Countertop thickness - what are the standard sizes for a kitchen?

The kitchen is a place where a family gathers after a long day for dinner, where friends have tea and friends sit late into the night. A surface with a sink cutout on top of the cabinets is called a kitchen worktop. This is the most exploited surface - the workplace of the hostess who spends a lot of time behind it. Splashes of water and hot oil fly onto the material of the tabletop, sharp objects fall, hot cups and plates are placed. The coating is washed 2-3 times a day, cleaned with powders. This implies the requirements for the required material properties, as well as dimensional parameters (thickness, width and depth). Read also “How to choose a tabletop ".

The worktop in a modern kitchen should be:

• moisture resistant;
• shockproof;
• heat resistant;
• beautiful;
• comfortable;
• budgetary.

The second name of the countertop is the kitchen top.

Influence of material on standard dimensions (depth, width, thickness) of countertops

Sizes outside the standard are made to order on an individual basis, always with an increase in cost. Thinking over the size and shape of the kitchen set before buying, deciding on the choice of material means significant savings. Ready-made solutions will cost less.

The layout of working areas, the location of the stove, refrigerator, sink, are subject to architectural and construction standards. Kitchen appliances are also standardized. Most kitchen sets are modular. Their sizes are calculated in advance and the countertops are adjusted to the standard.

When choosing a countertop, the following are taken into account:

• area, dimensions of the kitchen;
• properties of the selected material;
• features of weight, fasteners;
• ease of use;
• aesthetics, compliance with the appearance of the kitchen.

MDF, laminated chipboard

We wrote more about these materials. here. Maximum length 4.2 m, width 1.2 m. Tabletops are inexpensive, meeting general requirements, in a variety of colors, textured and glossy. Corner tabletops are not produced, the seam is visible at the joint.

Options:	Russian production	Foreign production	Non-standard
Width, cm:	60	60	80, 90, 1,2
Length, m:	3,0 maximum 4.0	3,6-4,2	same
Thickness, mm:	28,38	28,38	28,38

 Standard sizes are manufacturing dependent.

Chipboard - laminated chipboard, sawdust, shavings are pressed with formaldehyde resins. Wood waste and shredded substandard wood are mixed with resins. The mass is fed to a cold press, then it is finally glued with a hot press. The workpieces are cooled down, sawn to standard sizes.

MDF has the same production principle, but instead of formaldehyde, natural components are used - paraffin, lignin. This increases the cost. MDF stands for fine fraction. The composition of the molding compound is wood dust.

At the finishing stage, the workpieces are covered with a polymer film or plastic under high pressure and temperature. The parts are covered with plastic after acquiring the shape. This method is called postforming, it excludes the ingress of water into the product. Front edges distinguishable from the base coat are an indicator of reduced quality.

Wood

Maximum length 4 m, width 1 m, easily reduced by trimming. Wooden countertops are made from solid wood:

• pine trees;
• larch;
• oak;
• beech;
• ash.

Thickness, mm:	18/20, 40
Standard width, cm:	60, 80, 100
Length, m:	1,0; 1,2; 1,5; 2,0; 2,4; 3,0; 4,0

The basis for the wooden top is a furniture board. Dried calibrated wood planks are glued together with professional joiner's glue. The dies can be short, this kind of gluing is called "spliced". If the dies are the size of the length of the shield, the variety is called "solid" or whole lamellar.

Further division by grades depends on the number of knots - the more there are, the lower the grade of wood. The wooden countertop is easy to manually adjust to size, cut out for the sink. A window sill is made of the same material in a pair.

The best coating for wood will be an oil that is suitable for contact with food and contains waxy additives. Wax repels water. The impregnation is renewed as needed.

Acrylic

Manufacturer's standard size:

• width 760 mm;
• length 2490 mm;
• thickness from 38 to 120 mm.

Acrylic consists of white clay powder, acrylic resin, polymers. The mass is well colored, a variety of colors are presented on the market.

Acrylic is lighter and cheaper than natural stone, warmer to the touch. High viscosity material, the appearance of chips is excluded. Smooth dense structure does not absorb water, odors, scratches are easily restored. High temperature and acetone are dangerous. At a temperature of 150-175 degrees, acrylic melts, acetone is a solvent for it.

A high-quality seam when joining is filled with colored glue, polished, invisible. Only the details with a large pattern show the mismatch of the structure. The thicker the countertop, the more sanding it will take, the longer it will last. The surface is sanded from coarse to fine to semi-glossy state. Grinding to gloss is possible, but the mirror surface is fragile, easily scratched during operation.

Quartz agglomerate

The dimensions of the slabs for making tops depend on the manufacturer. Average workpiece length: 3.0–3.2 m, width 1.24–1.44 m.

Quartz agglomerate is an artificial stone made from stone chips and coloring pigments, polyester resin serves as a binder. It contains granite and marble chips, quartz sand, crushed glass and a mirror. When joining, a seam is visible.

Thickness, mm:	20, 30, 40, 50, 60
Width, m:	1,24 1,44 1,40
Length, m:	3,0 3,05 3,06 3,2

Quartz is stronger than acrylic, comparable in strength to granite. Heavy, dense, shockproof. These qualities have found application in the decoration of public premises, restaurants, cafes and bars.

Corner countertops are made without seams. In the U-shaped, you cannot do without a seam in the middle. It is possible to choose the type of edge, round the edges or remove the curly chamfer.

Due to the weight of a square meter of quartz from 48 to 76 kg, the furniture frame is strengthened.

Natural marble, granite

A natural stone blank is called a slab. Slabs are 0.6-2 m wide and 1.8-3 m long, depending on the country of origin.

The standard size is 1.8 by 2.50 m, the thickness for marble is 20-30 mm, for granite is 30-50 mm. Natural stone has a unique natural texture. Each tabletop is unique in design, but the color palette is limited. Marble tops add aristocracy and respectability to the interior, but are capricious in use. The stone is porous, it is difficult to remove occasional stains, sometimes it is impossible to get rid of. Marble is brittle, thin edges are chipped off. The frame must be able to support a weight of 80 kg per square meter.

Granite is harder, stronger, the choice of colors is wider. On the scale of hardness, only corundum and diamond are ahead of granite. The type of surface depends on the processing:

• glossy;
• glossy, matte and soft to the touch;
• tipped, artificially aged;
• heat treated to roughness.

The average weight of a granite slab is 95 kg per square meter. Covered annually with a protective composition until the water rolls into drops.

Uncommon materials for kitchen tops

• stainless steel;
• glass;
• ceramic tile.

The arrangement of furniture in the kitchen

Kitchens according to planning solutions can be (wrote in more detail here):

• with single row equipment. Cabinets run along the wall, ideal for rectangular kitchens;

• with double-row equipment, the second work area is on the opposite wall or an island is mounted. Suitable for spacious kitchens, free passage area at least 120 cm;

• with a U-shaped arrangement. For kitchens with an area of ​​at least 10 m2, cabinets occupy three walls, the distance to opposite sides is 120-280 cm;

• The L-shaped arrangement is universal, in small kitchens it will save space, in large kitchens it will delimit the working and dining areas.

Kitchens 4 sq. m - how to proceed

A small kitchen is a common occurrence in the layout of high-rise buildings. By correctly positioning the furniture, using design tricks, you can get the most out of every centimeter of the surface. A rational approach to planning:

• abandonment of bulky wall cabinets in favor of open shelves;
• the use of folding chairs;
• transforming furniture, pull-out, reclining, roll-out tables;
• minimum depth of base cabinets;
• corner arrangement of the sink;
• device of an additional tabletop instead of a window sill.

The minimum depth of kitchen appliances is 40 cm. Cookers, dishwashers and washing machines are all fitted to this standard. Narrow dishwashers compensate for the volume in depth and width. Stoves with two burners and four in a row will also fit into a small space.

When connecting a worktop with a free-standing slab, it is necessary to observe the horizontal distance to the edge. Vertically lower the plane below the plane of the plate by 5 mm. A silicone-treated aluminum profile is screwed to the sawn edges. The joint between the end of the top and the plate is closed with a metal corner that matches the color.

L-shaped arrangement of furniture

Corner table top can be:

• monolithic without seams - acrylic, stone tops;
• from two elements with docking - MDF, laminated chipboard, wood;
• from three parts - two parts are rectangular, one is trapezoidal for the joint. MDF, chipboard, wood.

At home, only postforming and wood can be adjusted on their own, having a carpentry skill.

A strict rule - the angle between the walls should be 90 degrees, and the seams are hermetically sealed to prevent moisture from entering. Docking of two elements to save money occurs at a right angle. The joints are closed with aluminum strips applied on top, or with the help of a Euro saw. With this type of docking, the surface is flat, the bar does not interfere with cleaning. On one part, the end is cut off, on the other, the longitudinal edge is processed. The angle of the longitudinal edge is cut radially, it is better to order the cut in the workshop. A chipping along the cut will ruin the docking.

The joint at 45 degrees is more difficult to form, but it looks more beautiful. In a docking of three elements, the middle part is sold as a separate element, the standard size is 892 * 892 mm. A sink is often built into the corner.

Video: we make a tabletop from chipboard

Knowing the rules, focusing on the variety of material, you can embody the most daring ideas for arranging the kitchen. A correctly chosen countertop will be beautiful and comfortable.