Kitchen Counter Outlet Height From Floor

There can be no part of the countertop farther than 24 inches from an outlet which means that the maximum spacing between countertop receptacles is 48 inches.

Kitchen counter outlet height from floor.

The national electrical code nec doesn t say much about the proper height of an electrical outlet above the kitchen floor or any floor for that matter. Depending on local codes outlets that are mounted at the higher end of this range may need more frequent spacing along the length of the countertop. 2 c of the. There s no rule mandating the height of the new box so just match the height of the existing one.

If you are setting box heights prior to the installation of the subfloor floor covering or any underlayment be sure to account for this expected height difference. There is actually no specified height for outlet placement over a kitchen counter in the codes but there are some limitations regarding the maximum height of the placement of outlets. Height of the electrical outlets. The height of the outlet should be high enough to clear the built in backsplash on the countertop but no higher than 18 inches from the top of the countertop work surface.

The standard height for wall outlet boxes is about 12 inches from the top of the floor covering to the bottom of the receptacle box or 16 inches to the top of the box. Microwave outlets are different from other outlets in the kitchen since they often attach to a cabinet and you string the wiring through the bottom of the cabinet. For example in canada the center of the receptacle box must be at least 14 inches above the floor and in california the bottom of the box must be at least 15 inches above the floor. California also sets a maximum height 48 inches to the top of the box the same as required by the ada.

Adequate space within the kitchen to provide 30 x 48 clear floor space at each fixture and appliance in u shaped kitchens if less than 60 between the two legs of the u then sink base must be removable. The nec doesn t specify the number of receptacle outlets you must have in the kitchen but it does have a specific requirement for outlets serving counter spaces more than 12 inches long. Outlet located beyond reach of seated person permitted. Again there is no code as far as the height of the outlet from the base of the cabinet but a 2 inch height moves the installation of the outlet away from the framework of the cabinet.

The code for kitchens states that there must be an outlet within a 2 ft.