What is the kitchen work triangle? 4–9 ft (1.2–2.7 m) per side, 26 ft (7.9 m) at most

Kitchen work triangle rules compared

As checked on 29 October 2026, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) recommends 4 to 9 feet (1.2–2.7 m) for each side of the work triangle. All three sides together should be 26 feet (7.9 m) or less.

Source: NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines; Cyncly kitchen triangle guide. Checked October 2026.

The triangle comes after the layout, so start with how to choose a kitchen layout. Every step of fitting a kitchen to your room is in our room planning guides.

The work triangle joins the sink, the hob and the fridge

The work triangle joins the three places you use most in a kitchen: the sink, the hob and the fridge. NKBA calls each one a work centre. A work centre is the appliance plus the worktop next to it. Draw a line between each pair, and you get a triangle.

When the three points sit close together, you take fewer steps while you cook. When they sit too close, there is no worktop left between them. So the triangle sets a shortest and a longest distance.

Each side should be 4 to 9 feet, and all three 26 feet or less

Each side of the work triangle should be 4 to 9 feet (1.2–2.7 m) long, says NKBA. All three sides together should add up to 26 feet (7.9 m) or less. Cyncly, a kitchen design software maker, gives a total of 13 to 26 feet (4.0–7.9 m).

NKBA measures each side from the centre front of the sink, hob or fridge. That is where you stand to use it.

Here is our own example, not a standard:

• sink to hob: 5 feet (1.5 m);
• hob to fridge: 7 feet (2.1 m);
• fridge to sink: 6 feet (1.8 m).

Each side is between 4 and 9 feet, and the total is 18 feet (about 5.5 m). That triangle passes both tests.

Each point needs its own worktop beside it

Each point of the triangle needs its own worktop beside it, so the points cannot sit too close. NKBA asks for this much worktop, measured along the front:

• Sink: at least 24 inches (61 cm) on one side and 18 inches (46 cm) on the other.
• Hob: at least 12 inches (30 cm) on one side and 15 inches (38 cm) on the other.
• Fridge: at least 15 inches (38 cm) on the handle side.
• Prep space: a clear stretch at least 36 inches wide and 24 inches deep (91 × 61 cm), right next to the sink.

NKBA also puts the dishwasher within 36 inches (91 cm) of the sink. Our guide to kitchen sink size shows how the sink fits its cabinet.

Keep islands, tall cabinets and walkways out of the triangle

Islands, tall cabinets and walkways should stay out of the work triangle. NKBA sets three rules:

• No side should cut across an island, peninsula or other obstacle by more than 12 inches (30 cm).
• A full-height cabinet should not stand between two points. Examples are a tall oven housing, a tall larder (pantry) or the fridge itself. A tall unit set back into a corner is fine.
• No main walking route should pass through the triangle.

The floor in front of the worktops matters too. NKBA asks for a work aisle of at least 42 inches (107 cm) for one cook and 48 inches (122 cm) for two. Our guide to the space around a kitchen island shows the gaps to leave.

Most layouts can hold a work triangle, but a one-wall kitchen cannot

Most kitchen layouts can hold a work triangle, but a one-wall kitchen cannot. Cyncly says a true triangle is not possible when the sink, hob and fridge sit in one straight line. It says placing them well in a line can still give similar benefits.

Cyncly describes the other layouts like this:

• Galley: two parallel runs, for long, narrow rooms.
• L-shaped: the points on two walls that meet, for open-plan or larger rooms.
• U-shaped: the points on three walls, for small and medium rooms.
• Island: the sink or the hob sits on the island as one point.

To put the sink or hob on an island, first check that an island fits. The kitchen island size calculator shows the largest island your room can take.

The work triangle is still useful, alongside kitchen zones

The work triangle is still useful: it is still guideline 3 of the NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines. NKBA covers kitchens with more than three main work points too. Each extra point should sit 4 to 9 feet (1.2–2.7 m) away.

Many kitchens are now planned in zones too. Cyncly names four: food preparation, cooking, cleaning and storage. It says zones give more flexibility for the way people live today. It also says the triangle is still a useful guide, mainly in smaller kitchens.

So use both. The triangle checks the distances, and the zones decide what goes where. The cabinets that make up each zone are in our guide to standard kitchen cabinet sizes.

How to check your kitchen work triangle in six steps

Check it on a floor plan drawn to scale. Measure the room the same way as for measuring kitchen worktops.

1. Mark the sink, hob and fridge on the plan.
2. Mark the centre front of each one, where you stand to use it.
3. Measure the three straight lines between those marks.
4. Make sure each line is 4 to 9 feet (1.2–2.7 m).
5. Add the three lines: the total should be 26 feet (7.9 m) or less.
6. Check the lines: none should cross an island by more than 12 inches (30 cm), be blocked by a tall cabinet or cross the main walkway.

If a side fails, try moving one point before you change the whole layout.

Common problems with the kitchen work triangle, and how to fix them

Most work triangle problems come from points too far apart, too close together or cut off by something in the way.

Source: limits from the NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines; the fixes are our own suggestions. Checked October 2026.

The heights and depths of everything around the triangle are in our kitchen dimensions guides.

How we check

We take every clearance from published planning guidelines and manufacturer guides, and record the page and the date we checked it. Our examples are drawn to scale from the dimensions they state. They are planning examples, not approvals for installation: services, fixings and local rules need your designer or installer. Our editorial policy.