Standard Length and Height for Typical Island Size in Kitchen

Last Updated: 2021-08-11By Sofia K.

Almost every kitchen these days is equipped with a kitchen island. They come in different sizes and it is worth considering in detail the layout of your kitchen so that it is comfortable and functional. Let’s take a look at the typical island size and the main criteria on which this choice is based.

The standard length of kitchen island is considered to be 80×40 inches. The length of the kitchen island may vary depending on the number of seats and additional accessories. If you plan to use a stone countertop the maximum island size is 120×60 inches. Standard island height in kitchen has more extensive dimensions and ranges from 32-42 inches.

The kitchen island is a very important part of the kitchen that can fulfill various functions. It gives you extra cooking space and can be fitted with a variety of kitchen appliances such as a sink or a stovetop. It can also perform additional functions and serve as both a dining table and a bar counter. Do not forget that additional cabinets built into the kitchen island can hold a lot of dishes and small household appliances that you do not want to keep constantly in sight.

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Standard Island Height in Kitchen

If with the typical island size everything is simple and there is a fairly clear definition, then with the height of the island, not everything is so simple. This wide range is due to several factors. First of all, the height of the working surface must be chosen based on the height of the person, which will most often use it during cooking.

Remodel on point recommends determining the required height for a kitchen island before purchasing. You can go to the store and use examples to understand which one is right for you.

The second important reason why the standard island height in kitchen is so different is the height of the chairs used. If you are using a kitchen island with chairs the average height will be 28-30 inches. This is a rather uncommon option, it is always found.

The second option is to use low stools. They are slightly taller and the recommended island height is 32-36 inches for convenient eating. The least popular option is to use the kitchen island as a bar counter. In this case, high bar stools are installed, due to which the height of the island increases significantly. The recommended height for this option is 42-48 inches.

Using these tips, you will be able to determine in detail the choice of the height of the kitchen island, which will suit your needs and will be an excellent addition to the kitchen.

Factors Affecting the Size of the Kitchen Island

An additional factor that affects the typical island size maybe its destination. Depending on what you will use the kitchen island for, its configuration and dimensions may change. It can also affect the required amount of minimum space around kitchen island. Let’s take a closer look at several options to understand their differences.

Correct Kitchen Planning

To make the cooking process more convenient, experts recommend creating a so-called working triangle in the kitchen. This concept means that the distance between the refrigerator, stove, and sink must be at least 4 feet and all these functional parts must form a regular triangle.

This allows you to conveniently navigate the kitchen while cooking and use all available surfaces. This layout implies the presence of a built-in sink or stove on the kitchen island. And this also affects the amount of minimum space around the kitchen island. As mentioned earlier, it should be at least 4 feet, but no more than 8 feet, as this will cause additional inconvenience during cooking.

Additional Storage Space

The presence of additional storage space for kitchen utensils is very important in small kitchens. Kitchen islands with multiple cabinets are very common in small I-shaped and L-shaped kitchens. Additional cabinets allow you to keep all items in their places without installing additional upper cabinets.

Due to the addition of additional cabinets, the standard length of the kitchen island can be extended to 4-6 feet. This will call conveniently combining both the cooking and eating areas. If you are planning to install such a kitchen island, then you should calculate in advance the availability of free space around the island. Otherwise, it may not fit in your kitchen.

Standard Length of Kitchen Island with Stove and Sink

The complete set of the kitchen island can be completely different and perform the functions you need. It should be understood that all additional parts will affect the length and height of the kitchen island.

You can install both a sink and a stove in the kitchen island, or, if you wish, all at once. All these changes are made according to your wishes and according to the size of your kitchen.

Place for Eating

If you are not planning to create a separate dining room, then the kitchen island can perfectly serve as a substitute for the dining table. This configuration replaces part of the island’s working space with a dining surface. Also, in this case, part of the cabinets is removed and a niche under the chairs is installed.

The number of seats at such a table can be different, depending on your needs. These changes will also affect the length of the island. It will be a great place for family gatherings while eating.

If you like to host house parties or just meet friends, then your kitchen island can also serve as a bar counter. Just remember that bar stools are much taller than usual and this will undoubtedly affect the standard island height in the kitchen.

Typical Island Size Dependence on Configuration

Spacious kitchen island with plenty of seating

Maximum Complete Set of the Kitchen Island

The maximum complete set of a kitchen island is a great idea for those who do not like to limit themselves to something. You don’t have to choose between installing sinks and stoves, cabinets, or a bar counter. Just set a non-typical island size and put everything you need there.

It should be understood that such kitchen islands are not suitable for every kitchen. A large island also requires a proper kitchen, because you need a lot of free space around it. The standard length of this type of kitchen island is much larger, at 9 feet. This is a great option for an open kitchen in a large house. The kitchen island will replace both a cooking place and a dining table.

Child-Friendly Island

If your family has children, then you can equip part of the kitchen island for their needs. In addition to the work surface, you can also organize an area for board games. In this case, children will be supervised while you are preparing food. You can also select one of the cabinets of the kitchen island for storing books and various games, and in another, for example, lunch boxes are conveniently located.

In this type of configuration, a minimum space around kitchen island of 3-4 feet is recommended. This will allow several family members to be conveniently in the kitchen at once. Think also about the height of the kitchen island, it may be too high for children. In this case, you can use the standard island height in kitchen for chairs 28-30 inches. Also, these chairs are much more stable and practical for children.

Mobile Island on Wheels

If you have a small kitchen and it is not possible to install a kitchen island with a typical size, then do not be discouraged. An excellent solution, in this case, is a kitchen island on wheels.

It comes in a smaller size of 1.5-2.5 feet, making it suitable for even the smallest kitchens. Also, its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is easy to move it. While cooking, you can place it at a convenient distance from other kitchen surfaces. This will create the required minimum space around kitchen island. This option will be a great alternative and will not take up a lot of free space.

Conclusion for Typical Island Sizes and Types

With the growing popularity of open kitchens, the kitchen island has become an integral part of them. This piece of kitchen furniture can perform many useful functions, both during cooking and while eating.

The standard length of a kitchen island is considered 2×4 feet and this is due to its standard build. But it should be understood that all people have different needs and desires. Having determined what functions your kitchen island will perform, it will be much easier for you to choose its size.

Remodel on point also advises you to discuss your preferences with an interior designer or general contractor. They will be able to advise you on ideas that will be compatible with your kitchen so that everything looks harmonious and there is enough free space.

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Each building has some sort of driveway or at least should have. The main reason is for vehicles to come closer without need to walk all the way. Some homes are residential with small driveway for their car to come in and park before garage or front entrance, and others can be large commercial buildings with loading docks, delivery entrances and casual parking entrances. On Point Remodeling was asked for suggestions on residential driveway for new home construction, and we decided to write detailed article for all our readers. Using this guide you can select the material for your driveway and see what works for your budget. Here are the materials for driveway we will be discussing in our guide:

Asphalt
Concrete
Paver Stone
Crushed stone
Brick
Seashell
Gravel

To find good contractor for your driveway, you can either ask our team by email or try to find someone local that worked with neighbors or nearby buildings.

Installation process of any material surface on your driveway

a) Demolition and Excavation – Before anything is done, your contractor will get heavy machinery and scratch off old layer of driveway. They need to go down at least 5-6 inches to insure proper layering before your final layer of material is installed. b) Material Purchase and Delivery – At this point your contract is signed and you already know how the surface will look. Contracting company purchases necessary materials and delivers them to site. Double check if material is correct and not damaged. c) Preparation of Sublevel – Whatever you place as final material, it cannot just be installed directly on top soil. Gravel is the first choice of material that goes down at this stage. Other preferred material is screen sand that can go on top of gravel and works better with stone and bricks. d) Compaction of Ground – To prevent your driveway from moving and changing shapes, all the layers from bottom up have to be properly compacted. Do not leave any spot untouched while doing this or you can get small holes and cracks in driveway after installation. E) Final Installation – This is when all the magic happens. After all preparations and dirty work the final installation is made literally within hours and you can enjoy new driveway. Stone and brick is set up by hand, while other materials require some sort of machinery with manual labor to even out surface.

1. Asphalt

Probably the most used material for road top surfaces as well as driveways is asphalt. This is a mix of gravel and sand that is mixed in and combined by asphalt cement with crude oil. Pros of Asphalt Driveway

Very popular and easy to find materials/contractor
Completed in 1 day and you can drive on it after
Patches and small holes can be fixed fast

Cons of Asphalt Driveway

Easy to damage and cracks appear in few years
Almost everyone else has same surface
Oily surface and chemicals used in mix

Prepared for asphalt driveway will cost you around $5 per square foot to finish. The contractors that take care of entire process from taking out old driveway surface, install subsurface and compact the ground with new asphalt on top, will charge on average $5500 per regular size driveway at single home property.

2. Concrete

What we call concrete is a mixture of Portland cement, aggregate as well as sand with gravel. Suggested thickness of concrete for driveway is 6 inches. The mixture needs to cure without being touched or driven on top for several days. Pros of Concrete Driveway

Durable material for large weights
Long lifespan if installed properly
Winter and summer friendly

Cons of Concrete Driveway

Has marks and stains over time
Hard to repair without replacement
Super hard to DIY

To hire contractors for concrete driveway it will cost around $7-$9 per square foot. This will include site preparation with gravel spread and new concrete installation. They will order full truck of concrete (or several for larger driveways) to pour inside forming. Smoothening and curing is required after installation.

3. Paver Stone

The most luxurious material that you can use to create driveway path with is paver stone. It is made out of natural stone with uneven rough shapes that have different line patterns. Paver stones are very heavy and are perfect for weights on top of them. Almost every city in Europe has roads and walks made out of stone that were installed centuries ago. Pros of Paver Stone Driveway

Creative designs can be done
Personal looks, can match the house
Can replace single stone in minutes

Cons of Paver Stone Driveway

Weeds growing through
Stone can move over time
Most expensive material

There is wide selection of stone that can be purchased for your driveway. On average we recommend settling with $17-$20 per square foot for stone with installation included. Working with this material is very intense labor and we recommend hiring professionals that do this type of work every day.

4. Crushed Stone

Our readers sometimes mistake crushed stone with gravel, but this is not the same material. Crushed stone material is achieved when machine is mechanically crushing larger pieces of unused stone for this specific purpose. It is larger than gravel and can have smooth finish. Crushed stone can also have a mix of colors, which is much pleasant to eyes than gravel. Pros of Crushed Stone Driveway

Low maintenance required
Fits rural area style
Can be reused for other purposes

Cons of Crushed Stone Driveway

Gets very hot during summer
Can be messy after many drives
Hard to remove snow and ice

Buying crushed stone and installing it on your driveway is as easy as it gets. Similar to other rough materials discussed in this post, only small tools like shovels, dolly and buckets are required to spread it on the road. The cost of crushed stone driveway is between $4 and $6 per square foot from professional local contractors that can finish the job in several days.

5. Brick

The same brick we see being used in wall construction can be installed as top driveway surface. Brick is manufactured by compressing clay with plastic mass. It is heated to extreme temperature and dried up to become as solid as you know it. Pros of Brick Driveway

Variety of selections in shapes and shades
Bricks are recyclable
Slip resistant with rough top part

Cons of Brick Driveway

Needs regular maintenance
Change color over time
Old fashion looking

Installing brick on driveway costs $10 per square foot, which is not too far from masonry brick laying as part of the wall. To save money you can use or purchase old brick, that was part of a wall before. Do not mix these two jobs and contact landscaping professionals instead of masonry contractors that work with bricks.

6. Seashell

This material is popular on the coast line where shells can be found near the water. Construction companies use seashells to add in other materials as well as spread them on driveway in rough condition, without adding anything else. It usually comes in white or pearl color and darkens within year because of mixing with sand and dirt. Pros of Seashell Driveway

Environmentally friendly
Has natural drainage
Creates worm vibe of beach house

Cons of Seashell Driveway

Break and crack under light weight
Sharp and very hard to walk on
Gets stuck in shoes and tires

To deliver and spread seashells on driveways costs below $4, which is only slightly more expensive than rough gravel. As you go further from coast line, cost of material increases due to delivery. This material is elegant and very soft. We recommend adding edge lines with darker color landscape material to create visual path.

7. Gravel

This material is used in other construction mixes and underlayment systems. It’s literally fragments and small crushed stones that are put on top of soil. It is easily spread out by hands and anyone can do it. Pros of Gravel Driveway

Cheapest of them all
Easy DIY Job
Can install another material on top

Cons of Gravel Driveway

Needs to be graded very often
Will mix with dirt and leaves
Washes up with heavy rains

It is rough material and can be purchased in bulk (by metric tons or cubic meters). The cost of driveway with gravel should not exceed $3 per square foot, but you can save tons of money by purchasing materials and doings installation by yourself. You do not require specific tools or heavy equipment for the job and delivery of gravel can be arranged directly to your project.

Conclusion

To properly finish any and all of these driveways requires skills and experience. There is no way you can complete any of these projects without heavy equipment and tools that regular home owner’s just store in their garages. Most of those who will read this post will prefer to install asphalt driveway, because of its popularity and low costs. We want to encourage home owners to go for personal preference and what matches your house, rather than getting the most affordable and popular items. Driveway jobs have to be completed fast; otherwise you will need to park elsewhere while the project is running. To not overpay, ask us for quotation sample on material you prefer in specific region where the work need to be done and our team can provide some numbers.

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