Cabinet Terminology

Accessory

A non-cabinet type of item to either finish off, embellish or customize a cabinet or room layout.

Base Cabinet

A style of kitchen cabinet which rests on the floor but is secured through the back wall.

Bridge Cabinet

A style of kitchen cabinet which is mounted to the wall, and typically acts as a bridge above an appliance location.

Butted Door

Cabinets without a center stile.

Butt Joint

Two wood components with flat edges and ends that are placed together and fastened.

Cope & Stick (aka: Mortise & Tenon)

All the members of the frame are given a profile on the inside and outside edges, and the horizontal members (Rails) are "coped" across the end grain to receive the profile of the vertical members (Stiles).

Corner Cabinet

A type of cabinet that is used in turning the corner in a kitchen.

Crown Molding

Decorative molding installed on top of the cabinet. This adds a little extra width, depth & height to the overall dimensions.

Dado

Joint made by cutting a slot or trench into one cabinet member to fit a second member. This method of assembly provides a glue surface and positive location for the assembler.

Dims

Dimensions.

Doweled Construction

Wood or plastic dowels are used to join the cabinet members together.

Edge Band

Thin PVC, melamine or veneer cut into thin strips and bonded to the edges of a cut panel to finish the raw edge.

Encapsulation

When the panels of the cabinet are joined using dado or rabbet joints. This increases the overall durability of a cabinet. Full encapsulation is when all panels of a cabinet are encapsulated.

Finger Joint

Joint made by cutting a set of complementary rectangular cuts in two pieces of wood, this is the most common joint used to form long pieces of lumber from solid wood ribbons.

Fully Assembled

Cabinets assembled at the factory.

Hang Rail

A strip of hardboard installed on the back panel for added hanging strength.

Hardwood

Lumber from the group of trees with broad leaves, this has no reference to the actual hardness of the wood.

MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)

Engineered wood product composed of cellulose fibers bonded together with resin.

Mitered

The rail and stile are cut, usually at a 45° angle, to form a corner.

Non-butted Door

Cabinets with a center stile.

Overlay, Full

When the face frame is completely covered.

Overlay, Traditional/Standard

When the face frame is partially covered.

Panel

Flat piece of wood, usually referred to along with its position or function in the cabinet, such as a side panel or bottom panel.

Paper Laminated Particle Board

Solid or wood-tone paper bonded to raw particle board.

Particle Board

Engineered wood product made of wood shavings and chips bonded with resin.

Plywood

Thin sheets of veneer glued together with the grain at right angles to each other providing strength.

Pocket-screw construction

Drilling a hole at an angle in one work piece, joining it to a second using a self-tapping screw.

Rabbet Joint

Simple joint, in which the ends of boards are joined at right angles by removing a portion of one board's thickness to accommodate another board. This increases the glue surface and provides support and alignment for the two pieces.

RTA (aka: flat-packed)

Ready-to-Assemble components are assembled together by the consumer.

RTF – Rigid Thermofoil (AKA: Thermofoil)

Process that uses heat and pressure to bond a thin vinyl material to a substrate, usually Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). Since the film is so thin, it can bond to very intricate shapes. This allows the process to be used on raised panels, routed edges and other designs that cannot be coated with other types of laminates.

Stile

Vertical piece used to make the face frame or paneled door.

Unfinished

When no finish is applied to the end product; raw.

Veneer

Thin decorative covering of fine wood usually less than 1/8th inch (3mm), applied to an engineered wood product.

Wall Cabinet

A style of kitchen cabinet which is mounted to the wall.