Kitchen Cabinet Door Fronts: The Visual Focal Point of the Kitchen

Custom Kitchen Remodeling: Understanding Kitchen Cabinetry – Part III

Kitchen Cabinet Door and Drawer Fronts: The Visual Focal Points of the Cabinet and the Kitchen

In most articles you read about kitchen cabinets, whether stock, semicustom, or custom, the author describes the kitchen cabinet door, and often the drawer fronts, as the focal point(s) of the kitchen cabinet. Kitchen cabinet manufacturers and custom kitchen cabinet woodworking craftsmen alike all spend a great deal of time and attention of the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, for good reason, they are the dominant focus of the cabinet and the kitchen as a whole.

Interestingly, because the kitchen cabinet doors (and drawer fronts) are such an integral part of the kitchen cabinet, and the kitchen as a whole, many cabinet manufacturers outsource the production of this component in order to deliver the highest quality door at the lowest possible price.

One of the most common types of kitchen cabinet doors is the frame and panel door (see an expanded list below). The frame and panel door is quite popular with many kitchen cabinet manufacturers and custom kitchen and bathroom cabinet makers and installers. The frame and panel cabinet door is constructed just like the name implies, with an outside frame and an inside panel that is loose or floats in the center. One of the many advantages of this type of a door is that it has a certain amount of “give” built in and it adjusts on its own to variations in temperature, humidity, and the effects of usage and aging.

One of the more common methods for joining the various components of the frame and panel cabinet door is the cope-and-stick joint. The top rail and bottom rail, along with the two stiles or outside edges, make up the kitchen cabinet door frame.

The cabinet manufacturer or custom kitchen cabinet maker cuts a groove with a special router and reverse cuts then make it possible for the various components to be joined together and then glued in place.

Note: If the cuts are made correctly, the cope in the end of the rail will join with the sticking profile. The kitchen cabinet door is then glued and the resulting joint will be sufficiently strong to withstand most cabinet door functions and applications without additional reinforcement. For very large, heavy doors the cope and stick joint can be reinforced with dowels or by using some other method.

Many traditionalists may take issue with the above mentioned method. However, it is only one of many and by no means the one Chmura Custom Woodworks recommends across the board for its clients. The method described above is simply one of many; it is considered by many to be the most cost effective.

Delivering strength and beauty, while being affordable, allows a homeowner the luxury of a top-of-the-line look at an affordable price.

The best of both worlds!

As stated previously in this series, you are only constrained by your imagination and your budget, particularly with Chmura Custom Woodworks and the addition of theShopBot. With the ShopBot, if you can think it, we can design and create it with this revolutionary new custom woodworking tool.

So, whether you want a face-frame or frameless kitchen cabinet, we can create a look for you in custom kitchen cabinet doors and drawers that will be uniquely your own. The look and construction of your new custom kitchen cabinets will have everyone convinced that you invested many times the actual cost.

Some of the kitchen cabinet doors available are:

• Raised Panel Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Flat Panel, Slab and Louver Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Mitered Raised Panel Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Applied Moulding Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Statesman Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Shaker Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Grooved Panel Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Arts and Crafts Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Decorative Applied Moulding Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• 1″ Thick Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Contemporary Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• International Species Collection Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• MDF & RTF Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers:  A flexible and durable design alternative to solid wood
• Mullions Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Aluminum Accent Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers
• Accent Doors and Drawers
• Custom Designed and Built Kitchen Cabinet Doors and Drawers

Ultimately, the strength of the custom kitchen is in the design and the materials. Chmura Custom Woodworks will walk you through every step in the design process and create a custom kitchen you will be proud of for many years to come.

Chmura Custom Woodworks…Your Complete Source for a Custom Home!

Contact us anytime!

Rick and Bryan Chmura
Chmura Custom Woodworks
Serving Ohio for more than a decade!
216-533-3760
Rick@ChmuraCustomWoodworks.com

PS, While this series is about custom kitchens and kitchen cabinets, we can do the same thing for your bathroom…just call us for more information!