Joinery Lingo Explained

We are the first to admit that sometimes we get a little passionate about our trade and use terminology that may not immediately recognised by our clients. So…here you have it, a joinery lingo cheat sheet if you please.

Accent	Added for extra detail and emphasis. Might be a highlight, outline or contrast
Adjustable Shelves	Supported by shelf holders (such as dowel or pins), these shelves are adjustable to suit changing storage requirements
Backsplash	Protects the wall and wall edge from spills and damage. Can be in the form of tiles, glass, stone or pressed metal
Base Cabinet	Varying by width, these cabinets are cabinets that sit on the floor and support the benchtops
Bevel	The slanted edge of a surface
Bulkhead	A portion of ceiling that has been built lower than the rest of the ceiling either as a feature or to hide a void or wires/piping
Cabinet Carcass	A Cabinet Carcass is body of a cabinet and is what creates the storage within a cabinet
Concealed Hinge	A hinge that is mounted to the inside of a cabinet so that it cannot be seen from the outside
Dishwasher Panel	A panel that is used to hide the front face of an integrated or semi-integrated dishwasher
Drawer Box	The inside of the drawer which creates the storage space
Drawer Face	The front face of a drawer where the handle is usually mounted
Drawer Runners	Metal tracks that are mounted to drawers or the inside of cabinets for drawers to open and close
End Cabinet	A cabinet that is connected to another cabinet on only one side
Exposed Hinge	Hinge that is mounted so that it is seen from the outside of the cabinet
Face Frame	Not always used, the Face Frame is attached to the cabinet surround and adds strength while creating a clean profile
Fixed Shelves	Shelves that cannot be moved or adjusted
Flat Panel	A door or drawer panel which is plain without design or highlight features
Frameless Cabinet	A cabinet which does not have a Face Frame. The doors and drawers cover the full face of the carcass
Galley Kitchen	A kitchen with two parallel runs of cabinetry
Gloss Finish	A finish that adds shine and lustre to the substrate
Grain	The direction of the fibres in a natural or artificial timber
Hardwood	Timber that is derived from a deciduous tree such as an Oak, Maple or Gum (for example)
Honed Finish	A satin finish to substrate
Kickboard	The set back at the bottom of a base cabinet that allows room for your feet so you can stand closer to the bench
Laminate	Laminate is layers of paper pressed together and bonded to a substrate. They come in a variety of finishes and designs and tend to have some resistance to scuffing
Matte Finish	A finish that purposely has low shine
Melamine	Melamine is a low-pressure laminate
Panel	The centre section of a door or drawer
Partial Overlay	When the doors and drawers partially cover the Face Frame
Rail	The horizontal components of a Face Frame or door/drawer frame
Rendering	A 3D representation of a design created using Computer Aided Design (CAD)
Shadowline	A gap which is left to create a shadow to frame a feature (such as stone or a shadowbox)
Sheen	The finish of a paint, for example gloss, matte or honed
Stile	The vertical component of a Face Frame or door/drawer frame
Top Mount Sink	Has a raised lip which sits over the top of the benchtop
Undermount Sink	A sink which is mounted below the benchtop
Wall Cabinet	Cabinets that are mounted to the wall
Work Triangle	An ergonomic theory to assist with ensuring efficiency in kitchen design