How to measure an under-sink cabinet before you buy an organizer

How to measure an under-sink cabinet before you buy an organizer

The short version

• A · opening width
• B · depth to the pipe
• C · height under the trap

Pick an organizer that fits beside or under the pipes, not just the empty cabinet.

https://justenoughroom.com/measure-under-sink-cabinet/

To measure an under-sink cabinet, count everything that is already in it. The cabinet under a kitchen sink looks roomy until you count the drain pipe, the water lines and, in some kitchens, a disposal. An organizer has to fit around them and still come in through the door.

A few measurements cover it. Take them with the cabinet empty and a flashlight in hand.

1. Photograph the pipes and empty the cabinet

   Take everything out and take a photo of the pipes from the front. You will mark your measurements on it, which is easier than describing a drain in words.

2. Measure the door opening (A)

   Measure the opening from one side of the cabinet frame to the other, and from the bottom of the frame to the top. If your cabinet has a center post between two doors, measure each side of the post separately. An organizer that does not fit through the opening cannot go in.

3. Measure the depth in front of the pipe (B)

   Measure from the inside of the frame to the front of the drain pipe, on the left and on the right. This is the depth a shelf or pull-out can use without hitting the pipe.

4. Measure the width and depth beside the pipe

   Measure the inside width from wall to wall. Then measure the depth to the back wall on the left and on the right of the trap. If a shutoff valve or a water line sticks out from the back wall, stop the tape there instead. A narrow organizer can sit beside the pipe instead of in front of it, so write down both sides.

5. Measure the height below the lowest pipe (C)

   Measure from the cabinet floor up to the lowest point of the drain, the bottom of the curved trap. If there is a disposal and it hangs lower, measure to the bottom of the disposal instead. Two-level organizers need to fit under this point, or have a gap or an adjustable shelf for it.

6. Check the floor and the hinges

   Look for a raised lip at the front of the cabinet floor and for hinges that stick into the opening. Both take space that the open cabinet hides. Mark them on your photo before you compare organizers.