Approaching clearly from a mechanical engineering perspective, quality framed construction is stronger than than a quality frameless cabinet. Does it matter in real life application, probably not much if you're using a quality constructed cabinet. Installation of frameless cabinets requires the installer to pay attention to squaring the boxes up because they're more prone to racking.

I'm pretty sure I know which blog you're referring too. Personally, I think he's rather dug in and alarmist in his views. But he's definitely seen more cabinet installations than I ever will.

I work for a cabinet shop that offers both. Frameless takes a lot more time to install and align and although it isn't weaker, it will show everything as doors settle. The way we construct the same hardware is used, it is just the fact that the frameless is a lot more work and upkeep.

Quality cabinets can be built with various methods. Go with American plywood boxes and wood doors. This way if they get wet they wont fall apart.

@ Sativa, you mention it is a lot more work and upkeep - in what way?

@missenigma - Thanks, so based on your input (mechanical engineering perspective), you also seem to think that quality framed is stronger than quality frameless. This is what my current KD told me as well (which kind of matches the blog I am referring to). I know that frameless gives some more space, but since I am thinking of going semi custom/custom, I can make the cabinets to a particular size, so I don't think I gain that much in space with frameless. In terms of choices, my preference is to go with stability/stronger construction than with more space.

Without a face frame doors will be directly next to each other, therefore when one falls out of square it will interfere with other doors. You have to keep them adjusted and square for them to function properly.

My last kitchen had frameless cabinets, for 14 years. They looked new when I left. As has been mentioned, a good-quality frameless cabinet is as good as framed, and has more interior space to boot.

When looking at framed cabinets, make sure to take a dinner dish with you. Some framed upper cabinets are so shallow because of the frame, they’re not deep enough to fit dinner dishes.

A framed inset drawer can be prone to sticking in humid weather, but you won’t have that issue with frameless. A framed cabinet will have annoying stiles - not for me, nope. Though some more expensive framed cabinets offer stile-less, but at a high price. I disagree strongly with Sativa McGee Designs. My frameless cabinets were not more upkeep (what kind of cabinet “upkeep” does she mean anyway?), and did not “show everything as doors settle” (I don’t know what that means either).

@ M Miller, the faceframe has nothing to do with interior space. Box cabinets offer 12"Deep uppers, the lost space is due to the backing material, not the face frame. 13" Deep uppers are required for a 12" dinner plate to fit in.

It means that any wood will move, expand contract, settle. And with a framed cabinet there is space between the doors so that this is never an issue. With frameless they can be so close together that you end up having issues when doors rub against each other.

I've had frameless cabinets in different houses and apartments for the last 20 years, including 10 in one house. I have no idea why frameless would be more upkeep than framed, assuming it's installed correctly (maybe that's a big assumption, but European and Australian cabinet installers don't seem to have an issue). Same goes for doors "settling." I have had to adjust one door in those twenty years. And it took me roughly a minute to do it.

I've had frameless cabinets in various houses for 20 years, including 10 years on one house. I've no idea why they should be considered higher upkeep than framed, assuming they're correctly installed in the first place. That may be a big assumption in some places, but European and Australian cabinet makers seem to be able to do it so I don't know why Americans would be any different.

I've never encountered doors rubbing against one another, and the only time a door "settled," it took me 1 minute to tighten the hinge. I think that's pretty low upkeep - 1 minute in 20 years.

I am just speaking from the shop perspective, for a company that installs 1000 houses a year and hears feedback from installers frequently. At install they spend a couple extra hours lining up everything, home owners expect perfection which is just about impossible because the walls aren't square or floor/ceiling isn't square. Frameless will show more and require more adjustments in order to maintain the clean finished look.

This is less of an issue on a door that has some detail, as it will hide more. But slab doors and frameless are a nightmare.

Please I install IKea frameless cabinets all the time and honestly never have an issue with install even in old houses with wonky walls and almost all of those cabinets have been slab,

And let me guess they are box cabinets with fillers, therefore not really a true frameless installation.

I had Shiloh frameless cabinets installed for all my lower cabinets, and Shiloh full-inset for all my uppers. It took the same amount of time for them to install each and there has been no need for "adjusting" and no "settling". They are very high quality cabinets and it shows. I also had a very good installer.

I chose frameless for the lower cabinets as I wanted as much "real estate" as possible. Most are drawers but there are a few cabinets with doors. All are fine.

Inset doors are different but as far as door alignment goes, framed and frameless will be equally affected by a door's misalignment because (aside from inset) just about everyone does full overlay on both.

That is a false statement @fori.

1/2" Overlay is the most standard construction technique for cabinetry. It has a face frame and large reveals that don't show misalignment.

You are correct in that Full Overlay and Inset also have alignment issues like frameless, because anytime you don't give the wood room to breathe it will be misaligned.