What is a Cabinet Overlay?

Partial Cabinet Overlay

• A partial cabinet overlay refers to the cabinet door’s overlap on the cabinet’s base frame. A partial overlay means the cabinet door overlaps part of the cabinet frame, leaving part of the frame visible. A partial overlay gives the impression that the cabinet is larger, since the cabinet door is a bit smaller than the frame. A partial cabinet overlay requires a frameless half overlay hinge, so the hinges are fully hidden by the cabinet door and frame.

Full Cabinet Overlay

• A full cabinet overlay refers to the cabinet door fully covering the cabinet frame in the front. In other words, the cabinet door completely covers the cabinet’s side edges, so the door is flush with the cabinet’s sides. A door designed with a full cabinet overlay must be attached with frameless overlay hinges, so the door can open and close in a proper manner.

Full-Inset Overlay

• The term “full-inset overlay” refers to a design in which the cabinet door fits in between the the parts of the cabinet frame that are visible on the front side of the cabinet. This design is ideal for those who wish to showcase the cabinet’s frames and keep the surface of the cabinet door flush with the frame. This type of cabinet door setting requires frameless inset hinges.

Things to Keep in Mind

• Those building a full overlay must be conscious of the edges of the kitchen cabinets, as the sides may rub against one another when opening and closing the cabinet doors. Those building a partial overlay must ensure that the overlay measurement is consistent on all cabinets. Full-inset cabinet doors must fit inside the frame, so exact measurements are important, to avoid gaps between the doors and the frame.