AMZCabinets
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2009
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
Face frame vs Frameless cabinetry:
When choosing cabinets for your kitchen project one of the choices whether to go with framed or frameless cabinets. Framed cabinets (face frame cabinets) have framed made of solid wood attached with screws drilled into pocket holes to attach the joints. Lesser quality cabinets will use a corrugated fastener across the joint. Another method still used is a dowel joint where a dowel is inserted into the frame. If you are able to peek inside the cabinets you may be able to see the joint and the method used. If dowels are used there will be no visible fasteners at the joint.
Frameless cabinets were originally conceived in Europe after WWII as a quick and efficient way to build cabinets. Frameless cabinets are simple in design as they use no face frame. The edges of the material either 3/4" or 5/8" thick material. They are simply a box with the exposed edges typically covered with melamine or veneer edge banding. If constructed properly frameless cabinetry can be quite versatile. Quality frameless cabinetry utilizes a 32mm system of holes drilled into the sides of the cabinets. These holes are used for shelf clips, hinges and if done properly drawer guides. These type of unit have got a pretty bad reputation over the years for being flimsy and becoming out of square over time. As with any highly mass produced product you get what you pay for. Just about any door style cabinet be used with a frameless cabinet. But hardware should be used as some finger pull edge type cabinet doors will not work with frameless design. The doors are placed tightly together and there is not a lot if any room to grab the edge of the doors. Frameless cabinetry lends to a more modern / Euro design.
When choosing cabinets for your kitchen project one of the choices whether to go with framed or frameless cabinets. Framed cabinets (face frame cabinets) have framed made of solid wood attached with screws drilled into pocket holes to attach the joints. Lesser quality cabinets will use a corrugated fastener across the joint. Another method still used is a dowel joint where a dowel is inserted into the frame. If you are able to peek inside the cabinets you may be able to see the joint and the method used. If dowels are used there will be no visible fasteners at the joint.
Frameless cabinets were originally conceived in Europe after WWII as a quick and efficient way to build cabinets. Frameless cabinets are simple in design as they use no face frame. The edges of the material either 3/4" or 5/8" thick material. They are simply a box with the exposed edges typically covered with melamine or veneer edge banding. If constructed properly frameless cabinetry can be quite versatile. Quality frameless cabinetry utilizes a 32mm system of holes drilled into the sides of the cabinets. These holes are used for shelf clips, hinges and if done properly drawer guides. These type of unit have got a pretty bad reputation over the years for being flimsy and becoming out of square over time. As with any highly mass produced product you get what you pay for. Just about any door style cabinet be used with a frameless cabinet. But hardware should be used as some finger pull edge type cabinet doors will not work with frameless design. The doors are placed tightly together and there is not a lot if any room to grab the edge of the doors. Frameless cabinetry lends to a more modern / Euro design.
