How to Measure Cabinet Doors Before Ordering

A steel tape measure (not a fabric tape) is essential for accurate cabinet door measurements. Measure in inches and fractions of an inch — standard cabinet door orders are submitted in inches. A pencil and paper or a spreadsheet to record each door's dimensions individually will help you stay organized across a full kitchen or bath.

A notepad to sketch a simple layout of the cabinet run can also help — labeling each door by location (upper left, upper right, lower left, etc.) reduces the chance of mixing up measurements when you submit the order.

If you are replacing existing cabinet doors that are still in place, measure each door directly. Do not measure the cabinet opening. Measure the full width of the door from edge to edge, then the full height from top edge to bottom edge. These are the dimensions you submit to Trinity Doors.

The new doors will be built to the same dimensions, maintaining the same overlay relationship to the cabinet boxes that your original doors had. Measure each door individually — do not assume all doors in a run are the same size even if they appear identical. Small variations are common.

If a door is missing or too damaged to measure accurately, the cabinet opening can be recorded only as a reference. The opening size is not the finished door size and should not be submitted as if it were the door dimension.

Overlay is how much the door extends beyond the face-frame opening. The amount depends on the cabinet and hinge configuration. Contact Trinity Doors at (409) 783-0600 or orders@trinity-doors.com to review the missing-door situation before submitting an order; do not guess or rely on a universal overlay.

For existing doors: measure the door width from edge to edge of the finished door surface, including any overlay on each side. This is the number you submit.

For a missing door, record the opening width as a reference and contact Trinity Doors before converting it to a finished door width. Overlay varies, so there is no universal amount to add.

For existing doors: measure the door height from top edge to bottom edge of the finished door surface, including any overlay at top and bottom. This is the number you submit.

For a missing door, record the opening height as a reference and contact Trinity Doors before converting it to a finished door height.

Upper and lower cabinet doors on the same run can have different heights depending on how the cabinets were built. Measure each door location individually and record each dimension separately.

Even in a cabinet run that appears uniform, existing doors can vary. Measure each door separately and record the width and height for each individual location.

Do not assume that all doors in a row are the same size and order multiples of one measurement unless you have measured every existing door. Confirm any missing-door dimensions with Trinity Doors before submitting the order.

After measuring each door, tally the total door count. Group doors by size where possible to simplify the order list. Note the door style for each door — raised panel, shaker, flat panel, slab, or other — and note the material preference: MDF for painted finishes, or a specific wood species for stained finishes.

Identify the inside profile, outside edge profile, and panel profile for each door style in the order. Refer to the Trinity Doors profile catalog if profile terminology is unclear. If profile guidance is needed, call Trinity Doors at (409) 783-0600 before submitting the order.

If the project uses European cup hinges, specify the bore requirements from the hinge documentation or existing door: bore diameter, bore-center location from the door edge, and the number of bores per door. Do not assume a universal bore position; hinge systems vary.

If the project uses traditional face-frame hinges, surface-mount hinges, or other hinge types that do not require a cup bore, specify 'no bore' on the order. If you plan to reuse existing hinges, confirm that the bore specifications on the replacement door will match your existing hardware.

Drawer fronts follow the same measurement principle as cabinet doors: measure the existing drawer front from edge to edge and top to bottom. If a drawer front is missing, record the opening only as a reference and ask Trinity Doors to review the finished size before ordering.

Drawer front heights often vary within a single cabinet run. Measure each drawer front individually. Submit drawer front dimensions together with door dimensions in the same order.

The single most common mistake is submitting opening sizes instead of door sizes. Trinity Doors manufactures doors to the exact dimensions submitted — an opening measurement will produce a door sized to that opening, which will be smaller than the door needed for a standard overlay installation.

Other common mistakes: assuming all doors in a run are the same size without measuring each one; measuring in centimeters or millimeters instead of inches; and forgetting to account for overlay when working from an opening measurement. When in doubt, call before you submit — it is easier to confirm measurements before production than to re-order after.

Email complete order specifications to orders@trinity-doors.com or call (409) 783-0600. Include door count, individual dimensions for each door, door style, material, profile selections, bore requirements, and any project notes. You can also download and complete an order form from our resources page.

Trinity Doors confirms the order specifications before production begins. If there are questions about your dimensions or specifications, we will contact you before cutting begins.