
Cabinet overlay means the correlation of your cabinet doors to the cabinet face frames. This overlay affects how much of the cabinet frame shows and can change the appearance of your space from traditional to a contemporary-style kitchen.
What is the difference between standard and full overlay cabinets?
These types of cabinets are more traditional in design but still quite popular today. The doors extend past the front of the cabinet, which means that your cabinetry is exposed to view. Full overlay cabinets are similar to standard ones in their covering ability but additionally have shelves within them.
What does full overlay mean for cabinets?
A full overlay is a cabinet door that covers the cabinet’s entire face frame. This ensures minimal gaps so that only a very small portion of the cabinet’s storage area is viewable. A full overlay is a cabinet door that conceals the opening to the storage area. This type of door or drawer front leaves very little gaps between the adjacent openings so that only a small portion of the cabinet box is visible between units.
How to measure your cabinet door overlay?
Steps:
- The first step is to close the cabinet door. (Fig. ...
- Once you have located the hinged side of the door, place a piece of tape on the face of the cabinet and flush to the door in a vertical position. ...
- Open the door so you can see the edge of the tape.
- Now, measure the distance from the inside edge of the tape to the frame opening. ...
How to measure cabinet doors for full overlay?
Tips for Measuring Cabinet Doors
- Measure Twice – Even the experts get their measurements wrong sometimes. ...
- Use a Good Tape Measure – Getting accurate measurements to the closest 1/16 inch is a lot easier with a quality tape measure. ...
- Enlist an Assistant – It’s not hard to take kitchen cabinet doors measurements on your own, but it’s even easier with an assistant. ...

What is the most common cabinet overlay?
The most common overlay lengths on American cabinets are called partial overlay and full overlay. Partial overlay leaves some space between doors. Most common overlay lengths on American cabinets are 1/2-inch and 1 1/4-inch. Full overlay leaves little to no space between doors.
What is the difference between standard and full overlay cabinets?
Doors: Standard doors have hinges that allow for 180-degree opening, whereas full overlay doors can only open 120 degrees in order to preserve their durability.
What does 1/2 overlay cabinet hinge mean?
1/2" overlay hinges are the most common overlay of cabinet hinge. These are used in face frame cabinets where the door covers a 1/2" of the face frame all the way around the cabinet door. 1/2" overlay hinges are the most common overlay of cabinet hinge.
How do you determine cabinet overlay?
0:541:46How to Measure Your Cabinet Door Overlay - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipStep 1 with your door closed draw a small line on the frame of the cabinet at the edge of the doorMoreStep 1 with your door closed draw a small line on the frame of the cabinet at the edge of the door on the hinge side of the door step 2 open the door depending.
Is full overlay more expensive?
Lower Cost: Full overlay cabinets take less skill to install and are therefore less expensive. They're a good alternative to inset cabinets for tighter budgets.
Is full overlay worth?
Since they are not set inside the cabinet frame, full overlay provides the greatest amount of storage with ample room for items such as pots and pans. Double doors in full overlay style come without the vertical stile on the face frame which allows for even better storage capacity and easier access of stored items.
What does 3/4 inch overlay hinge mean?
If your cabinets are designed for full overlay, it means that the doors completely overlap the opening on all four sides. The correct determination for full overlay is typically 3/4 inch on all sides.
What is the difference between half and full overlay hinges?
Full overlay hinges are used for individual cabinets or cabinets on either end of a row of cabinets. Half or Partial overlay hinges are used for a pair of cabinet doors in the middle of a row of cabinets where two doors have their hinges mounted on opposite sides of a shared middle partition.
What is the difference between overlay and inset hinges?
Full Overlay Doors give a similar appearance to that of inset doors without the higher cost. They completely cover the cabinet face, providing the flat cabinet front so desired in inset cabinets.
What is the difference between full overlay and partial overlay cabinets?
Partial overlay cabinets cover most of the cabinet frame but leave space between the drawers and doors. This is typically the least expensive cabinet option and is a top choice for people who want to leave off hardware. Full overlay leaves no space between each door/drawer and thus requires hardware.
What is full overlay?
A full overlay is a cabinet door that covers the cabinet's entire face frame. This ensures minimal gaps so that only a very small portion of the cabinet's storage area is viewable. A full overlay is a cabinet door that conceals the opening to the storage area.
How do you make a full overlay cabinet?
2:3233:13How To Make and Install Overlay Cabinet Doors - WOOD magazineYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI know that my rails on this door on typical cabinet doors you're talking two to two and a quarterMoreI know that my rails on this door on typical cabinet doors you're talking two to two and a quarter it seems to be that the common dimension for those parts. So we're gonna make a two inch rail.
Is full overlay the same as frameless?
Full overlay cabinets still show approximately 1/4-inch reveal of the face frame while frameless cabinets do not show any frame reveal.
What is considered full overlay?
What is a Full Overlay? A full overlay is a cabinet door that covers the cabinet's entire face frame. This ensures minimal gaps so that only a very small portion of the cabinet's storage area is viewable. A full overlay is a cabinet door that conceals the opening to the storage area.
How much reveal on full overlay cabinets?
A "true" full-overlay door style leaves roughly a 1/8" clearance on the left and right edge with 1/4" reveal top and bottom. Often when referring to full-overlay many manufacturers have a 1/4" reveal on the left and right which is most common.
What is the difference between full overlay and partial overlay cabinets?
Partial overlay cabinets cover most of the cabinet frame but leave space between the drawers and doors. This is typically the least expensive cabinet option and is a top choice for people who want to leave off hardware. Full overlay leaves no space between each door/drawer and thus requires hardware.
What is the most basic feature of cabinetry?
One of the most basic features of cabinetry is what type of “overlay” is has. When designing cabinetry, it will be one of the first things chosen: Full Overlay or Standard Overlay. Many homeowners are unaware of the difference between the two.
How many inches does an overlay door have?
A Standard Overlay door will lay on top of (overlay) this 1.5” face frame 3/8”, leaving 1-1/8” revealed on all rails and stiles.
What is Dura Supreme cabinetry?
Dura Supreme cabinetry, Oxford Classic door style, Standard Overlay in Maple, White with Pewter Accent from Drexel in Wisconsin
What is full overlay cabinet door?
A full overlay cabinet door style means that there is very little cabinet face frame showing around each door and drawer front, creating a living space with a modern style and seamless appearance.
What is partial overlay door?
Partial-overlay cabinet doors are cabinetry designed with ½-inch overlay door and drawer fronts, which leaves 2 inches of the cabinet face frame exposed between the doors, creating a more traditional kitchen look. Partial-overlay cabinet doors are also called standard, traditional or half overlay.
What is cabinet door?
Cabinet doors are the most visible part of your cabinetry and key factors in defining your style and bringing your personality to life.
What does it mean when cabinets are full overlay?
Full Overlay. If your cabinets are designed for full overlay, it means that the doors completely overlap the opening on all four sides. The correct determination for full overlay is typically 3/4 inch on all sides.
What is overlay in cabinet doors?
Overlay is the correlation of your cabinet doors to the cabinet face frames. The amount of overlay determines the type of hinge and door you will be using. So the overlay refers to the size or type of door, the hinge or how the cabinet is built. Overlay can be planned during the design stages of the cabinet or after the cabinet is fully assembled.
What is a full inset cabinet?
Even though inset doors fit completely into the face frame, they are still part of the overlay equation. They have virtually no overlay, but instead drop into the opening using a special hinge known as a full-inset hinge. These zero-overlay doors and hinges are typically found on European style cabinets that have a plastic laminate coating. Typically stark white in color, full-inset doors and cabinets take more time to build and install because without the overlay, they must fit perfectly with no room for error. Full-inset or zero-overlay cabinets are often found in medical offices or clinics and business or commercial ventures where cleanup can be done faster and more efficiently.
What size hinges are used for commercial cabinets?
The doors in the center, however, can use partial-overlay hinges with the gap between the doors ranging from 1/8 to 1/2 inch in width depending on the hinge you use. This type of hinge is also typically used on commercial cabinets with laminate coatings.
What is a zero overlay door?
These zero-overlay doors and hinges are typically found on European style cabinets that have a plastic laminate coating. Typically stark white in color, full-inset doors and cabinets take more time to build and install because without the overlay, they must fit perfectly with no room for error.
What is a framless cabinet?
Framless. Some cabinets are built without frames. This type of cabinet is a different approach because the hinges fit inside the cabinet. The same overlay approach is used, but the doors fit directly on the face of the jambs; there is no face frame.
What is partial overlay?
Partial Overlay. Partial overlay usually means that the door uses a 3/8-inch inset. With this type of overlay, the door overlays the opening by 3/8 inch on all four sides. There's a small lip dadoed on the outside edge of the door.
What is full overlay cabinet?
“Full-overlay” cabinets leave very little of the cabinet frame or box exposed and have become very popular because of this continuous, more modern look.#N#Frameless cabinets are always full-overlay, while framed cabinets can be either full overlay, inset (see above), or partial overlay. In “partial overlay” (also called “traditional overlay” and “standard overlay”) cabinets, the doors and drawer fronts are smaller than with “full overlay” and, therefore, leave more of the face frames visible. The storage space available with framed full overlay and partial overlay cabinets is the same.#N#Beautiful, functional kitchens can be created with all kinds of cabinet styles. Hopefully you’re feeling more comfortable with some of the cabinet terminology involved in planning your new space, and we’ll be happy to help guide you!
What are the two categories of cabinets?
To begin, all cabinets fall into one of two categories in terms of construction: framed or frameless.
What is a frameless cabinet?
Frameless cabinets are always full-overlay, while framed cabinets can be either full overlay, inset (see above), or partial overlay. In “partial overlay” (also called “traditional overlay” and “standard overlay”) cabinets, the doors and drawer fronts are smaller than with “full overlay” and, therefore, leave more of the face frames visible.
What is overlay in cabinet?
What is Overlay? Overlay refers to the amount of front frame covered by a cabinet or drawer front piece. The two primarily used descriptions are full-overlay and partial-overlay.
What is the difference between full overlay and partial overlay?
The most noticeable difference between the full-overlay and partial-overlay is the affect on the visibility of the cabinet frame. By choosing full-overlay, many kitchen designers create a modern appearance that gives cabinets a seamless appearance. Full overlay sized doors should not be substituted for frameless doors only because they do leave a small 3/8 inch gap along the edges. Partial-overlay doors and drawers will create consistent 2-inch spacing across the entire face of the cabinet run, which shoes a strip of the frame. This style is named for the fact that the doors and drawers will equally overlap the frame on all edges around the opening.
Can you use full overlay doors with frameless doors?
Full overlay sized doors should not be substituted for frameless doors only because they do leave a small 3/8 inch gap along the edges. Partial-overlay doors and drawers will create consistent 2-inch spacing across the entire face of the cabinet run, which shoes a strip of the frame.
What is a 1/2 overlay?
What is a 1/2″ Overlay? A 1/2″ overlay literally means that all the drawers and doors of a cabinet run will extend half an inch over the frame. This is a classic styling for cabinetry and leaves about two inches of exposed frame in between cabinet doors. It is important to be clear when referring to the overlay as half inch because this term can ...
Is half overlay interchangeable?
Half-inch overlay and half overlay are not interchangeable terms because the latter is commonly used to describe the middle of a run of cabinets where the doors share a common single partition wall.
How to measure overlay on door?
Another way to look at door overlay: If your door is 30″ wide and the opening is 28″ wide then then you could calculate your overlay as 30 minus 28 divided by 2 equals 1″. Divided by two because the overlay is measured on one edge, the hinged edge of the door. This method is not recommended as a way to measure your overlay because it is not as accurate as the tape method.
What is face frame cabinet?
A face-frame cabinet is a cabinet which has a front panel into which an opening has been cut. An overlay door is a door which, when closed, lays “on top” of the cabinet opening (no part of the door goes into the opening since the door is larger than the opening). The overlay dimension is simply how much bigger the door is than the opening of the cabinet (as measured on the hinged side of the door).
