Have you ever wondered what makes some cabinets more durable than others? What about factors that influence price?
As one of southern California’s leading kitchen cabinet contractors and manufacturers, Holland’s Custom Cabinets has experience with a wide range of cabinet construction types. We know the differences between cabinet construction methods and styles are important to understand so you can pick a style that’s right for you.
Kitchen Cabinet Construction Styles
Let’s learn about some popular cabinet construction styles:
1. Face-Frame Euro Cabinet Construction
As the name suggests, face frame Euro cabinets come with a frame or a border that sits over the edge of the cabinet box. The face frame edge may vary in width from 1¼ inches to 2 inches. They are composed of stiles (vertical parts of the frame) and rails (horizontal parts of the frame) and look like flat photo frames.
Face frame cabinet construction involves overlays atop exposed hinges. Most of the time, the cabinet box frames are made of plywood, but maple, poplar, mahogany, and red oak are also common. This solid wood face frame prevents the cabinet box from losing its shape over time.
Face-framed cabinets are easy to install compared to their frameless counterparts, especially if your walls are uneven. The frame helps preserve their shape.
Another great advantage of face-framed cabinet construction is that these cabinets come in several varieties and are compatible with all kinds of door styles, including overlay, partial overlay, or inset. They conceal hinges inside the cabinet box, which gives them a flawless look.
Face-Frame Euro Cabinets tend to fit any look, from traditional to contemporary and everything in-between. They can sport a rustic charm, common to many American kitchens, ranging from traditional to farmhouse., or they can be customized to match the theme of contemporary designs.
Generally, speaking, face-framed cabinets are considered more formal than frameless ones, but they blend in with most settings. Face-framed cabinetry is also more affordable than frameless cabinets.
2. Standard Face-Frame Cabinet Construction Style
These cabinets are also called ½” overlay of half-inch overlay. They feature a solid wood face frame with 1” reveals between doors and drawer fronts. Standard face-frame cabinets are commonly found in Southern California and beyond.
A ½” overlay means that all cabinet doors and drawers will extend by half-an-inch over the frame, leaving the rest of the frame revealed. Ultimately, this cabinet construction style leaves around two inches of exposed frame between the cabinet doors.
Note: the “half-inch overlay” method should not be confused with a similar term used in cabinetry making, the “half overlay.” Half overlay refers to the middle of the cabinet run where the doors share a common partition wall.
Traditionally, cabinet construction has incorporated a visible frame in the design of the façade. Nowadays, though, most people prefer to cover the entire frame. When designed and installed properly, the ½” overlay imparts a seamless look to the cabinetry, revealing some of the frame below. With the “half-inch overlay” method, you can choose between adding door handles or a slanting grip to the cabinet door’s edge. However, this option is not available in other overlay designs as they don’t leave much space around the door’s edge.
3. Flush Inset Cabinet Construction
Inset kitchen cabinets are gaining increasing popularity among homeowners because they are both practical and aesthetically pleasing. This type of cabinet construction takes inspiration from the cabinetry designs of the Georgian and Victorian eras.
Modern inset kitchen cabinet construction combines the vintage style with contemporary design options to provide a more distinctive and traditional look that many homeowners seek for their spaces. They are a popular choice for craftsmen and farmhouse looks.
This kind of cabinetry features drawers and doors that fit inside the cabinet frame openings. The cabinet construction style provides a complete view of the cabinet frame, with minimal space between the different cabinet components.
When you go for inset cabinetry, you get clean lines, flush inset doors, and features that can transform a standard cabinet with a full overlay door. You can choose between beaded or non-beaded insert and customize the design to create a look that is in harmony with your home’s décor.
Inset cabinetry construction can also accommodate many kinds of modifications, including those related to color and finish, moldings, embellishments, and more. This allows you to create gorgeous cabinets that reflect tradition, simplicity, and elegance.
4. 32mm European Cabinetry Construction
Also known as “frameless cabinetry,” 32mm European Cabinet Construction is known for simple, clean lines. This style is popular in American households that want simple, more contemporary cabinet designs.
Frameless cabinetry is also referred to as “full access” cabinetry because it offers greater accessibility to the items inside by getting rid of the face frame. The boxes depend on a thicker construction for improved firmness. Only full overlay doors can be used, with hinges attached to the sides of the boxes.
In this style of cabinetry construction, cabinets are devoid of face frames, so there’s nothing attached to the front of the cabinet box. You can see the flat door and drawer fronts. Depending on the design you choose, they can look as sleek and aesthetic as you want.
As mentioned, because of the lack of the center stile, this cabinet construction style enables easier access to the items stored inside. There’s also more usable space. The drawers are usually adjustable and larger in size due to all the space created by excluding the face frame.
Get Robust Kitchen Cabinetry for All of Your Storage Needs at Holland’s
Cabinets are a long-term investment, so you’ll want to understand the differences between various cabinet construction styles before you decide which one best suits your needs.
The type of cabinets you choose should depend on your design preferences, the duration for which you intend to use them, your budget, and of course the skills of the cabinet maker. While it’s true that high-quality cabinets often require a greater budget, they may actually end up saving you money in the long run due to their durability and longevity.
If you’re looking to install functional and aesthetic kitchen cabinets without breaking your budget, contact the kitchen cabinet contractors at Holland’s Custom Cabinets by phone at 619.443.6081 or fill our online form to schedule a consultation.
