Frameless Kitchen Cabinets

Frameless kitchen cabinets are a relatively new innovation in cabinetmaking, considered by some to be an upgrade over the more traditional framed designs. Frameless designs attempt to address the purported deficiencies found in these traditional designs. To get a sense of the reasoning behind frameless cabinets, it is good to first take a look at what a framed cabinet is and what is meant by "framed" in the first place.

Framed Cabinetry the Traditional Style

A framed cabinet has a flat front and can be joined with other units in a seamless fashion. Cabinets have been built this way for many years, for several reasons. First, it is simple to join individual units together and create a uniform flat front surface. Second, framed cabinetry encourages the units to stay square as time goes by. And third, the flat front of these models allows cabinetmakers to use exterior hinges, which can be stronger than interior hinges and can hold up heavy doors and help them close flat on the front framed surface.

But framed cabinetry has always had its drawbacks. The frame essentially creates a lip on the inside of the cabinet that makes it hard to use all the available storage space. Getting items out can be a chore without snagging them. Moving portable shelves can be a hassle because just getting them out of the cabinet in the first place can be tough. And that same frame also creates a lip on the outside, meaning that a 30 inch cabinet does not really give you that much storage inside (since that's the width of the frame and not the box).

Frameless Cabinets Offer Better Storage

Frameless kitchen cabinets are relatively new on the scene, but the reasoning behind them is as old as cabinetry itself. They take on some of the drawbacks of framed models. They address that annoying lip by eliminating it. When the door of a frameless kitchen cabinet is opened, the entire inside width is available to slide things inside and out. This means movable storage like sliding spice racks are much easier to manage. Shelves are also much easier to mount and to move around, because they do not have to be angled so much to get in and out and there is no risk of scratching the inside frame edge when removing or installing them.

Frameless kitchen cabinets allow you to maximize your storage as well, using all available space with no concerns for getting that cake pan or cookie sheet back out once it's inside the cabinet. Every kitchen needs all the storage space it can get, so getting the most out of your kitchen cabinets is essential. What's more, frameless kitchen cabinets have the added benefit of a beautiful door to door look, without the necessity of spaces between the doors.

However, those doors can rub or interfere with one another if frameless kitchen cabinets get out of square, which can happen if they are not installed right. They are not forced square in the front like framed cabinets are. It takes a higher level of expertise to do the job right. The hinges on frameless kitchen cabinets need continual adjusting in many cases to keep them from rubbing one another, due to their relative weakness and to the possibility of the front cabinet faces sagging and getting out of square over time. A frameless kitchen cabinet hinge allows for substantial adjustment, but you need to know what you're doing to adjust it the correct way. Frameless kitchen cabinets are great for any kitchen but must be done right.