Every cabinet is either built around a face frame or built without one. You can’t always tell from across the room, but you notice it every time you open a door.
Framed cabinets
- A solid wood frame sits on the front of the box, and the doors attach to it
- Very sturdy, and the most common construction in American kitchens
- Works with full overlay, partial overlay and inset doors
- The frame takes up a little space, so drawers are slightly narrower
Frameless cabinets
- Also called full-access or European-style: the doors attach straight to the box
- More usable space inside, with wider drawers and no center stile
- Clean, continuous look that suits slab and modern doors
- Needs a careful install, because there’s no frame to hide small gaps
How to choose
Traditional or transitional kitchen, or want inset doors? Go framed. Modern look, or want every inch of storage? Go frameless. Our Door Studio lets you filter every door by construction, so you can see what each one looks like.