Overlay decides the door size
The same opening takes different door sizes: full-overlay doors add about an inch total (half an inch per side) to cover the cabinet face, while inset doors sit inside the opening and are ordered a quarter inch smaller for even reveals. The calculator outputs both conventions from your opening dimensions.
Hinge type follows the overlay
Full-overlay doors use concealed hinges with a specific overlay rating — the hinge is sold by how far the door lies over the face frame. Measure every opening separately even in one kitchen: face-frame cabinets vary by a sixteenth, and the doors only look uniform if each is sized to its own opening.
Sources and standards
Where these figures come from
Every formula on this page is implemented from the published reference material below. Where a value depends on a regional code, the calculator lets you override it rather than assuming one jurisdiction.
- American Wood Council — span tables, lumber design values and the Wood Frame Construction Manual.
- APA — The Engineered Wood Association — panel span ratings and sheathing installation guidance.
Figures, formulas and reference tables last verified: 19 September 2026.