Cabinetry terms every homeowner should know.

Becoming familiar with industry terms can make your next kitchen renovation a lot less confusing. Industry professionals such as kitchen or bath cabinet dealers, designers, and contractors use a variety of specific terminology about cabinet construction and cabinetry in general.  We created a list of the most common terms used in the cabinet making industry listed. After reading through the Cabinet Terminology, take a look at our standard cabinet construction and see why J&K Cabinetry is one of the leading kitchens and bath cabinet manufacturers in the industry.

Cabinet Accessory
A non-cabinet component to either finish off, accent or customize a cabinet or 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 Cabinet Door
Cabinets without a center stile. 

Cabinet Butt Joint
Two wood components with flat edges and ends that are butted together and fastened.

Cope & Stick (also known as Mortise & Tenon)
All the members of the frame are given a profile on the inside and outside edges, and the horizontal members are “coped” across the end grain to receive the profile of the vertical members 

Corner Cabinet
A type of cabinet that is used in creating the corner in a kitchen; typically, a blind corner cabinet of Lazy Susan.

Cabinet Crown Molding
Decorative molding installed on top of the cabinet. This adds a designer’s touch with a little extra width, depth & height to the overall dimensions.

Dado
A Joint made by cutting a square slot into one cabinet member to fit a second member. This method of assembly provides a larger surface area for glue and a defined location for the exact fitment of the two pieces.

Dims
Dimensions.

Dove Tail
Dove Tail joints are very strong (preferred), because of the way the ‘tails’ and ‘pins’ are shaped. This makes it difficult to pull the joint apart and virtually impossible when glue is added. This type of joint is used in box constructions such as drawers for maximum durability and life. J&K uses the Dovetail joint on all drawers, see the image below.

Doweled Cabinet Construction
Wood dowels are used to join different cabinet components together with glue for durable construction.

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

Finger Joint
A Joint made by cutting a set of complementary cuts in two pieces of wood, (looks like fingers ), used to form long pieces of lumber from shorter pieces.

Cabinet Hang Rail
A strip of hardwood installed on the back panel for added hanging strength.

Hardwood
Lumber from the group of trees with broad leaves, not the actual hardness of the wood.

MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)
Engineered wood product composed of cellulose fibers bonded together with resin. *J&K does not use MDF.*

Mitered
The rail and stile are cut at a 45° angle, to form a corner. *J&K offers both mitered and cope and stick.*

Non-butted Cabinet Door
Cabinets with a center stile (**See Stile below).

Full Overlay 
Where the face frame is completely covered by the cabinet door(s).*Typically requires hardware to open with ease*

Standard Overlay
Where the cabinets face frame is partially covered by the door. *Leaves access to open without hardware*

Panel
The flat piece of wood, usually referred to as an end, side panel or bottom panel.

Paper Laminated Particle Board
Solid or wood-tone paper bonded to raw particle board. *J&K does not use PLPB.*

Particle Board
Engineered wood product made of wood shavings and chips bonded with resin. *J&K does not use PB*

Plywood
Thin sheets of veneer glued together with the grain at right angles to each other providing strength. *J&K cabinetry’s plywood complies with Phase I and Phase II emission standards of the California Air Resources (CARB) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM)*

Pocket-screw construction
Drilling a hole at an angle in one workpiece, joining it to a second using a self-tapping screw.

Rabbet Joint
A joint where 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 for durability.

RTA
Ready-to-Assemble; components are assembled by the adept consumer. 

RTB

Ready To Build; where components are made to exact specifications for a professional to build using a variety of power tools and cabinet building skill sets. 

RTF – Rigid Thermofoil (Thermofoil)
The RTF Process uses heat and pressure to bond a thin vinyl material to a substrate, usually Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). The film is ultra-thin, it can bond to very intricate shapes like raised panels, routed edges and other designs that cannot be coated with other types of laminates. *J&K does not use RTF*

Stile
The vertical piece of wood used to make the face edge and center of the cabinet frame or paneled door.

Unfinished
When no finish is applied to the end product; raw. *All J&K Cabinetry comes finished with the highest quality standards and materials.*

Veneer
A thin decorative covering of fine wood usually less than 1/8th inch thick, applied to an engineered wood product for the appearance of wood. *J&K does not use veneers.*

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