skip to main content

full overlay - framed vs. frameless?

11 years ago

I'm getting ready to tackle the kitchen cabinetry in my whole house remodel. The cabinet maker my GC uses does framed cabinets with full overlay. I'm having trouble finding photos of what these might look like. I found plenty of photos of full overlay cabs on Houzz, but they don't specify whether the boxes are framed or frameless. Do they look identical on the outside?

Can any anyone help me with pictures that show a framed full overlay kitchen? I'm planning for shaker style cabinets painted creamy white.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

jakuvall
11 years ago
From the outside the onlu difference is the reveal, space between doors. It is generally narrower on frameless becuse of the type of hinge. There are a few exceptions.
herbflavor
11 years ago
a picture of a kitchen in the panoramic sense won't tell you certain things...you will save some inches in your base cabinet storage drawers with frameless. framed construction is traditional and easy to spec and achieve tehnical excellence for most local cabinet makers. frameless can be a little trickier and requires greater construction and install skill. Frameless tends to be a little more expensive. Frameless lower cabinets and full framed uppers is a great way to spec out your kitchen. go to the library and get the kitchen/ bath issue of Fine Woodworking or a book on kitchen cabinet construction. Even a 45 minute read with 3-d pictures will explain most of what you want to know.
Related Discussions
Framed vs. frameless cabinets?
Q
Comments (24)
charlikin, let me try to help you with Medallion's Shaker Door line up. 1. Bayside and Potters Mill are the same door profile, except that Bayside has a solid wood insert and Potters Mill has a veneer flat panel insert. Because of that, the two doors are available in different wood species. (i.e. you can do Maple in either a flat panel or a solid wood, but you can really only do Rustic Maple in a solid wood.) Both Bayside and Potters Mill have 2 1/4 stiles and rails and a 5-pc drawer front. 2. Central Park West and Park Place are not true Shaker doors because they both have a beaded inside profile. But it's the same with these two doors as above. Central Park West has a solid wood insert and Park Place has a veneer flat panel insert. Both have 2 3/4" wide stiles and rails and a 5-pc drawer front. 3. Mendocino and Sonoma are technically shaker doors, but the wider stiles and rails give them a more modern look. Mendocino has the solid wood insert and Sonoma has the veneer flat panel insert. Both have 3 3/8" wide stiles and rails and a slab drawer front. 4. Mission and Quaint both also have the Shaker look. The mission door has a veneer flat panel insert. The Quaint door has a solid wood center insert with reversed raised construction. Both have 2 3/4" stiles and rails. In general, if you want a more modern look, consider wider stiles and rails. If you want to add interest, consider a small beaded profile as in Park Place, or a center stile as in Santiago or a cleanly stepped profile as in Stockton. Hope this helps you. regards, Waconia, MN
...See More
Partial Overlay vs Full Overlay?
Q
Comments (7)
I'm getting partial overlay for several reasons (I like the looks of both so looks is not one of them): my cabinets go all the way to the ceiling which is most likely crooked so I would be scraping it with the upper doors, I can also use the extra space on top to install the crown molding (i.e., attach it from the front rather than top of the cabinet). The crown will be tine but it will fit without sacrificing the space. The special corner arrangement I have would require additional fillers for FO, thus, more loss of space. Last but not least, the door style I picked comes as PO (it seems like the doorstyle is either FO or PO but you can't pick a door and a style separately; my experience at least and I had quotes from 3 different places, all said the same). I enclosed a picture of my old kitchen which is not pretty but PO. You can see it's tiny so every inch counts. Here is a link that might be useful: old PO kitchen
...See More
inset vs. full-overlay... decisions...
Q
Comments (29)
You have to ask for the type of hinges that have full adjustment (they're normal for most cabinets now a days, but many people who want inset want exposed hinges and these are not exposed). Really, they're only necessary if you live in a house that sees a lot of movement. We do, being in an earth quake zone, on pilings, and in a frost heave area. The adjustable hinges ensure our doors will never stick, but that might be overkill for you. (In the pic you can see both styles...the squirrel cabinet has exposed hinges because it's only an inch deep and does not have room for adjustable hinges...it's a chalk board). I should have mentioned, I also did deeper cabinets, but I was going to even before I did inset. My uppers are all 15" after living with 12" uppers that didn't fit my dinner plates. The few inches is totally NOT noticable, until you open them and see how much more space you have. And as long as you're going with a custom builder...look to bigger lowers as well. We have 27" deep lowers on our stove side and just love them. (No uppers on that run). To me, the look of inset doors isn't necessarily vintage. My kitchen isn't vintage by any stretch of the imagination....I'd instead call it eclectic and classic. We have modern surfaces as well as old world But the inset doors and drawers, to me they say "rich" and I don't mean rich in money :OP But rich in details. Mine have a beaded edge and the detail is just fabulous IMO They're clean lined and classic, and worth every penny.
...See More
Frameless vs. Framed - Eclipse by Shiloh?
Q
Comments (46)
Here's a pic of our new display without tops yet. These are the MDF standard construction. Anglophilia is right...they are very heavy! Really only person who benefits from the plywood upgrade is your installer...his back will thank you. :-) Photos below show MDF and also a couple of the drawer options: standard wood or laminate in a laminate gray metal finish.
...See More
breezygirl
11 years ago
Framed full overlay is extremely common.
blackchamois
11 years ago
Hi Breezy - Who are your cabinets made by? I've had to fire my GC and cabinet guy and now trying to find someone to either finish the job or start over :( Pretty sure you're not in my area (CA) but thought I'd ask. Looking for recommendations for cabinet manufacturer or maker. Thanks!

p.s. Sorry for the high jack, OP
badgergal
11 years ago
Here are frameless full overlay cabinets in my pre-remodel kitchen.

And here are framed full overlay cabinets in my new kitchen.

Not much difference in overall look from the outside of frameless and framed cabinets. There is some difference in interior cabinet and drawer size but that was not a concern for me when I changed to framed cabinets.
Stephanie S
8 years ago
I know this is an old post, but it addresses something I am just learning about so I hope it's ok to revive it. I was assuming that it was impossible to tell the difference between full overlay framed and frameless cabinets when the drawers are closed. jackuvall notes above that the gap between adjacent doors/drawers is smaller in frameless construction, which is what I'm trying to figure out. I was thinking about grain matched walnut (for MB), but all the photos I've saved appear to have very small gaps between drawers and are most likely frameless. Is there a way to minimize the reveal between drawers in full overlay framed construction? I'm after the look below, but in my full overlay framed kitchen the reveal is anywhere from 1/8" - 1/2". It's white painted, so I'd never really noticed, but I think those type of gaps would stick out with grain matched walnut. Opinions and ideas?
Serene Simplicity · More Info

Related Stories

BATHROOM DESIGN Expert Talk: Frameless Showers Get Show of Support

By Lawrence Karol

Professional designers explain how frameless shower doors boosted the look or function of 12 bathrooms

DESIGN DICTIONARY Face Frame

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Cabinets get their strength from it, but modern cabinets sometimes go without

0

KITCHEN CABINETS Cabinets 101: How to Choose Construction, Materials and Style

By Matt Clawson

Do you want custom, semicustom or stock cabinets? Frameless or framed construction? We review the options

WINDOWS Steel-Framed Windows Leap Forward Into Modern Designs

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

With a mild-mannered profile but super strength, steel-framed windows are champions of design freedom

ART What's in a Frame?

By Lisa Frederick

Artwork languishing unhung because frame styles seem too confusing? These guidelines can help

KITCHEN WORKBOOK 8 Elements of a Modern Kitchen

By KitchenLab Interiors

Frameless cabinets, horizontal lines and lack of ornamentation top the list of what defines modern kitchen style

BATHROOM DESIGN See the Clever Tricks That Opened Up This Master Bathroom

By Mitchell Parker

A recessed toilet paper holder and cabinets, diagonal large-format tiles, frameless glass and more helped maximize every inch of the space

ROOM OF THE DAY Room of the Day: An 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom Gains Beauty and Space

By Mitchell Parker

Smart design details like niches and frameless glass help visually expand this average-size bathroom while adding character

DECORATING GUIDES So Your Style Is: Cottage

By Lisa Frederick

Cheerful, laid back and welcoming, cottage style feels like a giant hug. Find out how to make this appealing look work its magic

KITCHEN CABINETS Learn the Lingo of Kitchen Cabinet Door Styles

By Ventana Construction LLC

Understand door types, materials and cabinet face construction to make the right choice when you shop

Sponsored

Kuhns Contracting, Inc.

26 Reviews

Central Ohio's Trusted Home Remodeler Specializing in Kitchens & Baths

More Discussions

can anyone share picture of Silestone Lusso countertop

1

Recommendations to reduce risk of Dekton / sintered stone chipping

8

contractor chooses kitchen

33

Small kitchen with angled wall

4

how accurate should a countertop template be?

5