to achieve the 490mm gap to the base of the wall units.
- The legs of the base unit are 150mm.
- The base unit sits on the legs and is 720mm in height.
- 40mm worktop.
- The total height of the base unit and worktop from the floor is (150 + 720 + 40 = 910mm).
See the diagram below to better visualise this.
Please note that the tall units shown below are taller when the legs are added.
- 1970mm high (2120mm high with legs)
- 2150mm high (2300mm high with legs)
So when fitting your wall units, measure 490mm from the top of the worktop and that is where the base of the wall unit will be positioned.
Please note that the height of 490mm is from the top of the worktop to the bottom of the wall unit, not the bottom of the lighting pelmet.
Using tall units and maintaining the 490mm gap
As you can see in the diagram above, if you are using tall units then measuring up becomes even easier, as your wall units will always line up with the tops of the tall units.
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Its is unwise to pair the 2150mm tall units, with the 720mm units or the 1970mm with the 575mm wall units?
How common it that?
Hi Nick, if you use wall units that are not advised for the tall units then the only thing that will happen is that the horizontal lines that the doors create, will not line up with any doors that you have on your tall units.
When you have a Diy-kitchens quartz worktop fitted will there be a gap between the flat wall and the worktop? And what overhang will there be?
Many thanks
Hi, the gap required between the top of the worktop and the base of the wall units is usually around 490mm. This figure is achieved by taking into account a 40mm worktop. Some worktops are about 30mm in height, so you may end up with a gap of 500mm, which is perfectly fine.
Worktop overhangs are usually around 20mm but you can have up to a 300mm overhang, before the worktop will need supporting by using either panels or support legs. If the worktop has no units etc. underneath and is being used as an open breakfast bar – it will need some sort of support column to attach it to the wall.
If you need any further advice then our sales team will be able to help on 01977 608 418.
Hi, I’d like to create a minimalistic streamlined look in my kitchen but I’m stuck when I get to the hob area. Most of the appliance manuals specific a gap of 650mm for ceramic/induction hobs and 750mm for gas hobs. However, if the standard gap from the worktop to the underside of the wall cabinets is 490mm how do I get around this issue? My plan was to use a canopy extractor hood that would fit into the wall cabinet over a ceramic hob as I don’t like the integrated door style and don’t want to step the wall unit height up over the hob area. Can you give me some ideas as to how I might get around this issue. I see lots of designers running the wall cabinets at the same height and cant work out how they are safely getting around the extraction issue.
Hi Fiona, it would be best fro your to create a support ticket here, so that our sales team can provide some advice on this for you.
Hi, I’ve got a similar concern in that my floor to ceiling is also 2310mm. I think this is too tight to fit the 2150 double oven unit (2300 tall with legs) so I’m going to opt for the standard 1970 double oven unit (2120 tall with legs). But I would like to have 900 wall units adjacent to the tall unit, installed with the top of the wall units at ceiling level, giving a clearance of 500 between the units and the worktop (2310-900-910). I would then have a full height (floor to ceiling) end panel on the side of the tall unit, and a filler piece above the tall unit. It goes against the advice that 720 wall units must be fitted with 1970 tall units, but I can’t spot any issues with fitting 900 units with a 1970 unit. It just means a filler piece would be required above the tall unit. Before I go ahead and place my order, do you anticipate any issues with this?
Hi Rob, if you used 900mm tall wall units with 1970mm tall, tall units then the wall units would be very low and will encroach on your worksurface space, making it difficult to get to things on the work surface. The recommended gap between the worktop and bottom of the wall units is 490mm. If you need anymore advice on this then our sales team will be glad to help on 01977 608 418.
In my kitchen I have ceiling height (floor to ceiling) of 2310mm. Can I still use 900mm wall units (with 30mm worktop) and full tall larder units??
Hi Murali, the 900mm tall units have to be used with the 2150mm tall units (2300mm tall with legs). If you only have a space of 2310, then it is going to be very tight with only 10mm to spare at the top. There would be no room for cornice and you may have to lower the legs to get the unit vertical then wind them back up again. Please double check your floor as well, as in some old houses the floor can slope a little, and you may have less than 2310mm at one end of the kitchen run.