How to Measure Cabinet Doors [Measuring Guide]

It is an arduous task for some people when they need to replace their cabinet doors as they need to know how to measure cabinet doors to make the right choice. However, measuring cabinet doors isn’t as difficult as some think. You only need to understand certain things and have all the required materials at hand.

In your bid to grasp how to measure cabinet doors, you’ll need a good understanding of how cabinet doors are placed over the cabinet openings. You’ll also have to understand certain terms that usually confuse, such as overlay. Also, you need to know how to use a measuring tape, especially as you have to take measurements in inches and record them in the nearest 1/16^th of an inch.

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This article will help you understand confusing concepts such as overlay and guide you through measuring and recording measurements for different cabinet doors. You’ll also understand how the type of hinge you choose affects your cabinet door measurement.

Common Types of Cabinet Doors

Different cabinet doors exist, and it is only normal to measure them differently. However, the cabinet door types are responsible for the confusion in measuring cabinet doors, as they are differentiated mainly by their overlay.

Generally, there are three types of cabinet doors, regardless of where the cabinets are – bathroom or kitchen. They are full-overlay, partial overlay, and inset cabinet doors.

Full-Overlay Cabinet Doors

This type of cabinet door is for contemporary house cabinetry. It completely covers the cabinet opening and the overlay. In other words, you’ll likely see only a 1/2inch of the face frame of the cabinet. However, you may see one-fourth of an inch of the frame in other designs.

Because it covers more surface area, it requires more material to make, making it costlier than other cabinet doors. Also, it uses a special hinge you’ll only see from inside the cabinet when you open it.

Partial-Overlay Cabinet Doors

The partial overlay cabinet doors are similar to the full overlay cabinet doors. The only difference is in the space they leave exposed on the cabinet face frame. While one-fourth to half-inch frame exposure is normal in full overlay cabinet doors, you can expect up to 2 inches of frame exposure with partial overlay cabinet doors.

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These cabinet doors use less material than full overlay cabinet doors, and they are mostly used in medium to low-income homes. They use similar hinges to the full overlay cabinet doors, perfectly applicable to contemporary homes.

Inset Cabinet Doors

These are the old-fashioned cabinet doors, although they are still used in some homes. The inset cabinet door fits perfectly into the cabinet opening and uses less door material than all the other types of cabinet doors. The cabinet face frame is fully exposed, and the hinges are sometimes visible.

Despite its need for fewer door materials, it is costlier than the other types of cabinet doors as it requires door stops to stop it from closing into the cabinet since it does not rest on the cabinet frame.

Material You Need to Measure Cabinet Doors

Knowing the type of cabinet doors that exist, you need to know the materials you need to help you accurately take the cabinet door measurement. While some of these materials are obvious, others are easily overlooked.

Measuring Tape

The purpose of the measuring tape is obvious. However, you may have to use a tape calibrated in inches for accuracy. Nevertheless, it will help you follow the simple steps in this guide and make your measurement experience easier.

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Screwdriver

The screwdriver is needed to unscrew the cabinet door from the cabinet box. To get accurate cabinet door measurements, you need to separate the door from the box. Although you may not have to use the door itself, it will get in the way of measuring the opening and overlay.

Writing Materials

Your measurement figures have to be recorded. It helps you avoid forgetting figures, especially if there are many cabinets to measure. A pencil and a piece of paper will suffice.

Cabinet Doors measurement Guide

It’s time to put your materials to work. Ordinarily, one will think the first thing to do in how to measure cabinet doors is to retrieve your measuring tape and start recording measured dimensions. However, that’s not the first thing in the right sequence. Measuring cabinet doors begins with:

Know the Type of Cabinet Doors You’re Measuring.

Is the cabinet door a single or double door? Is it a full-overlay, partial-overlay, or inset cabinet door? Understanding the type of door your cabinet has is important in determining where your measurement should start and end. For example, what happens to the frame while the cabinet opening is adequately covered?

Decide on the Replacement Door You Want.

Once you understand the types of cabinet doors available for you, you can easily decide if you want to stick with the type of cabinet door you’re replacing or if you’ll want another type. It is common for cabinets that previously had inset doors to have overlay doors after replacement to make furniture design meet contemporary trends.

Decide on the Appropriate Hinge for the Cabinet Doors

Cabinet doors won’t stand on their own; they need the support provided by the hinges to help them stand in place and make opening and closing smooth. While all cabinet doors use hinges, different hinges are suitable for different cabinet doors.

Hidden hinges or exposed hinges are both viable options for cabinet doors. However, the type of cabinet door you choose will determine the hinge you’ll adopt. Inset cabinet doors usually use European hinges, surface mount, or butt hinges. Full and partial overlay cabinet doors use similar hinges – flush mount, surface mount, and full and partial wraparound. However, you can choose a partial overlay European hinge for partial overlay cabinet doors or a full overlay European hinge for full overlay cabinet doors.

Also, decide if you want a self-close, soft-close, or self-open hinge.

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How to Measure Cabinet Doors.

Measuring cabinet doors, regardless of the type, is similar. However, there are different ways to accomplish this:

• Measure the cabinet doors.
• Measure the cabinet opening and frame.

Measuring Cabinet Doors for Replacement Doors

You measure cabinet doors when you are looking to replace them. In some cases, you want cabinet doors that are similar to the ones you’re discarding, at least in size. Then, you can measure the cabinet door itself and record your measurements. Follow these simple steps.

• Unscrew your cabinet doors and drawers from the cabinet box.
• Place the cabinet doors and drawers on a flat platform and clean any grime on them.
• Place the end of your measuring tape on one horizontal back of the cabinet door and extend it to the other end.
• Record the measurement.
• Repeat the measurement for the vertical ends of the cabinet doors and record the measurement.
• Do the same process with the drawer doors, and record the measurement.

You should repeat the measurement process for the horizontal and vertical ends twice to be sure and avoid fitting problems when the cabinet doors arrive.

Measuring the Cabinet Opening and Frame

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Sometimes, measuring the cabinet doors, especially if some of their edges have chipped away, is not the best way to get an accurate cabinet door measurement. Instead, measuring the cabinet opening and frame is more accurate.

For Inset Cabinet Doors:

• Unscrew the cabinet doors and drawers.
• Place them away from the cabinet opening.
• With your measuring tape, measure the inside grooves of the cabinet opening; that is, from the left stile to the right stile.
• Record the measurement.
• Measure the upper stile to the bottom stile.
• Record the measurement.
• Do the same measurement process for the inset drawers.

For Overlay Cabinet Doors:

• Make vertical and horizontal pencil marks along the edges of the cabinet doors and drawers, where they meet the cabinet frame.
• Unscrew the cabinet doors and drawers, and place them away from the cabinet opening
• Take measurements from the pencil marks: the right vertical mark to the left vertical marks, and the top horizontal mark to the bottom horizontal mark.
• For full overlay, measure from the edge of the cabinet box to the only vertical mark and from top to bottom.
• Record your measurements
• Do the same measurement process with the drawers.

This procedure begins the cabinet door replacement process, and it needs to be done right. Incorrect cabinet door measurement leads to cabinet door return and material waste.

Final Thought

Cabinet door replacement is more straightforward than most people think, as long as you know the type of cabinet doors you have, the type you want to replace them with, and follow the cabinet door measurement guide in this article.

Ensure that you take all measurements twice to be double-sure. Then, follow the guidelines for the specific cabinet door you wish to have as a replacement.