How to Measure for Replacement Cabinet Doors

How to measure for replacement cabinet doors: the basic method

Start with one cabinet at a time and record all dimensions in millimetres. Measure the cabinet opening, the existing door if you have one, and the space around it when closed. These are different measurements: an overlay door covers some of the cabinet front, while an inset door sits within the opening. Do not calculate an order size from the opening alone until you know which arrangement you have.

Use a rigid tape measure, a pencil and a simple record sheet or spreadsheet. Measure to the nearest millimetre you can read reliably, and write width before height every time. Photograph the cabinet front and hinge side alongside its label so you can match your notes to the right unit. Repeat each reading before moving on; a small transcription error can be expensive once doors are made to order.

Label each opening and note what is staying

Give every position a unique name, such as Kitchen Sink Left or Utility Tall Top. Record whether it has one door or a pair, and mark which side each door hinges on. Note any drawers, appliances, end panels or adjacent doors that restrict movement. If the cabinets are remaining in place, inspect their edges and hinges before assuming that a new door will solve a poor fit.

Decide whether you are retaining the existing hinges, replacing them, or ordering doors with no hinge holes. Many UK kitchens use concealed cup hinges, but their hole positions and mounting arrangements are not interchangeable without checking. Photograph the hinge, its mounting plate and any markings before removing it. Keep one old door available as a reference until the replacement specification is confirmed.

• Cabinet label and room location
• Single or paired doors
• Left- or right-hand hinge position
• Hinges, handles and panels to be retained

Measure the opening at more than one point

With the door open, measure the clear opening width near the top, middle and bottom. Measure its height at the left, centre and right. Record all readings rather than averaging them; different figures may indicate a cabinet that is out of square or has moved. Also measure across the relevant outer edges of the cabinet front if the replacement will overlay the opening.

Check the diagonals from opposite corners of the opening using the same reference points for both readings. If they differ, inspect the cabinet and discuss the measurements with the door supplier before ordering. A door cut square will not correct a distorted opening or an uneven cabinet installation. Note anything protruding into the space, including shelves, pipework or appliance trim, where it could affect hinges or door travel.

Measure existing doors and visible gaps

If the old doors fit well, measure each removed door across its width and height at two points, then record its thickness. Mark its top, hinge side and cabinet label before setting it aside. Measure the visible gaps around the closed door and, for a pair, the gap between the leaves. A well-fitting old door is a useful reference, but its dimensions still need checking against the opening.

If the old door catches, overlaps a neighbour or leaves an uneven gap, record that fault instead of copying its size blindly. Check whether hinge adjustment, a loose mounting plate or a cabinet that is out of square explains the problem. Note the smallest clearance at a worktop, floor, wall or appliance throughout the door's swing. Compare doors across the same run so their top and bottom lines will remain consistent.

Work out the size for inset or overlay doors

For an inset door, the door must be smaller than the opening by the clearances you intend to leave on its edges. Subtract the left and right gaps from the opening width, and the top and bottom gaps from its height. For a pair, subtract the outer gaps and centre gap before dividing the remaining width between the two leaves. Treat any gap figures as a proposed fit for your cabinets, not a universal standard.

For an overlay door, establish how far the door extends past each opening edge, then add those overlaps to the opening measurement. An existing well-fitting overlay door may give you the clearest starting size, but check it against neighbouring doors and exposed cabinet edges. Ask the supplier how it defines width, height and overlay, particularly for pairs and units with shared side panels. Record the agreed finished door dimensions separately from the raw opening measurements.

Check hinges, handles and the order specification

If a supplier will drill hinge-cup holes, send the measurements it specifically requests rather than assuming a standard position. Record the distance from the door's top or bottom edge to each hole centre, the cup diameter, and the distance from the door edge to the cup or hole centre as requested. Check the hinge model and mounting plate, especially where a new door has a different thickness. For undrilled doors, confirm that you have a suitable drilling template and can position holes without breaking through the face.

Check handle fixing centres if you intend to reuse handles, and confirm which face and edge will be visible. On a grained or directional finish, specify the grain direction for every door, including narrow units and doors above appliances. Review the supplier's stated tolerances, hinge-drilling options, finish and returns terms before placing a made-to-order purchase. Finally, compare the order list against your labelled photographs, one cabinet position at a time.

Final verification checklist

Read each order line aloud against your record sheet, checking width, height, thickness and quantity in millimetres. Confirm whether each size describes a finished door rather than a cabinet opening. Match its hinge side, drilling instructions and finish to the photograph of the intended position. For paired doors, check both leaves together and confirm the planned centre gap.

Recheck any opening that gave different readings at different points, and resolve unexplained differences before paying. Hold a straightedge against neighbouring fronts to check that the proposed doors can sit in the same plane. Keep your dated measurements, photographs and supplier confirmation with the household records. Those documents will help if a delivered door does not match the agreed specification.

• Every cabinet position has a unique label and photograph.
• Opening measurements and finished door sizes are recorded separately.
• Door gaps and hinge details have been checked for each position.
• The order matches the recorded sizes, quantities and finishes.

Scope and limitations

This note helps householders organise measurements and understand the calculation. It does not replace an on-site decision by a designer, installer, contractor, or manufacturer. Fabrication, structure, electrical work, gas, waterproofing, and personal safety require suitably qualified verification.