1. Check your units are compatible

First, assess your existing cupboards. Do the doors fit the frames neatly? Are your cupboards made from 15mm or 18mm MFC (melamine-faced chipboard)? Are the hinges recessed into the doors with 35mm holes, and fitted to a plate inside the cupboard? Does the door shut over the frame edge (closing onto, rather than into the frame)? Use our diagram as a guide. View kitchen door inspection diagram 1

If you answered ‘yes’ to all these questions, please proceed…

2. Download and print our helpful door and drawer front calculation sheet. Note the measurements on the sheet and it will be easier to do the maths!

3. Measure the cupboards for new doors

Measure the unit’s overall height and width. Subtract 5mm from the height and 4mm from the width. These are your new door dimensions.

Confused? Here’s an example. If the cupboard measures 720mm by 500mm, the door should be 715mm by 496mm. Use our diagram to help with this stage. View kitchen door inspection diagram

4. Measure cupboards with drawers

If you have any cupboards with drawers at the top, these are easy to measure. Take down the overall height and width, subtract 4mm from the width, and subtract 5mm PER FACE from the height.

So, if your unit has one door and one drawer front, then you should subtract 10mm. If it has one door and two drawer fronts, you would subtract 15mm.

For example, take a standard 720mm high cabinet with one drawer and one cupboard. You’d start by subtracting 10mm from the height. Then subtract the height of your door (which you’ve already got, assuming all your kitchen doors are the same size). You will be left with 140mm, which is the height for your drawer front.

Your shopping list will contain:
1 x 570mm x 496mm door.
1 x 140mm x 496mm drawer front.

5. Measure drawer units

A calculator comes in handy here! Measure the total height and width of your unit. Take 4mm from the width, and note that figure. Next, divide the height by the number of drawers. Subtract 5mm and you’ve got the height of each drawer.

For example: a 720mm unit contains 4 drawers. It’s 500 wide, which – after subtracting the standard 4mm – gives a 496mm width. Divide 720mm by 4 (= 180) and subtract 5mm, which gives you 175mm. The drawer fronts will each be 175mm x 496mm.

View kitchen drawer base diagram

6. Measure for hinge holes

When you order your new doors, we will ask you to provide the position for the pre-drilled holes. Open one of your cupboard doors, and measure (a) from the top of the door to the centre of the hole, and (b) from the bottom of the door to the centre of the hole.

We will also ask whether you want the holes on the left or right side of the door. Shut the door, and note the side the hinges are on. Hingeholes fig 2

7. If in doubt, contact us.

If you have any questions about measuring for your new doors, don’t hesitate to give us a call.