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Doors & Drawers

Cabinet Door Size & Reveal Calculator

Measure the finished opening once, then pick an overlay. This calculator returns exact door cut sizes in decimals and as clean fractions to the nearest 1/16" and 1/32"in precise millimeters. Use Quick mode for a uniform overlay, or Advanced mode to set top, bottom, left, and right overlays independently — and tune the center reveal on paired doors to match your hinges.

Cabinet Dimensions

in
in
Door Configuration
Overlay & Reveal

Calculation Results

Final Door Size

31 1/2"×36"
31.5"×36"

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How cabinet door sizes are calculated

Face-frame cabinet doors are sized from the finished opening — the clear gap between the face-frame stiles and rails. Each edge of the door either overlays its stile or rail by your chosen amount, or sits inside the opening for an inset. Everything below works in decimal inches; the calculator rounds the final answer to the nearest 1/16" for cutting.

Single-door formula

Add the left and right stile overlays to the opening width, and the top and bottom rail overlays to the opening height. Quick mode just makes all four overlays equal.

Width = Opening Width + Left Overlay + Right Overlay

Height = Opening Height + Top Overlay + Bottom Overlay

Example: 30" × 34.5" opening with 3/4" overlay on all sides → 31 1/2" × 36".Example: 760mm × 875mm opening with 19mm overlay on all sides → 798mm × 913mm.

Paired-door formula

Compute the width as if it were one door, subtract the center reveal (default 1/8"3 mm), then split the remainder in two. Door height is unchanged.

Width per door = [(Opening Width + Left Overlay + Right Overlay) − Center Gap] ÷ 2

Height = Opening Height + Top Overlay + Bottom Overlay

Example: 30" wide opening, 3/4" overlay, 1/8" gap → (30 + 1.5 − 0.125) ÷ 2 = 15.6875", cut at 15 11/16" per door.Example: 760mm wide opening, 19mm overlay, 3mm gap → (760 + 38 − 3) ÷ 2 = 397.5 mm per door.

European hinge & 35 mm cup boring reference

Jobsite constants for concealed (European) hinges. Values below are the common defaults across the major hinge brands — always confirm the boring distance and maximum overlay against the hinge datasheet.

Standard European concealed hinge specs by door overlay
Door overlayTypical frame revealHinge / opening35 mm cup edge distance
1/2"12mm compact overlay1/2" door over stile; compact 1/2" hinge12mm door over stile; compact 12mm hinge100°–110° partial-overlay1/8"–3/16"3–5 mm (bore distance ≈ 1-3/8"–1-1/2"34–37 mm)
3/4"19mm full overlay3/4" door over face-frame stile19mm door over face-frame stile100° full-overlay (Blum, Salice…)1/8"–3/16"3–5 mm (bore distance 1-1/2"37 mm default)
1-1/4"32mm full overlayDoor covers frame + cabinet sideWide-overlay or 110°–165°1/8"–3/16"3–5 mm (verify max overlay rating)
Inset1/16"–1/8"1.5mm–3mm reveal all around95° inset (cranked)1/8"3 mm typical edge distance
Standard 35 mm cup boring specifications
SpecificationTypical valueNotes
Cup diameter35 mm (1-3/8")35 mmMatch the Forstner bit to the hinge maker.
Cup boring depth1/2" (12 mm)11.5–12.5 mmFor 3/4" (18–19 mm)19mm door stock.
Cup edge distance1/8"–3/16" (3–5 mm)3–5 mmHow far the cup hole sits back from the hinge-side edge of the door.
Boring distance1-1/2" (37 mm)37 mmConfirmed per hinge; 1-3/8"–1-1/2" (34–37 mm)34–37 mm covers most overlays.
Hole spacing48 mm or 52 mm52 mm is common for face-frame overlay doors; use the hinge template.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I size cabinet doors for an out-of-square face frame?

Measure the width at the top, middle, and bottom, and the height on both sides. Size the door to the smallest width and shortest height, then trim for your reveal. For paired doors, keep both doors plus the center gap under the narrowest measured width. For racking beyond about 1/4"6mm, square up the frame or jamb first.

What reveal should I use when two doors share a middle stile?

Split the shared stile evenly between the two doors — each door overlays half the stile width plus its normal side overlay. On a 1-1/2" shared stile, each door takes 3/4" of it.On a 38mm shared stile, each door takes 19mm of it. Use Advanced mode to set the Left and Right stile overlays independently so the pair splits the stile with no gap and no overlap.

How much clearance do paired cabinet doors need to swing open?

Plan at least a 1/8"3mm gap between paired doors so the leading edges clear each other as they swing; heavier or taller doors are happier at 1/4"6mm. Confirm your hinge opening angle clears adjacent doors and drawers, and leave room for the knob or handle so it doesn't strike the neighboring door. Set the center gap here to match your hardware.

How far from the edge of a cabinet door should I bore a 35 mm hinge cup?

Bore the 35 mm (1-3/8")35 mm cup 1/2" (12 mm)11.5–12.5 mm deep, with the cup hole sitting about 1/8"–3/16" (3–5 mm)3–5 mmback from the door edge. The hinge is set at a boring distance of roughly1-1/2" (37 mm)37 mm from the door edge to the cup center for a 3/4"19mm full overlay. Confirm the exact distance in the hinge datasheet and use the manufacturer's template.

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Looking for something else in the shop? Browse the full MyShopCalc calculator directory for cabinet doors, drawer slides, deck spacing, and more.

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