Best Cabinets
Service guide

Cabinet Doors

Door styles, overlay types, and replacing doors without replacing cabinets.

Published: May 28, 2026

Shaker, raised-panel and slab sample doors

Door Styles

Shaker doors have a flat center panel in a square frame. Raised-panel doors have a profiled center panel and read as traditional. Slab doors are a single flat panel and read as modern. Glass-front doors are used as accents.

Overlay and Inset

Full-overlay doors cover nearly all of the cabinet face. Partial-overlay doors leave part of the face frame visible. Inset doors sit inside the frame, flush with it; they need precise fitting and cost more.

With custom cabinets, door size, overlay and clearances can be planned around the cabinet design. Ask to see the profile and finish sample before approving the drawings.

Replacing Doors Only

New doors and drawer fronts can be ordered to fit existing boxes. This is the core of a refacing project, and it can also be done on its own when the frames are in good condition and will be painted or refinished to match.

If the boxes remain sound, refacing may coordinate new doors with the other visible cabinet surfaces.

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