How to Measure an Oddly Sized Countertop

Size a counter top to suit your kitchen.

When you are redoing your kitchen, you may need to update your countertop. No matter what kind of new countertop you want to install, you must measure your old one. This will inform your decisions regarding what kind of countertop you can afford and whether you want it to be larger or smaller. If you have an oddly sized countertop, extra care needs to be taken to measure it accurately.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Paper
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Draw a rough approximation of the counter’s shape on a piece of paper with a pencil. While it does not have to be to scale, the closer it is, the easier it will be for you.

2. Divide the irregular countertop into squares or rectangles by drawing dotted lines through the shape you drew. For example, if you have an L-shaped countertop, draw a line that divides that L-shape into two rectangles.

3. Measure the rectangles that you have designated on your paper using a measuring tape. By measuring the rectangles rather than the full length of the countertop itself, you can get accurate measurements of all of the countertop’s sides. This gives you the measurements you need for further calculations.

4. Record the measurements you make on your drawing.

Tips & Warnings

• Use graph paper to help make a reasonably scale drawing of your counter top.

References

• Spectrum Analytic: Area Calculations