Kitchen Face Frame Cabinet Overlay and Reveal

[stevo wis]

Hi Folks,
I am starting to draw new kitchen cabinets for my home. It will be a long term project. I have two friends who are cabinetmakers and I have gotten different answers about the reveal on face frame stiles.
Cabmaker1 says it is critical to him, that face frame reveal be consistent between outside stiles, between two inward swinging doors, and also if two cabinets meet that the total reveal be the same as stiles on an outside of a cabinet.on
For example, he normally uses 1 1/2 inch stiles, with a 1/2 door overlay, leaving 1" reveal on an outer stile.
When he has to join two cabinets, he again uses 1 1/2 stiles with two of them totaling 3". He then switches the doors to 1" overlay on the affected doors leaving a 1" reveal.

My other friend, also uses 1 1/2 stiles, and his normal hinges use 5/8 overlay hinges, so he ends up with a 7/8" reveal out outer stiles. If he is forced to join two cabinets, he sticks with 5/8 overlay and ends up with a wider reveal. He maintains even if wider, it is not critical.

What do those of you who do cabinets do and think?

Thanks,

Stevo

[Marc Fenneuff]

For my own cabinets I use 1-1/2" rails & stiles with a 1/4" reveal at all door/drawer edges. Adjoining cabinets then have a 1/2" horizontal door/drawer spacing (hope that makes sense). So, 1-1/4" overlay and Blum makes suitable hinges. This is as close to a modern, full overlay look as I feel that I can achieve.

[Ron Citerone]

I am not a cabinet maker but built my own cabinets for my cottage renovation. Knowing what I learned on my job I think Cabinet maker 1's design would give a better looking result. My 2 cents.

On my house cabinets which I installed but did not build, I have a raised panel on each end of the cabinet row. The edge of that panel added 3/4" the end stile reveal. Something to consider. If you make the end reveal larger AND add a panel to the end than the stile width on the end would look wider.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

For exposed 3/8 inset hinges, the old fashioned standard I learned is 1 3/4 styles and rails unless a style will have two hinges back to back, then the style is 2 1/4. Nobody builds that way much anymore. I have had a few requests for this type of cabinetry from folks wanting to keep their cabinetry "period correct". They are in houses that were built in 1910 though 1940.

[Dave Sabo]

I think it's pointless to make framed cabinets unless you're doing inset doors.

I also think partial overlay door look cheap and out of date - like last century.


So..................I'm sure you've guessed I prefer euro boxes. Don't have to worry about this reveal or that. There's one reveal number for every door or drawer or combo regardless of single or double or however many you choose to put on the cabinet.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I think it's pointless to make framed cabinets unless you're doing inset doors.

I also think partial overlay door look cheap and out of date - like last century.


So..................I'm sure you've guessed I prefer euro boxes. Don't have to worry about this reveal or that. There's one reveal number for every door or drawer or combo regardless of single or double or however many you choose to put on the cabinet.

I agree for the most part. Face frame cabinets have a lot of wasted space. Euro cabinets became in vogue in the US in the 1980's and suddenly our Geneva and Youngstown metal cabinets were acceptable again. I am glad we kept them. Now they have achieved the lofty title of mid century modern.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Try to get hold of a copy of Danny Proulx's book "Making Your Own Kitchen Cabinets." His method allows the look of face frames, and the use of Euro hardware.

[Jared Sankovich]

I think it's pointless to make framed cabinets unless you're doing inset doors.

I also think partial overlay door look cheap and out of date - like last century.


So..................I'm sure you've guessed I prefer euro boxes. Don't have to worry about this reveal or that. There's one reveal number for every door or drawer or combo regardless of single or double or however many you choose to put on the cabinet.

Im in agreement, but prefer inset (and beaded) to euro.

As for the original question don't build modular boxes. When you do have two abutting boxes, either do a field joint at the rails or depth offset. I really dont like reveals being different (and I personally don't like to see seams)

[Dave Sabo]

Im in agreement, but prefer inset (and beaded) to euro.

As for the original question don't build modular boxes. When you do have two abutting boxes, either do a field joint at the rails or depth offset. I really dont like reveals being different (and I personally don't like to see seams)

I love the look of inset too. But those are difficult, time consuming , and expensive to execute, especially for the DIYer.

They also eliminate the discussion about door & drawer overlays.

[Ole Anderson]

1/2" overlay makes sizing doors easy as you add an even inch to the opening.

[Ron Citerone]

I like face frames and I cannot lie..............................

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I like face frames and I cannot lie..............................

I built our face frame kitchen cabinets with 1 3/4 and 2 1/4 styles. The bathroom, office, and shop cabinets are frameless. Both designs are OK with me. My twin router mortis and tenon face frame set up is dismantled at the moment. It is nice to have it set up and ready to go. It is a quick and fairly easy method for making a satisfying joint that works for doors and simple furniture as well.

[Jared Sankovich]

They also eliminate the discussion about door & drawer overlays.

True, but then it just moves to stile/vertical face frame width, and modular vs monolithic frame construction.

[John TenEyck]

Personally, I like Euro cabinets. Less work, cleaner look, consistent overlay. You can still have a variable reveal, up to at least 1/2", and also on the ends with a panel if you use the right hinges or cut back the side of the cabinet and mount the hinges to the panel. Also, there's no consideration for stiles on the ends vs. stiles in the middle of a run. If forced to use face frames, I agree with the comment about hating visible seams where two cabinets meet mid run.

John

[Dave Sabo]

True, but then it just moves to stile/vertical face frame width, and modular vs monolithic frame construction.

um……….no not really.

The discussion is over at that point.


Assuming it wasn’t - individual vs. monolithic frames don’t change the overlay or the width of the rail and stile. But if you just like debating - have at it.