--- title: "Cabinet Doors: Styles, Overlay & Inset | Best Cabinets" url: https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-doors description: "Explore cabinet door styles, overlay and inset construction, and options for replacing doors. Understand how doors affect the look and fit of cabinets." lang: en --- Skip to content Service guide # Cabinet Doors Door styles, overlay types, and replacing doors without replacing cabinets. **Published:** May 28, 2026 Image: Shaker, raised-panel and slab sample doors (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/__l5e/assets-v1/ed33587b-04de-4060-9771-d99e523e6b6f/kitchen-white.jpg) ## 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 (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/custom-cabinets), door size, overlay and clearances can be planned around the cabinet design. Ask to see the profile and finish sample (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-finishes) 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 (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-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 (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-refacing) may coordinate new doors with the other visible cabinet surfaces. ## Find Cabinet Companies Near You Each company in our city rankings lists the services it offers. Browse all states and cities (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/states), or start with Huntsville (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/alabama/huntsville), Nashville (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/tennessee/nashville), Atlanta (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/georgia/atlanta) or Tampa (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/florida/tampa). ## Recommended Guides kitchens in three cabinet styles (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-styles) Types and materials September 15, 2026 ### Cabinet Styles: https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-styles Shaker, raised-panel and slab doors, and the difference between traditional, transitional and modern. The door does most of the work. A Shaker door has a flat center panel in a square frame and suits almost any house. Raised-panel doors have a profiled center panel. Slab doors are a single flat panel with no frame. Traditional kitchens use raised-panel or detailed doors, crown molding and furniture-style details. Modern kitchens use slab doors, minimal hardware and clean lines. Transitional kitchens sit between the two, typically with a Shaker door and simple molding. Read more (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-styles) drawer pulls and hinges on a workbench (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-hardware) Service guide May 12, 2026 ### Cabinet Hardware: https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-hardware Knobs, pulls, hinges and drawer slides, and why the parts you cannot see matter most. Decorative hardware is the easiest part of a kitchen to change. Knobs need one hole; pulls need two at a fixed spacing, so replacements have to match the existing holes unless the doors are being refinished. Choose a size in proportion to the door or drawer. Concealed, soft-close hinges are standard on most new cabinets. Drawer slides matter more: full-extension, soft-close slides let a drawer open completely and carry real weight. Ask which brands a cabinet company uses. Read more (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-hardware) cabinet boxes being fitted with new doors (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-refacing) Service guide April 7, 2026 ### Cabinet Refacing: https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-refacing New doors, drawer fronts and veneer over existing boxes: how it works and when it makes sense. The existing doors and drawer fronts are removed. Exposed box surfaces and face frames are covered with matching wood veneer or laminate, and new doors, drawer fronts and hardware are installed. Hinges are usually replaced, and drawer boxes and slides can be upgraded at the same time. Refacing suits kitchens with a layout you are happy with and boxes that are structurally sound. It does not fix a poor layout, damaged boxes or worn-out drawers unless those are replaced too. Countertops can usually stay in place, which is a large part of the savings. Read more (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-refacing) painted and stained finish samples (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-finishes) Types and materials October 6, 2026 ### Cabinet Finishes: https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-finishes Painted, stained and natural finishes, and how each one wears. Painted cabinets give a solid, even color. Paint shows chips and hairline cracks at door joints more than stain does, so ask for a touch-up kit and for the name of the color. Stain adds color while leaving the grain visible; a clear coat alone shows the natural wood. Both hide wear well. Species matters: maple is smooth and even, oak has strong grain, cherry darkens with age, and walnut is naturally dark. Read more (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-finishes) plywood, MDF and solid wood samples (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-materials) Types and materials August 25, 2026 ### Cabinet Materials: https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-materials Solid wood, plywood, MDF and particleboard, and what each is used for. Cabinet boxes are usually plywood or particleboard. Plywood is lighter, holds screws well and tolerates moisture better. Particleboard, often faced with melamine, is less expensive and stable when kept dry. Either can make a durable cabinet when it is thick enough and well assembled. Solid hardwood such as maple, oak, cherry, hickory or walnut is standard for stained doors and face frames. MDF is common for painted doors because it is smooth and does not expand and contract the way wood does, so paint is less likely to crack at the joints. Read more (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/guides/cabinet-materials) cabinet doors laid out for spraying (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-painting) Service guide April 23, 2026 ### Cabinet Painting: https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-painting Professional cabinet painting: preparation, finishes and realistic expectations. Kitchen cabinets carry years of grease and handling. A lasting paint job starts with degreasing, sanding and a bonding primer. Doors and drawer fronts are normally removed and sprayed off site or in a contained area, while the frames are finished in place. Cabinet finishes need to be harder than wall paint. Painters use products made for cabinetry and trim, often sprayed for a smooth surface. Ask which product will be used and how long it needs to cure before normal use. Read more (https://thebestcabinetcompany.com/services/cabinet-painting)