Kitchen Cabinet Door Styles

The fashion in which a door fits over a cabinet box determines its fundamental classification. Doors are classified as being one of five types which include:

• Inset Cabinet Door
• Lipped Cabinet Door
• Partial Overlay
• Full Overlay
• Tambour

Inset doors are designed to sit within the rails and stiles of the cabinet frame. They are tightly fitted between the front edges of the cabinet box. In its truest make, inset doors are only assembled to a framed construction, but recent designs use vertical pilasters to assemble the inset door on frameless cabinets. Some sort of a knob or door pull is needed to open the doors and drawers with this type of door.

Lipped doors are similar to inset doors in that a part of the door still sits within the cabinet frame. Along the entire back edge, a groove is made to fit over the face frame. This groove allows part of the door to rest in the cabinet and leaves the remaining part resting on the surface of the cabinet. Once again, some sort of a knob or door pull is needed to open the doors and drawers.

Partial overlay doors are mounted on the face frame. Overlay is a term used to describe the amount of the face frame that is covered by the cabinet door. The part of the frame that remains visible is often called the reveal. Partial overlay doors typically leave 1 inch of reveal on the face frame. This type of door is the most common type of cabinet door.

Full overlay doors practically cover the entire reveal. Less than one-eighth of an inch is left on the face frame between doors. Full overlay doors are generally found on frameless cabinets but they can still be assembled on framed cabinets as well. Hinges are concealed with this type of door and door knobs or pulls are needed to open the door.

Tambour doors consist of several separate pieces that are aligned together and attached to a flexible backing sheet. This sheet is then installed on a track that allows it to pull up and down like a shade and also slide around a corner.

Once you have selected the type of door you want, you’ll want to think about the different door styles that are available. First thing to focus on is the shape of the door. The options for door styles include:

• Recessed panel
• Raised panel
• Curved panel
• Beadboard panel
• Flat slab

Kitchen Cabinet Door Design and Decoration

Now that you have considered both the type and shape of your cabinet door, its time for you to consider how you plan to decorate the door. There are several ways to go about decorating your cabinet doors, and we have listed them for you below:

• Wood veneer - Many people will decide to use wood veneer not only for cabinet doors, but also for the sides of your cabinet box. You can then stain it to match each other. Wood veneer is a thin piece of solid wood that is typically applied to plywood or particleboard with glue to give it strength. It cost less than solid wood, its uniform in finish and its grain very consistent. Using wood veneer in cabinet doors provides constancy by minimizing its shrinking and expansion in climate changes which ultimately eliminates cracking and splitting.
• Stain - A great way to enhance, and add color to natural wood cabinets.
• Paint - If you decide to paint your cabinet doors, you have an array of colors to choose from. Painting also allows you to be creative and make unique effects. It can be made to look smooth, glossy, or utensils can be used to give it a special texture. Keep in mind, however, that paint will eventually reveal hairline cracks at the joints of solid wood doors. These cracks are formed when the wood expands and contracts.
• Plastic Laminate - Plastic laminate is another great way to decorate your cabinet doors. It is available in all kinds of colors, patterns, and textures. Many prefer to use plastic laminate because it is very resilient, stain-resistant, and easy to clean. Plastic laminates can be decorated with a stainless steel, brass, or wood trim or you can pay more for solid-color laminate.
• Polyester - Polyester can be used on cabinets in a similar fashion as paint. However, it is definitely more expensive than paint and requires much more time and effort to achieve your desired results. It can be either glossy or matte finish. The final results are often appreciated more so than paint finish because polyester fills the pores of the door giving it a solid look and feel.
• Stainless Steel - Stainless steel can bring a very sleek look to your kitchen. Stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and staining, low maintenance and is relatively inexpensive, but it does show fingerprints and scratches. The metal covers an inner core material which prevents it from sounding to clangy. It is also available in several colors.
• Glass - cabinets with glass can be ribbed or etched with a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal angle. Some prefer that the glass be ribbed or etched so that it hides what is behind the cabinet door. You also have the option of making the glass clear or colored.

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