Replies

1. 
   BruceS | Jul 08, 2006 02:59am | #1

   4 1/2"high X 2 1/2" deep is pretty standard,  You'll probably need the room if you want to put in any narrow 3 1/2 "  heating or cooling registers.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

2. 
   mudman | Jul 08, 2006 05:59am | #2

   I usually go with 4" tall (to the bottom of the face frame) and 3" deep. After shimming it may come out a bit higher.

   Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

3. 
   sapwood | Jul 08, 2006 06:09am | #3

   Consider the height of your base molding on the walls. If possible, I like to make these the same height.

   There are no standards in custom work.

4. 
   oldusty | Jul 08, 2006 07:53am | #4

   Hi Jeff ,

                 The toe kick specs can vary and as Mike has said with custom work often you end up with different dimensions . my standard specs are 3" deep and 3 1/2" to the bottom of the face . Keep in mind appliances and standard allowances needed for registers , vents . Imo if the base mold is 7" tall , don't make the kick to match .

         To allow for floor treatments to be installed afterwards often time I make the kick the thickness of the floor taller so we net the correct finished ht .

                              regards             dusty

           

5. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Jul 08, 2006 05:32pm | #5

   Tall toekicks are a waste of space, and space is always at a premium in a kitchen.   If you're building your own cabinets (and you don't have stuff like heating ducts to deal with), consider making them 2 1/2" tall.  That's easily enough to get the tip of your shoe under.

1. 
   mudman | Jul 08, 2006 07:10pm | #6

   Once you go lower than 3" or deeper than 3" they get hard to clean. Brooms and mops (especially sponge mops) won't fit under. If you use a yarn type mop the bottom of the face frame will get wet from the mop and start to show damage. And finally most shoes are at least two inches tall at the toe, many are taller than that. So unless you slide your toe under the cabinet (an unatural movement) you will kick the face frame every time. Oh yea, another consideration is the cabinet doors. If the cabinets are Euro style ,with no face frame reveal, when you open the door it will be the same heigth off the floor as the toe kick. Imagine the door hitting your shoes every time. And dont forget the finished floor heigth, tile and engineered wood will take about 3/8" away from the toe kick.Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

1. 
   Jeff | Jul 08, 2006 07:43pm | #7

   Thanks to all for your help and advice. Since my baseboard will be a little shy of 4", that's what I'll aim for in the toe kick height.thanks againJeff

2. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Jul 09, 2006 01:25am | #8

   Most shoes are taller than 2" at the toe?  Really?   Even my work boots are less than 2", and all my street shoes are shorter than the boots.  

1. 
   Rennie | Jul 09, 2006 01:44am | #9

   Perhaps these are the norm in his area?  ;o)Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright

   
1. 
   Jamie_Buxton | Jul 09, 2006 02:54am | #10

   Rennie --

     I've never built furniture for somebody who wears shoes like that.   It might be ... um...educational....

2. 
   dgreen | Jul 09, 2006 03:36am | #11

   My boots are 2 1/2 at the toe, my house slippers are 2 1/2 tall two inches behine the toe. Toe kick sizes from the three largest cabinet makers in WA state are 4" tall x 3 1/2 deep.

   Since the house is on fire let us warm ourselves. ~Italian Proverb

   Edited 7/8/2006 8:37 pm by dgreen

3. 
   mudman | Jul 10, 2006 07:07am | #14

   I sugest you look at someone elses collection of shoes. Yes, most of my shoes are 2" or taller, no I didn't measure them I know what two inches looks like. Some of my  wifes are over 2" as well. That is beside the point. If you really contend that a 2 1/2" toe kick is a good idea in spite of all the other reasons I named then I have to wonder about your experience or sourses for information. There is a reason that every kitchen cabinet manufacturer and custom shop uses 3 1/2" to 4" toe kicks. It is completely unreasonable to make a 2 1/2" high toe kick. You are making fun of my shoes.... but you offer no argument. Oh, I forgot you did mention that increadibly usefull inch and a half of interior space you gain.Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

6. 
   KeithNewton | Jul 09, 2006 05:46am | #12

   Jeff, I usually go 4" but I have done them as high as 10" on some historic reproductions.

   What you didn't ask, but I will add anyway. When I started building cabinets, the guys that taught me were using 32" -34" for the finished height, and I have abandoned that unless it is for some pretty short people. Even if the kids are small, they are not small for very long really, and you can make a stool for the first few years easier than bending low forever after. My 2¢

1. 
   Jeff | Jul 10, 2006 10:27pm | #15

   I agree 32 to 34" is too short.  Out of curiosity, what height range do you use?  In my kid's bathroom, the final height will be 34 1/2 and in our bathroom the final height is 36."  The toe kick info given here and the "bent elbow test" determine the height--extend your hands to just under the faucet as if rinsing them and ensure the slope of the forearm is down towards the hand and not the elbow, so water rolls towards the hands and not the elbows for the shortest person using the sink.

   Jeff

1. 
   mudman | Jul 11, 2006 04:35am | #17

   The correct heigth for a counter depends on its use. A desk has to be lower so you can sit under it, a stand up work surface (kitchen cabinet) follows the bent elbow rule or the standard of a 35-36 inch finished heigth, and a wash basin is usually higher by a couple of inches so you don't have to bend over to wash hands or as much to wash your face. If the basin is to be used by kids you have to keep the heigth closer to the standard kitchen heigth. When I am doing a master bath I usually have a sit down heigth work area for HER and the sink basin area higher 37" to 39" for washing and shaving. If there are two sinks I make one 36" high and the other higher to fit the taller user, and I put HER sink closer to Her closet and vise versa for HIM if posible. Imagine not having to bend over to rinse your razor while shaving or rinsing your tooth brush. Though really what I am describing is pretty standard in custom bathroom design and comes standard in most nicer spec homes.Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

7. 
   ring | Jul 09, 2006 10:43am | #13

   Jeff,

   Just one more consideration in all you've already received:  If the diswasher is an integral type, they usually cannot have a toekick that is too low.  In my experience, 4" is minimum and it's sometimes 5" if you want the wood door of the DW to follow the horizontal lines of the neighboring cabinets.

   DR

8. 
   art | Jul 11, 2006 02:45am | #16

   To take advantage of the space you could install a shallow "toe kick" drawer. In that case, 4 inches is probably a reasonable dimension.  Art

9. 
   DML | Jul 11, 2006 07:31am | #18

   Generally the standard sizes for toekicks in kitchens are 4" high, 3" back. Counter height is 36" from floor and 1 1/2" think, so top of cabinet is 34 1/2" from floor. Cabinet depth is 24"

   Variations exist and basically you are of course free to do whatever you like, but after doing quite a few custom kitchens I would highly recomend checking the cut sheets of any appliances you are using to make sure they will fit and blend in.