Framed vs Frameless cupboards. Kitchen cupboard cupboard space. ⋆

Important Line Kitchen Design compares the cupboard cupboard space distinction between framed and frameless cupboards.

Many owners choose European frameless cabinetry over extra basic framed cabinetry as a result of they need extra storage. This isn’t stunning since maximize cupboard space is usually the rationale for a lot of kitchen design choices. Nevertheless, usually the reasoning behind deciding on frameless vs framed cabinetry is flawed or the benefit is overvalued.

Let’s look at how each these kind cupboards are constructed first.

Above is a cross part of a cupboard constructed utilizing the frameless technique of cupboard development. Discover the cupboard field is just a again, backside, prime, and sides. The entrance of the cupboard is lacking.

Under is an instance of a framed cupboard. Discover on the entrance body that the drawer passes by way of, and the door hinges and drawer {hardware} is hooked up.

Higher made framed cupboards normally use 1/2″ thick sides. Framed cupboards have strong wooden face frames. These frames have horizontal and vertical items 1 and 1/2″ large x 3/4″ thick.  Higher made frameless cabinetry makes use of 3/4″ thick sides and the cupboard has no entrance in any respect.

Which means that the hinges and drawer tracks are all hooked up to plywood or particle board sides on a frameless cupboard. Whereas on a framed cupboard, {hardware} is hooked up to a strong wooden entrance. Nevertheless, it additionally implies that all roll outs and drawers, should cross by way of the lowered dimension opening within the entrance of a framed cupboard.

What’s the distinction in cupboard space between framed vs frameless development strategies in a typical kitchen?

First, the within of each packing containers is actually the identical dimensions. The width of the within of a cupboard is similar in each framed and frameless examples. Whereas the body does take up a tiny little bit of cupboard depth house, it’s far lower than 1% of the whole cupboard house. It is just within the drawers and the roll outs that house is lowered considerably. It’s because the transferring components needing to cross by way of a smaller cupboard entrance opening.

For the reason that inside house is identical wall cupboards comprise the identical quantity of usable house. It’s because it is just within the base cupboards and the underside of the tall cupboards that drawers and roll outs can be utilized.

Base cupboard distinction Framed vs Frameless

With framed base and tall cupboards with a drawer or roll out, the inside house of the drawer field loses 3/4″ of house on both sides. Which means that the within of each drawer in a framed line shall be 1 1/2 ” narrower than in a frameless line. For a mean cupboard of 24″ in width the storage capability of any drawer or roll out is lowered about 8%.

When a base cupboard has all drawers (a most of 4) or all roll outs probably the most that the cupboard space can be lowered can be 8%. A cupboard with solely a prime drawer would lose cupboard space for that prime drawer, the cupboard under would maintain the identical quantity. So, with out roll outs a typical base cupboard with solely a prime drawer would lose at most 2% whole storage. Notice: We’re simplifying the calculations on account of another minimal components, however we’re being liberal within the total storage financial savings.

Most kitchens use extra drawers and roll outs. The bottoms of most tall and base cupboards use drawers or roll outs. This ends in 6% of all the underside cabinetry to be misplaced. None of many storage within the tops of tall cupboards and wall cupboards loses house. So, the general kitchen gained’t lose greater than 4% of its cupboard space utilizing framed vs frameless cabinetry.

A 4% lack of cupboard space for framed vs frameless cabinetry will not be such a big quantity. By comparability selecting a spread and a microwave hood above can save 10% of the whole storage in a small kitchen, versus a design utilizing a cooktop, wall oven, microwave wall oven, and a hood above the cooktop.

Dividing cabinetry to create small spice pull out cupboards or tray divider cupboards can lose an identical 4% in a small kitchen. Even including ornamental 3″ large legs on both facet of a cooktop or sink would lose 5% of the bottom cupboard storage in a small kitchen.

When selecting framed vs frameless cabinetry owners must also contemplate that frameless cabinetry is much less sturdy than framed cabinetry. It’s because there isn’t any strong wooden entrance on the cupboard. Cupboard fronts shield the cupboard field and frameless cupboard entrance edges are simply 1/4″ thick edge banding at greatest. Having hinges and tracks screwed to the strong wooden body and screwing every body to the face body subsequent to it’s what makes well-made framed cabinetry able to holding up over a lifetime. Face frames do get in the way in which which is why frameless cabinetry can also be referred to as “quick access cabinetry”.

Selecting Framed or Frameless of cupboard development.

Our takeaway from these house calculations whereas contemplating the durably points is that we don’t advocate utilizing frameless cabinetry except a few of their different added advantages come into play. Most notably, there isn’t any query that if you would like very up to date slab doorways in your kitchen these trendy types look higher on frameless European type cupboards.

Door and drawer gaps on frameless cupboards are MUCH tighter. This is because of how the frameless hinges function. This narrower hole makes an enormous distinction in making a up to date kitchen look modern, trendy, and trendy. That is why probably the most trendy foil, acrylic, and laminate slab doorways types will solely be obtainable in frameless cupboard traces. Nevertheless, raised panel and recessed panel door types, like the favored shaker type, look tremendous in framed traces.

So, earlier than you leap into a choice of 1 cupboard development kind over one other, contemplate your choices. And do the mathematics!

NEW UPDATE 10/09/2025 Brighton Cabinetry now makes a Framed Easy accessibility cupboard that has the very best of each kinds of development! Ask certainly one of our designers to elucidate.

Under are some associated posts:

Which Cupboard Model is Greatest for Me? ⋆ (mainlinekitchendesign.com)