Happy Doors Blog

Kitchen Door Jargon Buster

You may want to replace your kitchen doors yourself, but that doesn’t mean you're expected to know every single phrase in kitchen fitter terminology. 

Sometimes there are words that might not make sense to those researching replacement doors for their kitchen cabinets. So, to help remove any potential confusion when it comes to replacing your kitchen doors, we've created a list of commonly used words and explained their meanings.

Carcass

Carcasses are the units, which doors and drawers are attached too. They are the skeleton of your kitchen. Carcasses have a structural role in supporting worktops, and provide storage for all your kitchen essentials.   

Cornice  

A decorative moulding that is used on top of wall units. They help fill the space between the cabinet and the ceiling, hide the top and give the cabinet a feeling of height.   

End Panel  

A decorative panel used to hide the exposed side of a cabinet at the end of a run. These are usually made from the same material of the door.   

Gloss Finish  

This is a highly reflective type of finish on a door. Happy Doors offers a variety of designs and colours in a gloss finish.  

Hinge  

The component that allows a door to open and close.  

Made To Measure  

Products that are made to measure are available in custom sizes. Made to measure doors are ideal if you have an odd door size that you’re struggling to find a replacement for.   

At Happy Doors, we offer made to measure doors. All you need to do is measure your door and enter your custom measurements when ordering your doors online.  

If you’re unsure about how to measure your door, here’s a handy video to guide you through the measuring process.  


Matte Finish  

Matte is the opposite type of finish to gloss doors. Matte doors lack the mirror and shine properties of a gloss finish.  

MDF 

MDF stands for Medium-Density Fibreboard. You’ll see this abbreviation on our kitchen door product pages as many of our products are made from this material.  

It’s a strong and durable material. Ideal for shelving, storage and cabinets.   

MFC 

MFC is shortened from Melamine Faced Chipboard, and it’s made from woodchips. MFC is a popular material to use when making furniture and other wooden products.  

Plinth  

Also known as a kickboard, plinths are a decorative panel that is often added along the bottom edge of the base units to make them appear to stand directly on the floor. They also give the kitchen a finished look.  

Slab Door  

A door made from a single piece of material. Slab doors have no detail machined on the face of the doors. These are generally used in modern style kitchens.   

Soft Close Hinge  

Hinges that allows doors to close softly and silently.

Adding soft close hinges to your kitchen cabinets means you’ll never have to hear a kitchen door slammed shut again. This is essential for any kitchen to help stop damage through slammed doors, and will ultimately prolong the life of your kitchen. 

Wood Grain 

The lines and texture found naturally on wood and reproduced on MFC panels. 

 

And that’s it! Everything you’ll ever need to know about replacing your kitchen doors in one simple jargon buster. If your kitchen needs a revival, we have a wide range of replacement kitchen doors, from traditional to sleek, glossy finishes.  

Browse replacement kitchen doors