Standard Specifications For Wood Cabinet Doors From Cutting Edge
Learn the standard specs for wood cabinet doors so you can avoid delays, reduce mistakes, and finish your projects on time.
When you’re ordering cabinet doors, you expect things to go smoothly. But if the specs aren’t clear, or worse, if you or your supplier assume you’re on the same page, you could end up with pieces that aren’t what you expected.
Whether you’re a contractor, a cabinet maker, or a homeowner managing your build, you need to know exactly what you’re getting when you place a door order. That’s where problems often start: the assumption that “standard specs” mean the same thing for everyone.
At Cutting Edge, we understand the stress that comes with incomplete or unclear information. That’s why we define our standard specifications clearly – so you can plan with confidence, avoid misunderstandings, and keep your projects on track.
In this article, we’ll walk you through:
What Are The Standard Specifications For Wood Cabinet Doors?
These are the specifications your doors will follow unless you request otherwise. Knowing these upfront helps you order more efficiently and avoid preventable issues on install day.
Standard Thickness for Wood Cabinet Doors
Unless specified otherwise, your cabinet doors will be ¾” thick. That thickness offers a solid, durable feel without being too heavy. It works well with standard cabinet frames and hardware, which means fewer adjustments during installation.
If your project requires a material with a different thickness, be sure to include this detail in your quote or purchase order.
Note that mitred cabinet doors are an exception to this rule. The thickness of your mitred cabinet doors depends on the thickness of the mitred profile you select.
Sanding Standards For Wood Cabinet Doors
Each wood door is sanded to 180 grit, smooth and ready to paint or stain. (However, note that you should perform a quick inspection and scuff sand before finishing your doors.)
First, we machine-sand the surface using a widebelt sander for consistency. Then, our team hand-sands the profiles and edges. Finally, a manual pass over the surface of the door removes any remaining machining marks.
However, the sharp edges are not eased or broken by default. This gives your doors crisp, clean lines, perfect for modern or shaker designs. If you prefer softened edges, include that in your request.
When Centre Rails Are Required For Wood Cabinet Doors
If you’re ordering tall cabinet doors, most pieces over 43 inches high will automatically include a centre rail. This horizontal support keeps your doors square and helps prevent bowing or warping over time.
Some exceptions to this rule include:
- Mitred doors, where the detailed profile prevents the addition of a centre rail
- Glass cabinet doors or open frame doors
If you don’t want the rail added, note that when submitting your order. However, keep in mind that warranty coverage is limited without centre rails.
When Centre Stiles Are Recommended For Wood Cabinet Doors
Unlike rails, centre stiles aren’t added automatically. However, once your doors exceed 40 inches in width, centre stiles are recommended. These vertical supports help keep wide doors from twisting or warping, especially over time.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s recommended. As you can see, the recommended spec varies from the required spec.
| Door Width | Recommended Stiles | Required Stiles |
|---|---|---|
| 40" - 45" | 1 centre stile | None |
| 45" - 60" | 2 centre stiles | 1 centre stile |
| 60" - 80" | 3 centre stiles | 1 centre stile |
| 80" + | 4 centre stiles | 2+ centre stiles |
Why are there required stiles? Because doors typically come with a vertical grain centre panel. In the case of plywood panel doors, plywood comes in at a maximum of 48” wide. Once your door is over 48” wide, you can’t get a vertical grain centre panel out of a single piece of plywood.
For raised panel doors, adding a centre stile keeps the centre panels at a safe width for machining.
If your doors are over 40” wide and don’t include stiles, they won’t be covered under warranty for twist or warp.
Arches Aren’t Included On Standard Wood Cabinet Doors
If you’re expecting arched doors, be sure to request them. All standard orders come with square frames. Arched styles require custom quoting and will not be included unless specified.
Standard Stiles and Rails For Wood Cabinet Doors
Your doors will come with 2.25-inch-wide stiles and rails unless you request otherwise. For smaller pieces, we make slight adjustments:
- For drawers shorter than 7 inches, or where the profile combinations require it, top and bottom rails are reduced to 1.5 inches.
- For doors narrower than 8 inches, left and right stiles may also be reduced.
These adjustments help your smaller doors look proportional and accept hardware.
However, there are two exceptions to this rule:
- Mitred profiles with a set width. In this case, the standard width for the stiles and rails matches the profile width.
- Certain profile combinations. A combination of wider profiles, such as 8-Mod inside profile and 68 outside profile, takes more room on the stiles and rails. In this case, the standard reduced rail width is 2” rather than 1.5”.
When Do The Standard Specifications For Wood Cabinet Doors Apply?
The standard specifications apply unless you specify custom requirements.
That’s a good thing. It means you don’t have to list every detail on every order if you’re sticking with standard options. It speeds up quoting, reduces miscommunication, and helps you receive your doors faster.
But if your project includes:
- Special finish needs
- Unique profile requests
- Oversized or unusually shaped doors
You should list those specs clearly on your purchase order or quote request. The more detail you include, the less back-and-forth discussion it will take to match your vision.
Why Is It Vital To Understand The Standards For Wood Cabinet Doors?
Taking a few minutes to understand the specs can save you hours or days of rework, back-and-forth emails, and stress.
Knowing the standards and when they apply helps you:
- Avoid getting doors that don’t fit or don’t match your design
- Reduce the risk of delays caused by preventable mistakes
- Answer client questions confidently and set accurate expectations
- Protect your reputation by delivering high-quality results on time
And, it’s especially important to know the standards and where customization begins if you’re working with a supplier for the first time. Standards change from supplier to supplier, so a lack of clarification can cause delays and costs you can’t afford.
The more you know about what’s included by default, the smoother your project will go.
Learn How To Price Out Your Cabinet Doors Online
Getting the specs wrong on a cabinet door order might seem like a small problem until it leads to job delays, missed deadlines, or frustrated clients. If you’ve ever had to rework or reorder because something wasn’t clear, you know how fast those small problems add up.
Now that you know what to expect when ordering wood cabinet doors from Cutting Edge, you’re better prepared to get it right the first time. You’ve seen when support rails and stiles are included, what sanding level to expect, and what to look out for on taller or wider doors.
The best way to keep your next job running on time? Learn how to submit a quote online and start your next project with clarity and confidence.
