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Reveal tolerances, seasonal movement, hardware implications, and cost drivers behind the two dominant door configurations.
The choice between inset and overlay doors changes the cabinet, not just its face. It determines the frame, the hardware, the tolerance stack, and roughly a quarter of the shop labour.
Doors sit flush within the face frame, held to a reveal of 3/32 inch or tighter. Every door is fitted to its own opening. The look is architectural and unmistakably custom; the tolerance is unforgiving, and seasonal movement in a poorly humidified house will show as a rubbing edge.
Doors cover the frame with a consistent gap between doors. Movement hides in the gap rather than binding. Adjustment is mechanical rather than skilled hand-fitting, which is why overlay work is typically 20 to 30 percent less costly.
Inset doors need butt hinges or specialised inset concealed hinges with less adjustment range. Budget for a fitting visit six months after installation, once the house has been through a full humidity swing.
Marcus leads the Haven millwork shop, where he has built inset cabinetry, libraries, and architectural panelling for three decades. He trained under English joiners and still cuts the first dovetail on every estate commission by hand.
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