Kitchen Dictionary - All the Words You Need to Know Before You Plan a New Kitchen

Oct 1, 2026

Upload by Eliana

A kitchen planning glossary that defines essential industry terms used by designers and manufacturers. It explains materials, components, and installation concepts such as laminates and finishes, cupboard structures, doors and hinges, countertops and surfacing, as well as practical items like backsplashes, fillers, plinths, and pull-out storage. The dictionary supports clear communication, reduces confusion, and helps readers make informed decisions during a new kitchen design project.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Kitchen Dictionary Terms

Materials and Finishes

Cabinet Structure and Hardware

Doors, Storage, and Installation Concepts

KITCHEN DICTIONARY ALL THE WORDS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU PLAN A NEW KITCHEN Planning a new kitchen can be very daunting especially when you don’t know or understand half of what the designer is saying. So, to help, we have put together a helpful kitchen dictionary of all the words you might not know but will encounter while planning for your new kitchen. | Acrylic / PVC | The plastic based material used to make a laminate or foil. | | --- | --- | | Acceptable
tolerance | The acceptable deviation from perfect that an item is permitted to be while still being considered acceptable. | | Back
splash | Material used to cover the area of wall between a kitchen counter top and the upper cabinets. | | Brief | A set of instructions regarding the design of your kitchen given to the kitchen designer. | | Budget | An estimate figure of how much money you are going to spend on your kitchen installation. | | Carcass | The supporting framework of a cupboard. | | Chipboard | Material made from wood chips and resin which is predominantly used as the base formelamine carcassing. | | Cut-out | The hole cut into board or surfacing material either to accommodate an appliance, sink or tap or to create ventilation. | | Door
bumper | A small piece of plastic adhered to the door to allow it to close without making a loud bang. | | Duco / lacquered | Trade name assigned to a lacquered paint finish applied to doors. This finish is available in matte, semi-sheen, gloss and high gloss. | | Edging | Thin layer of material to cover the side edge of board – there are various types of edging on the market. (While most companies use a PVC edging, it is advised to rather opt for an ABS edging as it is more stable when exposed to heat) . | | Ergonomic design | A manner of design that optimises ease of use and maximises storage and accessibility. | | Fabricator | A skilled artisan who cuts and prepares various types of stone and solid surfacing. | | Fascia or Ceiling Filler | Portion of timber/material that conceals the gap between the ceiling and the tops of wall cupboards. | | --- | --- | | Fillers | Boards/material used to cover necessary spaces between cupboards or between cupboards and walls. | | Five Piece
Flat Panel Doors | These are doors which are manufactured using 5 separate pieces of machined timber, namely the 4 pieces for the outer frame and the centre panel which is usually recessed and‘flat’. Also known as a ‘Shaker’ style door. The 5 pieces slot together like a puzzle. | | Five Piece Raised Panel Doors | These are doors which are manufactured using 5 separate pieces of machined timber, namely the 4 pieces of the outer frame and the centre panel which usually has a raised detail. The 5 pieces slot together like a puzzle. | | Foil | A PVC material which is thermoformed to the profile of an underlying engineered wood such as MDF board. It is most commonly used in the manufacturing of wrap doors and boards. | | Gable | Also known as an ‘end panel’. These are vertical panels which usually have one or both sides visible and are often used as upright supports for a counter where there are‘un-housed’ appliances (dishwasher, washing machine etc.) or as a tall upright for a bridging wall unit to be fixed to such as a fridge gable. | | Granite | A natural material quarried from the earth that can be used as countertops. | | Hardware | Fasteners and fittings including hinges and runners which are used in the assembly of a kitchen. | | High gloss | A shiny glossy finish that is achievable through either paint or laminate. | | Hinge | A piece of hardware vital to the proper function of a cabinet door. | 18 | Integrated
Appliances | Appliances which are installed behind the door fronts so that they are concealed. These appliances require specially modified units. | | --- | --- | | Light Shield | Decorative finish to the base of wall units to conceal counter lighting that may be installed. | | Masonite | A thin fibreboard made from

FAQs

What is the purpose of a kitchen design brief mentioned in the dictionary?

A brief is a set of instructions about the design of a kitchen provided to the kitchen designer.

What does “carcass” mean for kitchen cupboards?

Carcass refers to the supporting framework of a cupboard.

What is “laminate” in kitchen finishes?

Laminate is a thin layer of material, such as PVC, paper, or wood veneer, bonded to a substrate like chipboard or MDF.

Oct 1, 2026

Upload by Eliana