Kitchen Cabinet Terms & Definitions

Are you building a new home and need a new kitchen design? Are you planning to remodel your current kitchen? Reading up on cabinet terms and definitions will be helpful when you’re talking to your kitchen designers – you’ll be less confused and able to more easily communicate with them to make sure your new kitchen turns out exactly how you envisioned!

Common Cabinet Terms & Definitions

Common cabinet terminology you will most likely hear (or may have heard in the past) include:

Base cabinets: cabinet units that sit on the floor – they usually support the countertops

Carcass: the cabinet box (or parts that make up the structure of the base)

Concealed hinge: a hinge that is attached to the interior surface of the door and cannot be seen from the outside of the cabinet

Dovetail: method of wood joinery where two pieces are connected, usually at a right angle

Exposed hinge: a hinge that can be seen on the outside edge of a cabinet door even when the cabinet is closed

Finish: surface coating that is applied to cabinet surfaces to protect them and increase their durability

Framed cabinet: a cabinet with a “face frame” (wood frame attached to the front edges of the cabinet box) and indented end panels – the most popular type of cabinets in the country!

Frameless (European style) cabinet: cabinet without a frame – the doors are attached to the sides, which makes accessing the interior of the cabinet a lot easier

Overlay: amount of face frame covered by the cabinet door (a full overlay style, for example, covers most of the frame and emphasizes the door design)

Toe kick: bottom part of a base cabinet that has a slight indentation to make more room for your feet when you’re standing in front of the cabinet

Veneer: thin layer of wood applied over another material (such as plywood) and used on the sides and interiors of the cabinets

Wall cabinet: cabinets that are mounted to a wall (unlike base cabinets)

Contact our kitchen designers for more questions about these cabinet terms, and if you’re ready to start your project, call Jack Rosen today!