CabinetPlans.io Cabinet Design Form Glossary

📏 General Dimensions

Cabinet Width
Specifies the total left-to-right measurement of the cabinet box. This is one of the core dimensions that determine how the cabinet fits between other units or walls. Standard base cabinets are often 18"–36" wide, but you can adjust as needed.

Cabinet Height
Defines the top-to-bottom measurement of the cabinet. For kitchen base cabinets, this usually defaults to 34.5", while tall pantry or wall cabinets can vary. Adjust this value to suit your design needs.

Cabinet Depth
The front-to-back depth of the cabinet box. Standard base cabinets are typically 24" deep, and upper cabinets are 12". You can set custom depths to accommodate appliances or specialty layouts.

Visible Width
Used for blind corner cabinets, this field defines the portion of the cabinet that is visible from the front. It's essential for calculating proper clearances when part of the cabinet is tucked behind another.

Appliance Cutout Height
If this cabinet is housing an appliance (e.g., microwave or oven), this sets the vertical opening required. Always refer to the appliance manufacturer's spec sheet for correct measurements.

Appliance Cutout Width
This field defines the horizontal space needed for a built-in appliance. It's crucial that this width matches the appliance requirements exactly for a clean, functional fit.

Appliance Cutout Depth
The depth of the appliance opening — from the cabinet face to the back panel. Ensures the appliance fits flush and functions properly.

Appliance Cutout Distance to Floor
If applicable, defines how high the appliance cutout begins from the floor. Use this for wall ovens or under-counter units where positioning is important.

🦶 Toe Kick and Base Options

Has Toe Kick
Enables a recessed toe space at the bottom of the cabinet, typically 3" deep and 4" high. This ergonomic feature improves comfort while working near the cabinet.

Has Integrated Toe Kick
Specifies whether the toe kick is built into the cabinet box itself rather than resting on a separately built toe kick box. Integrated toe kicks are more common, but use more plywood material.

Toe Kick Height
Sets the vertical height of the toe kick. A typical value is 4", but can be adjusted for taller or shorter base cabinets.

Toe Kick Depth
Specifies how far the toe kick recesses into the cabinet. Common depths range from 2" to 3", allowing room for feet when standing at the cabinet.

🪚 Plywood Options

Plywood Thickness
Specifies the thickness of plywood used for cabinet construction. Typical options include 1/2" or 3/4". Thicker material is heavier and stronger, but it can be overkill in some applications.

Plywood Material
Choose the type of plywood used: birch, maple, prefinished, etc. Material impacts durability, cost, and finishing options. White Birch is preferable for paint grade cabinets, while oak or cherry are strong options for stain grade finishes.

Construction Method
Specifies how the cabinet box is assembled. Common methods include dado/groove, pocket screws, or biscuits. Dados and grooves provide strength and make aligning and fitting components easier, but require a table saw or router with dado blade capability. Pocket screws require less tooling, but can be tricky to align components.

Include Back
Determines if the cabinet includes a plywood back panel. Including the back adds rigidity but may not be needed in some built-in applications. Backs are standard in kitchen cabinets, but are often skipped in shelves and built-ins.

Has Left Side Panel
If checked, adds a decorative panel to the cabinet’s left side.

Has Right Side Panel
If checked, adds a decorative panel to the cabinet’s right side.

Panel Rail/Stile Width
Sets the frame member width for applied decorative side panels. This is optional and used to enhance appearance.

🪵 Face Frame Configuration

Hardwood Material
Defines the wood species used for the face frame — such as poplar, maple, or oak. Choose based on matching appearance or painting and staining preferences.

Box to Frame Connection
How the cabinet box joins with the face frame. Options include grooves, pocket screws, or biscuits. Adding a groove to accept the plywood box components makes for a cleaner fit and added shear strength, but requires notching the bottom and top plywood components. Many DIY builders just opt to use pocket screws for simplicity.

Stile Width
Sets the vertical frame member width (left and right). Affects door and drawer spacing and overall cabinet look.

Top Rail Width
Controls the upper horizontal face frame member. Often set to match the stile width for visual balance.

Has Mid Rail
Adds a structural and visual rail between upper and lower cabinet areas — typically used when mixing drawers and doors.

Mid Rail Width
Defines the width of any intermediate horizontal rails (e.g., between drawers and doors).

Bottom Rail Width
Sets the size of the lower face frame rail. Adjust for visual balance or if excluding a bottom panel. The bottom rail board will be set to be 1/2" wider if you add a baseboard molding to give the molding something to attach to.

Has Bead
Adds a decorative bead profile around the face frame opening, often used with inset doors for a traditional look.

Bead Thickness
Specifies the width of the applied or integrated bead. Impacts opening dimensions and appearance.

Integrated Bead
If enabled, the bead is cut into the frame itself rather than added as a separate molding.

Has Frame Divider
Enables a vertical divider between two doors or sections, common in double-door cabinets over 30" wide.

Frame Divider Width
Sets the width of the vertical divider stile.

Full Length Stiles
Extends the stiles the full height of the cabinet, past the bottom rail to the floor.

Has Baseboard Molding
Adds a decorative baseboard molding to the cabinet bottom instead of a toe kick. Ideal for built-ins or furniture-style cabinets.

Baseboard Molding Height
Sets the height of the baseboard trim. Common heights range from 3"–6" depending on style.

Exclude Bottom
Removes the bottom face frame rail for certain upper cabinets or floating shelves. Only available for select cabinet types.

📦 Frameless Settings

Frameless Spacing
Defines the clearance spacing between cabinet components in frameless designs. Important for overlay doors and drawer fronts to operate smoothly.

🚪 Doors

Door Configuration
Choose between inset or overlay doors: inset doors sit flush within the face frame, while overlay doors sit on top of the cabinet faceframe or box if frameless.

Lower Door Height
Manually sets the height of the lower door when applicable.

Door Rail/Stile Width
Specifies the width of frame parts (rails/stiles) used in shaker or frame-and-panel doors and drawer fronts.

🧰 Drawers

Top Drawer Opening Height
For 3-drawer configurations, this sets the top drawer opening height. This is a calculated value for many cabinets where you can't enter a value.

Middle Drawer Opening Height
Used only when there are three drawer cabinets. Sets the center drawer height.

Plain Drawer Front
Enables a slab-style (flat) top drawer front with no frame.

Plain Middle Drawer Front
Applies a slab-style front to the middle drawer.

Plain Bottom Drawer Front
Applies a slab-style front to the bottom drawer.

Top Drawer Front Material
If using a slab-style drawer front, this sets the material used (e.g., plywood or hardwood).

Middle Drawer Front Material
Same as above but applies to the middle drawer.

Bottom Drawer Front Material
Same as above but applies to the bottom drawer.

Drawer Box Material
Specifies the material for internal drawer boxes. Options typically include maple, birch, or prefinished plywood.

Drawer Box Thickness
Defines the thickness of drawer box sides — common values include 1/2" and 5/8". These dimensions are compliant with the Blum drawer runner system.

Drawer Box Construction Method
How the drawer boxes are assembled. Options include dovetail, pocket screw, or butt joints.

🗄️ Shelving and Storage

Shelf Quantity
Sets the number of adjustable or fixed shelves inside the cabinet. Typically used for full-height or upper cabinets.

🔌 Appliance Cutouts

Include Microwave Shim
Adds adjustable spacers to each side of the microwave cutout to achieve a precise fit when needed.

Include Spacer
Includes an optional filler or structural spacer above or below an appliance (e.g., a drawer above a microwave).

Spacer Width
Sets the width of the included spacer. Typically 1"–3" depending on appliance layout.