Building a walk-in pantry can give you all the kitchen storage space you need. But how big should you make it?
Have you ever thought that you just didn’t have enough pantry storage space? If you’re like me — and probably the majority of other people in the world — you probably have. That’s where walk-in pantries come in. But how big should you make one?
Walk-in pantries should be a minimum of 4 feet wide by 4 feet long. However, if you have the space, making them bigger – like 8 feet wide by 8 feet long – would be even better.
The average size of most walk-in pantries is 5×5. If you have a narrow kitchen, you can reduce the width and increase the length.
Walk-in pantries are a great way to organize your kitchen and declutter your countertops. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about walk-in pantry dimensions.
Our goal is to provide you with the most accurate information that we can so that you have confidence in every article you read on this site. So sit back and get ready to learn all about walk-in pantries.
What is a Walk-In Pantry?
Before we get into the sizes and dimensions of walk-in pantries, let’s first take a bit of time to make sure you know what a walk-in pantry really is. In short, a walk-in pantry is a food storage room that’s large enough for you to walk into.
They can be as simple as a few shelves or cabinets in a small room or closet, or they can be an entire room dedicated to storing food and kitchen supplies.
Walk-in pantries are primarily used for storing non-perishable food items, like canned goods, dry goods, and spices.
But they can also be used for storing small appliances, cookware, dishware, and more. Basically, a walk-in pantry is a great way to keep your kitchen organized and decluttered.
So if you’re thinking about adding one to your home, you won’t regret it. Now the question that’s most likely on your mind right now — how big should it be?
What is the Average Size of a Walk-In Pantry?
When it comes to the average size of a walk-in pantry, there really is no such thing.
That’s because the size of your walk-in pantry will depend on a few factors, like the size of your kitchen, how much food you need to store, and what else you want to use the pantry for.
However, most experts agree that a walk-in pantry should be at least 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep. But if you have the space, we recommend making it even bigger.
This will give you plenty of room to store all the food and supplies you need without feeling cramped. With these numbers in mind, you can see why the average walk-in pantry is usually around 5 feet by 5 feet.
Now let’s take a look at the different types of walk-in pantries and their dimensions.
Large Walk-In Pantry Dimensions
A large walk-in pantry is typically at least 6 feet wide and 6 feet deep, which is on the bigger end. But if you have the space, you can make it even larger — 8 feet wide and 8 feet deep.
This will give you plenty of room to store all the food and supplies you need, as well as any small appliances or cookware you want to keep in the pantry. It also gives you enough room to move around comfortably.
While having a walk-in pantry that’s this big certainly seems like a no-brainer, make sure you’re also taking into account how much space you have to give up to make this happen.
A large walk-in pantry will take up a fair amount of space within your kitchen or whatever other room you put it in, which may not be ideal if you’re tight on space to begin with.
Small Walk-In Pantry Dimensions
A small or average sized walk-in pantry is typically around 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep. This is the minimum size we recommend if you’re looking to add a square walk-in pantry to your home.
While it’s not as large as some of the other options on this list, it’s still big enough to store all the non-perishable food items you need, as well as any small appliances or cookware you want to keep in the pantry.
The only downside to having a small walk-in pantry is that you might have to get a little creative with your storage solutions.
For example, you might need to use shelves instead of cabinets, or stack canned goods on top of each other. But as long as you’re willing to get a little bit creative, a small walk-in pantry can be just as functional as a larger one.
Narrow Walk-In Pantry Dimensions
Like the name suggests, a narrow walk-in pantry is one that is longer than it is wider. A narrow walk-in pantry is typically at least 3 feet wide and 6 to 8 feet deep.
This type of pantry is perfect for small kitchens or homes where space is limited.
A narrow walk-in can realistically be however long you want (and have the space for), and it can even be wider as well. Sometimes, they’re thought of as being at least 4 feet wide.
The key is that the length is longer than the width.
While a narrow walk-in pantry might not be as spacious as some of the other options on this list, it’s still a great way to add extra storage to your kitchen.
Just keep in mind that you might also need to get a little creative with how you organize things if you go with this option.
They are often a little easier to fit into most home designs than the square options discussed above.
Corner Walk-In Pantry Dimensions
Last up in our guide of the most common types of walk-in pantries and how big they are, we have corner walk-in pantries.
These are a bit different than the other types discussed above , as they’re not your normal square or rectangle in shape. Instead, corner walk-in pantries are designed to fit snugly into the corner of your kitchen.
In terms of its dimensions, a corner walk-in pantry can range anywhere from just a few square feet to upwards of 100 square feet.
However, the most common size for a corner walk-in pantry is between 12 and 20 square feet. It’s tougher to give dimensions for this one that would match what we talked about above because of the irregular shape.
What is the Minimum Size for a Walk-In Pantry?
Now that we’ve gone over the most common types of walk-ins and what their normal dimensions are, let’s take a look at the minimum amount of space that you need to create a walk-in pantry.
After all, you don’t want to waste your time planning the walk-in of your dreams if you just simply do not have the space for it.
First and foremost, you need to have at least 12 square feet of space to work with. This would give you at least the aforementioned 2×6 narrow walk-in pantry described above.
If you don’t have at least this much space, a walk-in pantry is probably not going to be feasible. We know that you could also have a 3×4 area to get the same amount of square footage, but those dimensions make for a very awkward walk-in!
How Deep Should Walk-In Pantry Shelves Be?
In terms of depth, you’ll want to have at least 18-24 inches of space to work with. This will give you enough room for most standard pantry shelves.
If you have less than 18 inches of space to work with, you might be able to get away with using a wire shelving system. These are shallower than traditional shelves, but they’re also much more affordable.
You also need to take the dimensions of your panty into account before you start ordering shelves.
If you have a narrow walk-in that’s just 2 feet wide, then you don’t want to get shelves that are this big since they’ll take up all the space.
So just be creative and keep everything in mind when you’re designing your walk-in. You need space for shelving but also for you to actually walk through it!
Are Walk-In Pantries a Waste of Space?
We’ve talked about the average size of a walk-in pantry and some of the different types that you can have. But now it’s time to answer the big question: are walk-in pantries a waste of space?
The answer to this question really depends on who you ask. Some people will say yes, especially if they don’t have a lot of extra space in their kitchen to begin with.
They might not see the need for a large walk-in when they can just use a cabinet or two to store their pantry items.
Others will say that walk-in pantries are definitely not a waste of space. They’ll argue that having a designated area for your pantry items is worth the extra square footage to keep clutter out of the kitchen.
They might even say that walk-in pantries can actually increase the value of your home.
At the end of the day, it’s really up to you to decide whether or not a walk-in pantry is a waste of space. Just weigh the pros and cons and make a decision based on what’s best for you and your home.
Conclusion on How Big Walk-In Pantries Should Be
Overall, it depends on what size you have available to you, but walk-in pantries should at least be 2×6 to make the space worth it and not too cramped.
If you have the space, a 4×4 or 6×6 would be even better. You can also get creative and utilize a corner space in your kitchen is need be.
Walk-in pantries are a great way to store any food and small appliances you may need to, without cluttering up your kitchen.
