--- title: "Cutout dimensions and the spec sheet: reading the numbers before cabinets are built" description: "Product size, opening size and the clearances above and beside the appliance are three different sets of figures." url: "https://applianceinstallation.center/guides/cutout-dimensions-and-the-spec-sheet/" date_modified: "2026-09-26" --- Get the space ready # Cutout dimensions and the spec sheet: reading the numbers before cabinets are built Appliance cutout dimensions are the opening sizes printed in the installation instructions, not the product's own size: a 30-inch freestanding cooking appliance measuring 29 7/8 inches wide needs a 30-inch opening, a dish care machine a 24 by 24 by about 34 1/2 inch space, and a built-in column a different opening for flush or proud fitting, plus the clearances above and beside each. By [ApplianceInstallation.center technical team](https://applianceinstallation.center/authors/technical-team/) Published September 26, 2026 ## At a glance. A spec sheet carries three different kinds of number: how big the appliance is, how big its opening must be, and how much space it needs above and around it. Cabinets built to the first set instead of the second are the classic reason a new appliance does not go in on delivery day. Read the whole guide ### Freestanding cooking, 30-inch 30-inch minimum opening Whirlpool: the unit itself is 29 7/8 inches wide. ### Dish care opening 24 in. wide, 24 in. deep, about 34 1/2 in. high GE, floor to underside of the countertop. ### Above a cooking surface 30 inches to an unprotected cabinet Whirlpool allows 24 with a protective shield. ### Built-in column, 48-inch 48 1/4 in. flush, 47 3/4 in. proud True TR-48 rough opening widths. In this guide 1. Product size and opening size are different numbers 2. Built-in cold storage: flush or proud changes the opening 3. Dish care: the 24-inch opening and the space in front of it 4. Above the cooking surface: the vertical figures 5. Step by step 6. Questions ## Product size and opening size are different numbers The product dimensions describe the appliance on the showroom floor. The opening dimensions describe the hole it goes into; these appliance cutout dimensions are the ones cabinetmakers and countertop fabricators need. Whirlpool's 30-inch freestanding gas models are a good example: the appliance is 29 7/8 inches wide, while the cabinet opening must be at least 30 inches, and 30 1/8 inches at countertop level. Build the opening to the product figure and it will not go in. Read the fine print under the drawing as well. Whirlpool's opening figures assume a 25-inch countertop depth, a 24-inch base cabinet and a 36-inch countertop height, and its cooking surface sits no higher than 36 inches with the leveling legs screwed all the way in, rising about 1 inch as they are extended. The instructions state that the cabinet opening dimensions shown must be used, and that they are minimum clearances. ### Minimums, not targets A minimum clearance is the smallest space in which the maker will stand behind the installation, not a recommended fit. Tile set after the cabinets, a thicker countertop edge or a wall out of plumb eats into it, so build to the minimum plus whatever the finishes will take away. Source: [Whirlpool — Installation instructions, 30-inch freestanding gas ranges (W10658550)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250817103740/https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/installation-instructions-W10658550-RevB.pdf) — 29 7/8 in. wide, 30 in. minimum opening and 30 1/8 at the countertop; figures for 25 in. countertop, 24 in. cabinet, 36 in. height; openings shown must be used and are minimums; 30 in. to an uncovered cabinet, 24 with millboard and sheet metal; 18 in. side cabinets, 13 in. maximum depth; 2 in. to combustible side walls ## Built-in cold storage: flush or proud changes the opening Built-in columns are sold in nominal widths, but the opening depends on how the fronts sit against the cabinets. True's TR-48 needs a rough opening 48 1/4 inches wide, 26 inches deep and 84 1/4 inches high for a flush installation, where the doors line up with the cabinet faces, and 47 3/4 by 24 by 84 inches for a proud one, where they stand forward. The unit weighs 820 pounds, so the floor under that opening is part of the specification. The same drawing marks where the water line and the electrical receptacle must land inside the opening. Services placed outside those zones can stop the unit from sliding fully home, and nobody finds out until the delivery crew is holding it. - Width, depth and height of the rough opening for the chosen fit - Zones for the receptacle and the water line on the rear wall - Floor load rating and whether the floor is level across the opening - Space in front to tip the unit upright and roll it in ### Freestanding units still need a few gaps Whirlpool asks for 1/4 inch at each side and the top of a freestanding unit for ventilation, and at least 2 1/2 inches between the hinge side and a fixed wall so the door can open far enough. A tall unit tucked into a corner is where the second figure is usually missed. Source: [True Residential — 42/48 built-in installation manual](https://true-residential.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/848062-TR-42-48-C-Install-Manual_REV_C_EN.pdf) — TR-48 rough opening 48 1/4 x 26 x 84 1/4 in. flush and 47 3/4 x 24 x 84 proud; 820 lb; water and electrical areas marked on the opening drawing; [Whirlpool — Proper location and environment for a refrigerator](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Refrigeration/Full-Size_Refrigerators/Product_Info/Installation_Support/What_is_the_Proper_Location_and_Environment_for_a_Refrigerator) — 1/4 inch at each side and the top for ventilation; 2 1/2 inches beside a fixed wall for the door to open Close on a folding rule against a cabinet opening's edge. ## Dish care: the 24-inch opening and the space in front of it GE's built-in dish care machines need a rough opening at least 24 inches wide and 24 inches deep, and about 34 1/2 inches from the floor to the underside of the countertop, with the unit adjusting over a range of roughly 33 1/2 to 34 3/4 inches. The machine must be fully enclosed on the top, sides and back, must not carry any of the cabinet's weight, and must be installed so it can be pulled out again for service. Clearances continue outside the opening. In a corner, GE wants at least 2 inches between the machine and the adjacent cabinet, wall or appliance, and 25 1/2 inches of clear floor in front so the door can open fully. Its drawing also shows where the 1 1/2-inch holes for the drain, water line and power may pass through the side cabinet. ### When the floor goes down after the cabinets In many remodels the base cabinets are set first and the finished floor laid up to them. Every fraction of an inch of new tile or wood under the dish care opening comes off the height between floor and countertop, so measure that height after the floor is down, not from the cabinet drawings. Source: [GE Appliances — Installation instructions, built-in dishwasher](https://products-salsify.geappliances.com/image/upload/s--yxlKQraa--/4e08089748bc59f01329d93f1d3a0456e6018299.pdf) — Opening at least 24 in. deep and wide, about 34 1/2 in. high (33 1/2 to 34 3/4); fully enclosed and removable for service; 2 in. in a corner; 25 1/2 in. in front for the door; 1 1/2 in. service holes ## Above the cooking surface: the vertical figures Whirlpool's cooking instructions require 30 inches between the cooking surface and the bottom of an uncovered wood or metal cabinet above it, reduced to 24 inches only when the cabinet bottom is protected with flame-retardant millboard covered in sheet metal. Upper side cabinets must sit at least 18 inches above the countertop and be no deeper than 13 inches, and the sides of the appliance need 2 inches to a side wall or other combustible material. An over-the-range microwave has its own set. Sharp asks for a 30-inch-wide mounting space, the unit at least 66 inches from the floor, 30 inches or more from the cooking surface, and 2 inches between the top of the backsplash and the bottom of the microwave. The wall must be framed with 2x4 studs, at least one stud must carry the unit, and the wall has to hold 110 pounds plus whatever is stored in the cabinet above. - 30 inches to an unprotected cabinet above the cooking surface - 18 inches from countertop to the upper side cabinets, 13 inches maximum depth - 2 inches from the sides of the appliance to any combustible wall - At least one wall stud behind an over-the-range microwave Source: [Whirlpool — Installation instructions, 30-inch freestanding gas ranges (W10658550)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250817103740/https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/installation-instructions-W10658550-RevB.pdf) — 29 7/8 in. wide, 30 in. minimum opening and 30 1/8 at the countertop; figures for 25 in. countertop, 24 in. cabinet, 36 in. height; openings shown must be used and are minimums; 30 in. to an uncovered cabinet, 24 with millboard and sheet metal; 18 in. side cabinets, 13 in. maximum depth; 2 in. to combustible side walls; [Sharp — Over-the-range microwave installation instructions (R-1881LSY)](https://files.sharpusa.com/Downloads/ForHome/HomeAppliances/MicrowaveOvens/InstallationGuides/R-1881LSY_IG_EN_061217.pdf) — 30 in. wide mounting space, 66 in. or more from the floor, 30 in. from the cooking surface, 2 in. above the backsplash; 2x4 studs, at least one stud; wall supports 110 lb plus cabinet contents ## Where to stop Cutting or enlarging a cabinet opening, trimming a stone countertop, moving a gas pipe, water line or receptacle to suit a new cutout, and reinforcing a floor or wall for a heavy unit are jobs for the installer and the relevant trade; book a site check before any of it. Never force an appliance into an opening that is too small, since that crushes connectors and hoses behind it. Written by [ApplianceInstallation.center technical team](https://applianceinstallation.center/authors/technical-team/). Installers who fit new household appliances, writing from real openings and hookups and each maker's installation instructions. Sources: [Whirlpool — Installation instructions, 30-inch freestanding gas ranges (W10658550)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250817103740/https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/installation-instructions-W10658550-RevB.pdf) · [True Residential — 42/48 built-in installation manual](https://true-residential.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/848062-TR-42-48-C-Install-Manual_REV_C_EN.pdf) · [Whirlpool — Proper location and environment for a refrigerator](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Refrigeration/Full-Size_Refrigerators/Product_Info/Installation_Support/What_is_the_Proper_Location_and_Environment_for_a_Refrigerator) · [GE Appliances — Installation instructions, built-in dishwasher](https://products-salsify.geappliances.com/image/upload/s--yxlKQraa--/4e08089748bc59f01329d93f1d3a0456e6018299.pdf) · [Sharp — Over-the-range microwave installation instructions (R-1881LSY)](https://files.sharpusa.com/Downloads/ForHome/HomeAppliances/MicrowaveOvens/InstallationGuides/R-1881LSY_IG_EN_061217.pdf) ## Step by step. Four steps, in the order worth doing them. 01 ### Get the installation instructions Download them by exact model number; the brochure only gives product size. 02 ### Copy the opening figures Note width, depth and height of the opening and every clearance above and beside it. 03 ### Mark the service zones Transfer the receptacle, water, drain and gas locations from the drawing onto the wall. 04 ### Measure after finishes Re-measure once flooring, tile and countertops are in, and compare with the minimums. For the heart of your home. ## Questions owners ask. ### Can the dimensions on the store's product page be used for cabinets? No. Those are usually product sizes. Cabinets are built to the opening dimensions in the installation instructions, which the maker states are minimums. ### Why does one built-in model list two different openings? One is for a flush fit, with the doors level with the cabinet faces and a deeper opening, the other for a proud fit, with the doors standing forward. True's 48-inch model needs 26 inches of depth flush and 24 proud. ### Will a 30-inch appliance fit a 30-inch opening? Usually, because 30 inches is its nominal size. Whirlpool's model is 29 7/8 inches wide and needs at least 30 inches, so any tile or trim that narrows the opening can stop it. ### Can the 30-inch space above the cooking surface be reduced? Only as the instructions allow. Whirlpool permits 24 inches when the cabinet bottom is protected with millboard and sheet metal; otherwise the full 30 inches applies. ## The problems behind it. Each has a page of its own: what it usually means and the causes in the order worth checking. [All 17 problems](https://applianceinstallation.center/problems/) Problem ### Unit Too Big for the Opening: Cutout, Depth and the Delivery Path 6 causes, cheapest first Problem ### Door Not Closing Flush After the Install 6 causes, cheapest first ## When it needs a technician. The installations on the right are where this guide ends when the checks do not settle it. ### Pre-installation site check A visit before you order: opening, path in, gas, water, drain, power and exhaust checked against the spec sheet. ### Built-in and panel-ready fitting Built-in columns, drawers, wall ovens and panel-ready models set to the cutout, anchored, connected, and custom panels hung and aligned. ### Hood ducting and fan installation A hood hung and ducted outdoors at full size, with a working damper and makeup air planned. ## More in get the space ready. Everything worth having ready before delivery: an opening that matches the maker's cutout drawing, a clear path through doors, stairs and floors, and the water, drain and exhaust rough-ins the new appliance will need. [The whole section](https://applianceinstallation.center/guides/installation-and-setup/) The opening, the path in and the rough-ins ### The delivery path: doors, stairs and floors between the truck and the opening Every doorway, turn and stair the appliance must pass, the weight the floor has to carry, what to inspect before the crew leaves, and how the old unit should leave the house. The opening, the path in and the rough-ins ### Water, drain and exhaust rough-ins: what must be in the wall before the appliance Supply stubs, drain heights, air gaps, standpipes, laundry exhaust openings and hood ducts: the rough-in figures the installation instructions give, and why they are set before the walls close. Guides ### All 18 guides Six sections, by what you are trying to find out. --- **[Read on the site: Cutout dimensions and the spec sheet: reading the numbers before cabinets are built](https://applianceinstallation.center/guides/cutout-dimensions-and-the-spec-sheet/)** **[Book a visit with ApplianceInstallation.center](https://applianceinstallation.center/schedule/)**