How Much Weight Can Kitchen Cabinets Hold? [Explained]

Our grandparents used relatively lighter dishes. However, the story has since then changed, as we have embraced heavier and sturdier dishes for use today.

Unfortunately, our kitchen cabinets aren’t indestructible. Consequently, even the most durable ones will give way under too much weight.

The amount of weight a kitchen cabinet can hold depends on several factors. Also note that different parts of your cabinet, such as the shelves, base door, etc., will hold different weights.

I discuss how much weight each cabinet’s components can hold in this article. I will also tell you what to look for in a strong kitchen cabinet.

JUMP TO: How Much Weight Kitchen Cabinet Holds | How to Make Kitchen Cabinet Stronger |

Key Takeaways

The thickness of plywood kitchen cabinets determines how much weight they can hold. The thicker the plywood, the more weight it can hold
Granite and quartz kitchen counters can hold a weight of up to 1000 pounds.
Kitchen drawers can weigh between 40-100 pounds, depending on their size.
Hampton Bay kitchen cabinets can hold a weight of up to 600 pounds
Pantry shelves can hold between 45 to 100 pounds
Base kitchen cabinets can hold a weight of 200 pounds

How Much Weight Can Kitchen Cabinets Hold?

On average, the approved weight that a wall kitchen cabinet weight capacity is 600 pounds or 272.155 kilograms, according to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association. However, this varies as per the different parts of the cabinet.

Cabinet part/type	Weight it can hold (in pounds)
Kitchen counters	100
Kitchen drawers	40-100
Hampton Bay	600
Pantry shelves	70
Base cabinets	150-100
Top cabinets	500-600
Cabinet doors	45-80

Plywood Cabinets

Source: Apartment Therapy

Plywood makes excellent kitchen cabinet material choices, thanks to its several layers. It can withstand the weight of kitchen equipment and heavy crockeries.

The strength of plywood increases with the increase in its thickness. Simply put, more thickness means increased ability to support more weight.

However, let me reiterate that the issue of how much weight a plywood cabinet box can hold is both simple and complicated.

The table below shows how much weight plywood can hold according to its thickness.

Plywood Thickness	Weight it can hold in pounds per square foot
3/8″	22psf
1/2″	35psf
3/4″	80psf
1″	164psf

Tip: Marine plywood is the strongest type and can hold several hundred pounds per sheet.

Kitchen Counters

How much weight can kitchen countertops hold?

This question presents a dilemma to many homeowners. It’s not easy to predict the exact weight that a countertop can hold.

However, granite and quartz provide solid countertops that hold significant weight. Only ensure that your countertop is of good quality and that the weight is distributed evenly.

Granite and quartz kitchen counters can hold a weight of up to 1000 pounds.

Kitchen Drawers

Source: Best online cabinets

Kitchen drawers are crucial components of a kitchen cabinet. They help to store coffee machines, blenders and stand mixers.

However, you need to know that you can overload your drawers. This fact begs the question; how much weight can kitchen drawers hold?

If you have an average kitchen drawer, the most weight it can hold is forty to fifty pounds. However, those larger and heavy drawers’ weight limit is between 70 to 100 pounds.

Important note: Manufacturers usually state the weight restrictions for drawers. In case you are unsure, kindly contact the manufacturer.

But what determines the weight capacity of a kitchen drawer?

Drawer slide rating:

It tells you how much weight the sliding hardware can hold.

If the rating is light duty, the slides can support up to 75 pounds. You can comfortably put your dishes and kitchenware inside.

It can hold up to 120 pounds if it’s of medium duty. Such drawers are suitable for heavy kitchen appliances and pots.

Heavy-duty-rated slides’ weight capacity is up to 500 pounds. You will find these mostly in filing kitchen cabinets or pantries.

Drawer Material:

Drawers can be of softwood, hardwood, metal, or MDF materials. Each of these materials can hold a specific weight.

Although metal is the heaviest of all cabinet materials, it’s the strongest. However, it isn’t easy to find solid metal material in kitchen cabinets.

Drawer Size:

The weight capacity of a kitchen drawer is also determined by the size of the drawer. The drawer size combines with the cabinet material used to influence the final drawer weight.

Kindly note that overloading your kitchen drawer can lead to the following:

failing of the drawer slides
the kitchen drawer fell off
the bottom of the drawer may become loose, forcing you to replace it

However, you can strengthen the drawers by:

replacing the original slide system
reinforcing drawer bottoms to prevent sagging

Also Read: Lowe’s Vs. Home Depot Kitchen Cabinets- Which is Best?

Hampton Bay Cabinets

MDF is the primary cabinet material that makes Hampton Bay kitchen cabinets. However, the drawers are mostly made of hardwood.

Hampton Bay Kitchen cabinets are made in China. According to some user reviews, they tend to be low quality compared to brands such as IKEA.

The staples that hold together the particle boards tend to become loose quickly. Moreover, exposing the veneer drawers to too much moisture causes them to bubble up.

So, how much weight can Hampton Bay kitchen cabinets hold?

Hampton Bay cabinets have a variety of countertops. However, it has a weight limit of up to 600 pounds.

Pantry Shelves

Source: Decoist

Pantry shelves help you to organize your storage in the kitchen. Most of them are sturdy and can hold quite some weight.

So, how much weight can pantry shelves hold?

Pantry shelves’ weight capacity ranges from 45 to 100 pounds of weight. However, those with the lowest kitchen cabinet weight capacity can hold about 25 pounds.

However, the weight of your pantry shelves hold depends on their size and where you hang them.

Also Read: How to Choose Kitchen Cabinets [9 Important Tips Included]

Lazy Susan Cabinets

What is a Lazy Susan kitchen cabinet?

This type of cabinet features two shelves with a central point around where they rotate. The rotation makes it easy for you or your guests to access items.

Do you need a lazy susan cabinet?

Yes, it provides you with additional storage space. Moreover, it gives your kitchen a touch of style.

A lazy kitchen weight limit is up to 70 pounds. These kitchen cabinets come in sizes such as 24″, 28″, or 32″ in diameter.

They are suitable for storing:

Spices
Non-perishable foods such as pasta, cereals, and canned foods
Cooking supplies such as vinegar and oils
Dishes that are not used daily

Base Cabinets

Source: cabinet select

Base cabinets support much more weight in the kitchen than wall cabinets. They support kitchen appliances and form the foundation for granite or concrete countertops.

Usually, base kitchen cabinets have one drawer on top and shelves underneath.

So, how much weight can base kitchen cabinets hold?

Base kitchen cabinets can hold a weight ranging from 150-200 pounds (68-90kgs).

Top Cabinets

You can use top cabinets to store:

glasses
dishes
light-weight appliances
dinnerware
spices
mixing bowls

The weight capacity ranges from 500-600 pounds (226-272 kgs).

Cabinet Doors

Most kitchen cabinet doors come with extra storage compartments or hanging hooks. The compartments are ideal for storing:

spoons
chopping boards
spatulas
wrapping materials

Cabinet doors can hold a weight of around 45-80 pounds (20-36kgs).

Factors to Consider for a Strong Kitchen Cabinet

Several factors come into play for a kitchen cabinet box to be solid and able to hold considerable weight. Below are some factors that make a cabinet stronger.

Furniture Broad Braces

Furniture broad braces are effective structural strengthening measures for kitchen cabinets. They are installed using nails and glue.

They help to support cabinet corners and wall cabinets from collapsing under much load. The corner braces are L-shaped, and they strengthen the corner joints.

Plywood I-Beams

I-beams help in securing the upper sides of your base kitchen cabinets. With I-beams, your cabinet maintains a square shape during installation and shipping.

As such, I-beams are crucial in enhancing the durability of your cabinet.

Corner Gussets

Again, you can enhance the strength of your cabinet using corner gussets.

Most corner gussets used in kitchen cabinets are made of plastic. However, you can find some made of metal or wood. You will find these fasteners stapled to each corner of your cabinet.

Their main functions include:

ensures the cabinet doesn’t lose its shape during shipping
enhancing the tensile strength of the cabinet’s panel joints and face frame
provide support for cabinet doors, shelves, and tops.

Drawer Glides

Having the right drawer glides is critical in ensuring that your cabinet can effectively support the intended weight.

Firstly, drawer glides ensure that the drawers have a smooth and silent movement in and out of the cabinet.

Choose drawer glides carefully. Heavy-duty glides will be the most appropriate if your drawers are meant to carry much weight.

Caution: Using weak glides for drawers that hold much weight will lead to the sagging of drawers.

The most common drawer glides are the undermount, soft-close glides. These glides extend to the entire drawer length and can hold a weight of up to 90 pounds.

However, we also have other drawer glide systems, such as:

Epoxy-coated metal rollers: They tend to wear out easily

Center and side mount glides: They don’t provide full access to the drawer. Side-mounted glides also reduce the width of your drawer, making it smaller and reducing the storage space.

All-plywood Construction

What makes plywood kitchen cabinets strong?

A plywood cabinet box features several sheets of wood that have been pressed together. The arrangement of the sheets is in alternating directions, so the grains run perpendicular to each other.

The alternating arrangement of the grains makes plywood incredibly strong. This reason makes it a better option for kitchen cabinets. It can stand up well to stress and movement over a long time.