Getting your worktop measurements right before you order is one of the most important steps in a kitchen installation. Measure incorrectly and you risk ordering too little material, creating awkward joins, or ending up with a worktop that simply doesn’t fit. This guide walks you through the process from start to finish.
What You Will Need
Before you start, gather:
- A steel tape measure — fabric tapes stretch and give inaccurate readings
- A pencil and squared paper for sketching
- A notepad to record every measurement
- A helper for long runs (measuring across a gap alone is awkward and error-prone)
Start With a Rough Sketch
Draw a simple top-down plan of your kitchen. It doesn’t need to be to scale, but you want to identify every run of worktop: the main straight sections, any corner joins, island worktops, and spaces around your hob and sink. Label each section A, B, C and so on — you will use these labels when recording measurements.
How to Measure Each Run
Measure the length of each worktop run from wall to wall. For a straight run, measure at the back (along the wall) and again at the front (where the worktop edge will sit). Walls are rarely perfectly square, so note any difference — even a 5mm discrepancy may need to be accounted for in the template.
Standard worktop depth is 600mm for base unit runs. If you are working with a peninsula or island, you may need a different depth. Measure the distance from the back wall to where you want the front edge to sit, and check this against the unit depths you are working with.
Allow for Overhangs
Most kitchen worktops sit 20–25mm over the front of the cabinet doors. This is the standard overhang. If your kitchen design calls for a thicker or thinner overhang, account for this in your depth measurement. For a breakfast bar, the overhang is typically much greater — sometimes 200–300mm — to allow seating. Check out our range of breakfast bar worktops if you need a wider depth for seating.
Dealing With Corners
Corner joins are the trickiest part of measuring. There are two common approaches:
- Mitre joint: Both pieces are cut at 45 degrees and butted together. Both pieces need to be long enough to reach the back wall and extend to the edge of the adjacent run.
- Butt joint: One piece runs the full length of one wall. The second piece is cut square and butted up to the side of the first. Decide in advance which piece will run full-length — this determines which measurement gets the extra depth.
In both cases, measure each section independently and add a small amount of waste allowance (50–75mm) to each piece to allow for cutting and fitting.
Measuring for a Sink Cutout
If you are fitting an inset sink, you will need to mark where the cutout will fall. Measure the distance from the wall to the centre of the sink bowl, and the distance from one end of the run to the centre. These two measurements (distance from back and distance from end) pinpoint the centre of your cutout exactly.
Most sink manufacturers supply a template for the cutout shape. If yours did not, measure the sink bowl opening and add the required lip width to get your overall cutout dimensions. For undermount sinks, follow the same process but note that the cutout will be slightly smaller than the sink bowl.
Check Your Walls for Square
Few kitchens have perfectly straight walls. Use a long spirit level or straight edge against the wall behind where the worktop will sit. Note any bowing, dips or out-of-square corners. If a wall bows more than 5–10mm over a 3m run, you may need to scribe the back edge of the worktop to fit flush rather than simply measuring wall to wall.
Ordering: Add Your Waste Allowance
Once you have your final measurements, add a minimum 50mm to every length to allow for scribing and cutting. For laminate worktops, which come in standard 3m and 4m lengths, check that your longest run (with waste) fits within the length you are ordering. If your run is longer than a single piece, plan where the join will fall — ideally not across a high-traffic area like in front of the sink.
Summary: Measuring Checklist
- Sketch your kitchen from above and label all runs
- Measure each run length (at wall and at front edge — note any difference)
- Measure depth and confirm overhang requirement
- Record corner type (mitre or butt) and adjust lengths accordingly
- Mark sink and hob positions with two coordinates each
- Check walls for square and note any scribing requirements
- Add 50–75mm waste allowance to every piece
- Double-check all numbers before ordering
If you are unsure about any of these steps, many of our worktop ranges come with free technical support. Browse our full range of kitchen worktops to find the material that suits your kitchen.