Most people have heard the terms Framed Cabinetry or Frameless (AKA “Full Access”) Cabinetry. Many wonder what the difference is between them. This article explains the basics so you can make an educated decision on what’s best for you and your project.

Framed Cabinetry

Framed cabinetry has been the tradition in the United States, and is still very popular today. Having a “picture frame” face on the cabinet identifies framed cabinetry. The sides and top and bottom attach to the front face-frame to complete the cabinet so it’s a true “box” when it’s complete.

Since it’s a full “box” cabinet, it’s considered sturdier than Frameless cabinetry, which has no face frame. A popular variation in Framed cabinetry is to vary the size of the face frame by specifying what type of “Overlay” you want. See article on Overlays here.

Finally, the doors and drawers attach to the face frame of the cabinet.