The First Complete Kitchen Cabinet Glossary

• Dado
  The area between a chair rail and a baseboard, the lower part of the wall.
• Decay
  Rotting or decomposing wood that gradually become weaker by means of bacteria or fungus. This process can be prevented by applying a finish coat to the wood.
• Decorative Doors
  Fake doors that have different moldings and decorative shapes that match the kitchen. They are usually installed on the side of the end cabinets or on the back of an island or peninsula. These cabinetry moldings are designed to look like doors, but do not actually open.
• Degree Hinge
  A type of hinge that allows doors to open up to 270 degrees. These hinges are only for frameless full-overlay cabinet
• Dentil
  Meaning tooth, a dentil are teeth-like blocks that are used for decoration in moldings.
• Diagonal Comer
  A cabinet angled for accessibility and to fit a wall or base corner and provides more storage space than an easy-reach cabinet. It is usually 24 by 24 inches. These cabinets become the focal point of the kitchen when they feature glass doors.
• Distressing
  The art of making furniture or cabinetry look older or aged. The finish is intentionally tampered with in order to create this effect.
• Diswasher Panel
  A finished panel used to cover the exposed side of a dishwasher. This panel looks like the finished side of a cabinet and provides support for the countertop.
• DIY
  Do it yourself.
• Door Face
  The front, exposed part of the door.
• Door Front
  See Door Face.
• Door Stoppers
  Pads that protect the door from slamming against the face frame
• Double Compartment Cabinet
  An oven cabinet used to house a single oven and a microwave.
• Double L-Shaped Kitchen
  A kitchen design that has two L shapes.
• Double Oven Cabinet
  An oven cabinet used to house a double oven.
• Douglas-fir
  This wood is very strong and used for structures that need to withstand heavy loads. It is commonly used for trim and cabinet work.
• Dovetail Joint
  Woodworked joints that are used to connect drawer sides to the drawer face without the use of exposed hardware. These joints are known for their durability. The wood is cut in a series of angled portions that look like dove tails. These “tails” interlock and are difficult to separate once attached.
• Dowel
  Usually a pin made of wood, metal or plastic that connects two objects.
• Drawe Base
  A base cabinet that consists of drawers. For maximized storage, these cabinets usually have three drawers but may come in two or four drawer models.
• Drawer Face
  The front, exposed part of the drawer.
• Drawer Front
  See Drawer Face.
• Drawer Glides
  See Drawer Guides.
• Drawer Guides
  Drawer guides are the hardware that holds the drawer.
• Drawer Runner
  See Drawer Guides.
• Drawer Stack
  See Drawer Base.
• Drawer Stoppers
  Pads that protect the drawer from slamming against the face frame. See Bumper Pads.
• Dry Brushing
  Used to add highlights or shading, dry brushing involves using very little paint on a dry brush.