How to Measure for New Cabinet Doors (Step-by-Step Guide)
Replacing cabinet doors is one of the easiest ways to give your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room a fresh new look—without tearing everything out.
But to get it right, you'll need accurate measurements. This guide shows you how to measure your existing cabinet openings to ensure your new doors fit perfectly.
🔧 Things You'll Need:
The quantity of door needed for your project
Download and print Cabinet Door Measurement Form (Download Here)
Tape measure (metal is best)
Notepad or measuring sheet
Pencil or pen
Step stool (if needed)
Optional: Phone or camera to take reference photos
Step 1: Identify Your Cabinet Type
Framed Cabinets - Most traditional American cabinets have a face frame. Doors are mounted on this frame and may partially or fully cover it.
Frameless Cabinets - Also known as European-style cabinets. These don’t have a face frame—doors mount directly to the sides of the cabinet box.
🔍 Knowing your cabinet type helps determine your hinge style and overlay amount.
Step 2: Identify Location
Lower Cabinet - Cabinets installed on the ground
Upper Cabinet - Cabinets installed 18” above the lower cabinets
Note - For pantry cabinets (cabinet extending floor to ceiling) use the lower cabinet check box on the form.
Step 3: Measure the Cabinet Opening
For each door opening always measure the width first then the height
Width – Measure the inside of the opening from left to right.
Height – Measure from the top of the opening to the bottom.
🎯 Always measure to the nearest 1/16" and write it down right away.
Step 4: Choose Your Door Style – Full, Partial or Inset
Partial Overlay, Full Overlay or Inset Doors (Most Common)
Overlay Door - These door types sits on top of the cabinet face frame and overlaps the opening.
Inset Doors - These sit flush inside the cabinet opening—like a picture in a frame.
Partial Overlay (1/2" each side):
These doors overlap face frame 1/2” on all four sides of cabinet opening.
Full Overlay (1-1/4"+):
These door nearly cover the entire frame.
Inset Doors (1/32”-):
These sit flush inside the cabinet opening with 1/32” between the door and face frame on all four sides.
Face frame opening must have 4 right angels perfectly perpendicular to each other.
More expensive option due to the level of time it takes to fit each door to its opening. (Professional installation is recommended)
Step 4: Mark the Hinge Side
Decide if each door will open to the Left, Right or Top and then mark the appropriate box on form.
Note - this in your measurements to simplify installation later—especially if you're ordering pre-drilled hinge holes.
Step 5: Count and Label Every Opening
Make a list of:
How many doors you need
Whether any cabinets need double doors
Drawer fronts (use the same width × height method)
Hinge side for each door
📸 Pro Tip: Take photos of your cabinets and label each door (A, B, C...) to stay organized during installation.
✅ Summary Checklist
Identify cabinet style: framed or frameless
Measure each opening’s width & height
Choose overlay amount (standard or full)
Calculate final door size
Decide hinge side (L or R)
Label and count everything
Double-check all measurements
📦 Ready to Order?
Once you have your final door sizes, you're ready to pick a door style, finish, and hardware. Need help calculating your exact door dimensions? Contact us or use our free cabinet door calculator.