Cabinet door types do not refer to fashion. However, door style and overlay are important aspects of style. We are referring to how cabinet doors are made, described, and classified by manufacturers. Door styles play an important role in how your kitchen and living spaces look, feel, and design.
Cabinet Door Types: Inset, Full Overlay, Partial Overlay
The French Refinery has both full overlay and inset cabinetry options, which are suitable for our custom kitchen cupboard designs. A cabinet can also be made open (doorless) so that it can have open shelves integrated into the cabinetry.
Cabinetry With Full-Overlay
Full overlay cabinet designs have drawer fronts and doors that almost cover the cabinet face. There is as little as 1/4″ to 1/2″ of the frame between the cabinet units. This gives the cabinet doors a consistent look and reduces gaps between them. This smooth profile is great for transitional and contemporary styles. Cabinet manufacturing costs are affected by full overlays, as larger doors require more material.
Cabinetry With Partial Overlay
Partial overlay, also known as standard overlay cabinetry, was the industry standard for many decades. It looks exactly like it sounds. The door covers only a portion of the cabinet face frame leaving large gaps. This design leaves between cabinet units 1 inch to 2 inches of cabinet face frame exposed. This style can be used to reduce manufacturing costs because the drawer and door fronts use less material than a full overlay. Partially, overlays are often used in low-end construction, such as apartments and entry-level homes.
Cabinetry With Insets
Inset cabinetry is a completely different style than overlay doors. The drawer and door fronts are flush with the cabinet face frames. Inset doors have been around for centuries.
Fitting the drawer or inset door inside the frame takes precision craftsmanship. There are two types of hinges: overlay and hidden. The cabinet box must contain door stops because the door doesn’t rest on the face frame and cannot stop when closed. Inset doors are more expensive than overlay designs.
This article was written by Jordan Legault, Jordan is the owner of The French Refinery. Founded in 2015, The French Refinery quickly built a name and reputation for high-end cabinetry with quality craftsmanship and attention to fine detail. We strive every day to provide the utmost in customer service because our customers deserve the best we can provide. We have built a hand-picked team of talented craftsmen with over 100 years of combined experience. Building custom cabinets in Tampa is our craft, we love what we do, and we make it show through in the work we provide on a daily basis.
