Traditional Versus Modern Cabinets - When a custom cabinet shop talks about Traditional versus Modern; they are talking about the box construction not the overall look of the cabinets. Doors are what most people thing about as traditional or modern, but in a custom shop, first is the box construction, then the doors.

Traditional Cabinetry-Traditional Cabinets are cabinet with a hardwood "Face Frame" . When you open the cabinet door you will see a wooden "frame" around the cabinet box.
Traditional Cabinets Doors come in a wide variety of styles. See our link to Patton Cabinet Doors for examples of traditional doors.

European, Contemporary, Modern or Frameless Cabinets
All these mean the same thing. These are cabinets without a "Frame". Usually the doors are flat without any details.

Although........You can have combination cabinets too.

Doors - There are so many styles of doors. Basically Modern Cabinets most often have slab or flat nothing on them doors. While Traditional Doors can come in a variety of looks. Althught you can have a "traditional, shaker, raised panel door on frameless (Modern) cabinets. Please see the link to Patton Cabinet Doors for examples of doors styles..

Full Extension Glides - Are glides that allow the drawer to open completely from front to back.
Ball Bearing - Are small metal balls that enable the drawers to move easily
Soft Closers - Soft Closers can be on both doors & drawers, they allow the door or drawer to slowly close eliminating the BANG.
Side Mounted or Undermounted - As the name implies, the glides are either attached to the bottom or the side of drawers.
Expoy Coated Slides - These glides do not have ball bearing and basically slide in and out on a plastic coating.

100°, 125°, Hinges - The degree notation on a hinge is the amount the hinge will open. A 90°hinge will open at a 90 degree angle (straight out) of the cabinet. A 125° will open 35% then that.
Concealed Hinges - Are hinges that can not be seen when the doors are closed.(We use this type - shown here)
Inset , Overlay Hinges- These hinges can not be seen when the doors are closed.

Dado - A dado is a groove in a piece of wood that allow a second piece of wood to slip in to place. The best example I can think of is a Tupperware container - the lid has a groove in it to allow the container to fit snuggly.
Butt Joint - This is when two pieces f wood are placed in a 90°angle to each other .
Mitered Doors - Are doors were the wood frame mmets at a 45°angle. Just like a picture Frame.
Nailer - The strip of wood inside an upper cabinet that is used to secure the cabinet to the wall.(We use hardwood).
Toe Kicks - Are what the cabinet boxes sit on and are recessed so that your feet don't "kick" the cabinets. Look at your kitchen you'll see a space between that floor and the bottom of the cabient that is recessed. This is true in 99% of kitchens.
Toe Skins - Are used to cover the toe kicks. Ususally they will be 1/4" material that matches the cabinet. They are nailed to the toe kick to cover the kick. Most older kitchens have black toe skins.
Reveals - Reveals are the vertical piece on the side of a cabinet. Since most wall are not 100% perfect. Custom cabinets are made slightly smaller then the opening, Ususally they are 1/4" to 1/2". This is not to be confused with filler peices
Filler Pieces - Are vertical pieces of wood that fill in the whole left by off hte shelf cabinet boxes. When cabinet are puirchased from a ":big box store" they have standard size boxes that they put together to "fill" your cabinet order. Since these are not custom cabinets, the filler strips make up the differance between the cabients they offer and our cabinet overall measurement.
Crown Molding- This is the decorative top strip between the cabinet and the ceiling,
Knife Edge Molding - This is a piece of trim that is ususally used at he back of the cabinet to hide the gap between the back of the cabinet and the wall. One side is flat the other end has a beveal that looks like a butter knife.