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MaterialCalc — Kitchen Cabinet Linear Foot & Cost Calculator

Estimate prepared 09/01/2026. Estimates only; verify against your plans before ordering.

Kitchen Cabinet Linear Foot & Cost Calculator

Total run along the wall, minus the range and dishwasher.

Usually shorter than the base run — windows and the range hood break it up.

%

Filler strips, scribe and toe kick between boxes.

Result

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Kitchen cabinets are quoted per linear foot of run, which makes comparing quotes hard until you know your own footage. Base and wall runs are priced differently, appliances come out of the base run, and the same kitchen in stock versus custom differs by a factor of three. This gives you the footage and the range.

Assumptions used

These are the numbers behind the result. Where one of them is soft, the cost range widens rather than pretending to a precision the data does not have.

Wall cabinet height
30 in

Home Depot / Lowe's published product data — Published product data, checked 09/01/2026

Prices verified 09/01/2026 (US national average, big-box retail shelf price and regional ready-mix quotes). Regional adjustment: Blended from RSMeans city cost index bands and BLS construction wage differentials.

The formula

Base linear feet = base run + island run, plus an allowance for fillers and scribe. Wall linear feet = wall run plus the same allowance. Base cabinets are priced higher per foot than wall cabinets because the boxes are deeper and usually carry drawers.

Worked examples

16 ft base, 12 ft wall, 6 ft island

Base cabinet run: 16 Wall cabinet run: 12 Island cabinet run: 6 Cabinet grade: semi Fillers and trim: 8

About 24 ft of base and 13 ft of wall — 37 linear feet total. A typical suburban kitchen.

Galley kitchen, 20 ft base, 16 ft wall

Base cabinet run: 20 Wall cabinet run: 16 Island cabinet run: 0 Cabinet grade: stock Fillers and trim: 8

39 linear feet in stock cabinets — roughly 40% less than the same footage semi-custom, and available immediately.

Small kitchen, 10 ft base, 8 ft wall, custom

Base cabinet run: 10 Wall cabinet run: 8 Island cabinet run: 0 Cabinet grade: custom Fillers and trim: 8

Only 19 linear feet, but custom nearly doubles the per-foot rate. Custom makes most sense in small awkward kitchens where stock sizes waste space.

Choosing materials

  • Deduct the appliance openings from the base run: a range is typically 30 in, a dishwasher 24 in, and a refrigerator 36 in. Leaving them in overstates a kitchen by 7 or 8 linear feet.
  • Wall run is almost always shorter than base run. Windows, the range hood and open wall above a sink all break the upper run up.
  • Stock cabinets are on the shelf and cost roughly 60% of semi-custom. Custom is around 80% more than semi-custom and takes three months. That spread is bigger than any other decision in a kitchen remodel.
  • Drawers cost more than doors. A base run of drawer stacks can be half again the price of the same footage in door-and-shelf boxes, and it is the upgrade most people say was worth it.
  • Add the filler strips. Every run needs scribe at the walls and fillers between boxes and appliances, and they are frequently left out of a quote you are comparing.

Common questions

How do I measure kitchen cabinets in linear feet?

Measure the run along the wall in feet, separately for base and wall cabinets, and deduct the appliance openings. Add the island as base run. Then add about 8% for fillers and scribe between boxes.

How much do kitchen cabinets cost per linear foot?

Stock runs roughly $100 to $200 per linear foot, semi-custom $200 to $400, and custom $400 to $800 or more. Base cabinets cost more per foot than wall cabinets. Installation adds $80 to $120 per foot.

What is the difference between stock, semi-custom and custom?

Stock comes in fixed sizes off the shelf. Semi-custom is built to order from a catalog of sizes and finishes, typically 4 to 8 weeks. Custom is made to your dimensions with no size constraint, 10 to 16 weeks and roughly double semi-custom.

Do I count the island as base cabinets?

Yes — island boxes are base cabinets and are priced the same way. If the island has finished panels on the back and ends, those are extra and are often a surprising line on the quote.

Why is my quote higher than the linear foot estimate?

Because per-foot pricing assumes a mix of standard boxes. Drawer stacks, pull-outs, corner units, glass doors, crown molding and finished end panels are all priced above the base rate, and a real kitchen has several of them.

Are wall cabinets cheaper than base cabinets?

Yes, typically 20 to 30% less per linear foot. Wall boxes are shallower, have no drawers, and carry no countertop. That is why a kitchen with a long base run and little upper cabinetry costs more than the total footage suggests.

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