What are Mitered Cabinet Doors?

You have probably seen mitered cabinet doors without knowing what they’re called, but what is a mitered cabinet door anyway? Mitered cabinet doors are built with a frame, which is connected at the corners at a 45-degree angle, with a center panel. Mitered cabinet door styles are one of the most popular cabinet door styles of all time, and you can find them in almost every kind of kitchen and bathroom. Just because this style is popular, however, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right one for you. Explore this quick guide to learn about mitered cabinet doors before you settle on them for your space.

What’s the Definition of Mitered Cabinet Doors?

If you’re wondering, “What is a mitered corner?” and you’re interested in understanding a miter joint definition, it’s helpful to start with learning the difference between slab doors and five-piece doors. Slab doors are simply several boards glued side by side to each other and trimmed around the edges. These are considered the most basic doors on the market and are mostly appealing because of their budget prices. However, they can be less appealing in terms of looks, and they have a tendency to warp due to intolerance towards seasonal changes.

Five-piece doors are typically considered higher quality thanks to their upgraded look, feel, and function. Each of this type of door is made of five pieces of wood—four pieces of frame surrounding one piece of paneling. This construction allows these doors to adjust better to changes in heat and humidity, making them significantly more durable in high humidity environments. Additionally, the look of the frame and the panel in the door’s construction, along with the visual interest provided by the type of frame joint, makes these doors more of a feature in a room.

Ultimately, how the pieces of the frame are joined (stuck together) determines whether the door fits the miter joint definition or not. If the joint is at a 45-degree angle, the door qualifies as mitered. If the joint angle is 90 degrees, it’s known as a cope and stick joint. The easiest way to tell the difference is simply to look at the corner of a cabinet door. Do the boards join at an angle (mitered) or sit perpendicular to each other (cope and stick)?

So, now we’re really getting to the miter joint definition. But perhaps you want to know how to make mitered cabinet doors? A mitered joint can be joined in a number of different ways, but at Cabinetdoors.com we use a blind mortise and tenon method to create a strong, yet invisible, joint. The tenon, or the carved tongue, is inserted into the mortise, or the groove, to join the parts of the frame together. We use innovative computerized technology to ensure that our mortise and tenon joints are precise, creating a durable joint that’s both attractive and allows for movement as the wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity.

Mitered Cabinet Door Styles

When you hear the term mitered cabinet doors, that term only refers to the joining method of the frame, but the style of the doors can vary significantly. Mitered doors come in many different styles, ranging from classic to contemporary looks. From raised panel designs with ornate detailing along the frame and panel, to simple, understated designs with clean lines, you can easily find mitered cabinet door styles to match your aesthetic. You can even choose mitered doors with mullions for glass paneling for a completely different look. In addition, mitered cabinet doors can be built in any size or finish you want, for a fully customizable look.

Because of their versatility, you can make mitered doors look just about any way you want to fit your space. Interested in a more detailed style, reminiscent of a beautiful picture frame? Mitered joints make it easier to achieve precise spacing and fine details in the design of the door when compared to cope and stick doors. As such, mitered doors are often found in more ornate styles than other kinds of doors. Mitered doors don’t necessarily have to be fancy, but if you’re interested in more detailing or a more glamorous look, you will probably want to consider mitered doors first.

Mitered doors allow for more customization in terms of design elements, which is why they are available in hundreds of different styles. If you’re not sure exactly what look you want, start by exploring mitered doors to see all the styles that are available to choose from. The broad selection of mitered cabinet door styles will allow you to achieve the look you’re after, without having to compromise on looks or durability.

Are Mitered Cabinet Doors Better?

That depends on what you’re after! Because of the mortise and tenon joint, mitered corner cabinet doors offer a longer life and better durability than slab cabinet doors. So, if you need cabinet doors that can stand up to daily use in a kitchen or bathroom, mitered corner cabinet doors probably are better than slab doors.

Mitered doors also allow for more style options, so if you’re interested in looking at a variety of styles and possible choices for your home, mitered doors might also be better for you. Still, it can be helpful to explore the advantages and disadvantages of this type of door before making your final decision. Are mitered doors better for you? Read on before you decide for sure.

What are the Advantages of Mitered Doors?

For all intents and purposes, mitered doors have the same functional advantages as cope and stick. Both methods deliver solid construction, long-term performance, and the ability to adapt to changes in humidity. From a performance standpoint, either option is going to meet every expectation.

The real advantages have to do with aesthetics. Some people prefer the look of mitered doors because they feel the joint is more subtle and the overall design looks cleaner, but this is personal preference. More importantly, mitered doors offer the greatest selection. They come in hundreds of different styles, whereas cope and stick doors come in dozens. If you’re looking to match the look of your current doors or transform the look completely, mitered doors give you the most variety of styles to work with.

However, you may find that certain styles of mitered doors offer both the excellent aesthetics and greater durability than some styles with a similar look. For example, french mitered cabinet doors offer the same look as an applied molding cabinet door, but with significantly better structural integrity. In french mitered cabinet doors, there’s not a separate piece of molding. Instead, the molding design is integrated into the design of the stiles and rails making up the frame. You’ll get all the aesthetic wow factor of the molding look, without having to worry about it detaching from the frame or warping over time.

What are the Disadvantages of Mitered Doors?

It used to be the case that mitered cabinet doors were less durable than some of the alternatives. The 45-degree angle of the joints made it harder to keep two boards in perfect alignment, especially as the cabinet doors aged. Mitered doors were still a popular choice, but when it came to long term durability, they weren’t seen as the perfect choice. Thankfully, that problem with mitered corner cabinet doors has now been solved.

Thanks to modern, computerized woodworking technologies, mitered joints are now incredibly strong and sturdy. Any concerns about alignment, durability, or longevity have been eliminated. Because today’s mitered joints incorporate the blind mortise and tenon joint, each carefully constructed and matched mortise and tenon tightly binds the frame boards, while making them more resistant to humidity. The computerized machinery also ensures that these joints are precise and consistent, so they fit together perfectly.

Thanks to this technique, there are really no practical disadvantages to mitered doors anymore. The only limitation is that mitered cabinet doors are not available with arched designs on the door panel. Only straight edges are available to ensure the joint is as strong as possible. The only reason not to consider mitered doors is if you love the look of arched door panels. In that case, there are still plenty of choices available. However, as long as you like the look of a straight mitered joint, you’ll be able to find a style that fits your space and your unique design aesthetic.

When Should You Choose Mitered Doors?

Any time and for any space! Picking a mitered door option gives you almost limitless design potential in terms of the style, size, color, and overall aesthetic of your cabinet doors. In addition, now that you understand the miter joint definition, you can feel confident knowing that a mitered cabinet door will be strong enough for daily use. Because of the blind mortise and tenon joint design, these doors will stand up to the changes in temperature and humidity they are likely to encounter, so they look great for a good, long time.

Now that you can answer both “What is a mitered cabinet door,” and “How to make mitered cabinet doors,” you’re ready to purchase cabinet doors that are custom-built for needs in your space.

Why Work With Cabinetdoors.com?

When you are ready to purchase any mitered cabinet door, make Cabinetdoors.com your first stop. After over 40 years in the cabinet door business, we’ve made millions of high quality cabinet doors in a variety of styles, sizes, and wood types for customers all across the country. Our breadth of industry knowledge ensures that we know how to make a custom-built product to your exact specifications and deliver a high quality product.

Beyond our team’s expert-level knowledge, our advanced woodworking production facility features the equipment and experience to make superior mitered cabinet doors sized to your specifications. The combination of quality materials and computer-aided craftsmanship we use ensures that each door exceeds expectations. Our mitered joints are strong and durable, and our final products are built to last. We are so confident in our team and our manufacturing process that we guarantee our workmanship.

If you have any questions about replacing your current cabinet doors, or want to learn more about how to choose and order mitered cabinet doors on our website, please contact our team online or by phone at 800-342-1010. In the meantime, we invite you to explore our selection of cabinet doors, including our most popular doors, to help you get inspired. When it comes to mitered cabinet doors, Cabinetdoors.com always delivers.