Cabinet Door Overlay on Traditional Cabinets
“Traditional” Face Frame Cabinets: Determining Door Overlay
“Overlay” simply
defined is the part of the cabinet door that (for “Traditional” face
frame cabinets) lies on top of the cabinets face. Three factors
influence door overlay:
1. Cranking of the Hinge: This is a measurement of left/right offset built into the hinge arm. There are
three hinge crankings : 00, 08, and 15. Overlay is reduced 8mm with an
08 cranking hinge, 15mm with a 15 cranking hinge utilizing a 00 mounting
plate. Using this scenario, 00 would be considered neutral or flat with
a full overlay. We offer 00 cranking hinges so this will not be a factor
when purchasing hinges from McFeely’s™.
2. Plate Thickness: This is the relative thickness
of the mounting plate. The mounting
plate also controls left/right position of the door. Using a thicker mounting
plate moves the hinge inward toward the opening which reduces overlay.
Generally use the shortest plate
possible which results in a cleaner application and less stress on hinges.
3. Distance Between Edge (DBE): This is defined as the distance
between the edge of the door to the edge of the hinge cup hole. Cup hole
placement and mounting plates are directly related. Note: There are often
factors that must be considered when placing hinge cup holes. For instance,
a decorative door edging would be a good reason to avoid a narrow cup placement.
If the cup is placed too closely, it could perforate
the doors decorative edge. Conversely, avoid wide placements on narrow
stiles to avoid perforating the door panel.
*After determining your overlay style, select
that styles image to see hinge angle and cup hole placement
charts. |
Face Frame Cabinet
With Overlay Door |
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| Most traditional cabinetry will
require face frame overlay mounting plates for doors that overlay their
frames. If your cabinet door lies completely on top of the cabinet face,
and the door is not rabbetted, you will need a face frame overlay mounting
plate. Since hinge overlay is determined by hinge crank, distance between
the edge, and mounting plate height, overlay is a relative term when selecting
hinges for face frame cabinets. |
Face Frame Cabinet With Inset Door |
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| Inset doors are recessed into the cabinet carcass so that the door fronts are flush
with the front faces of the cabinet face frame. This method provides
a clean lined look; however, it is critical that the cabinet carcass
as well as the door be square to alleviate any out of parallel condition
between the two elements that would detract from the look of the installation.
When using our hinges for a face frame inset door application,
it is necessary to use spacer blocks to support the cabinet hinges. Gap
distance between the door and the cabinet carcass is of extreme
importance using inset doors. To see a gap chart for this application, click here. |
Face Frame Cabinet Door With 3/8" Rabbet |
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| 3/8" Inset
hinges have been common on face frame kitchen cabinets in this country
for years. However, with the introduction of european cabinetry, their
use has been greatly reduced. Although it is not uncommon to replace
doors, drawer fronts and hardware when doing a kitchen remodel, it's
not absolutely necessary if your cabinet doors are still in good shape.
Euro hinges may be utilized on your existing doors by drilling the hinge
cup hole to the edge of the doors rabbet and installing mounting blocks
to hold the hinges on the interior of the cabinet carcass. |