Kitchen Cabinet Molding Types and Where to Use Them

Kitchen Cabinet Molding Types Explained for Homeowners

Kitchen cabinet moldings are a key detail that can truly transform the look of your kitchen. It’s not just about the cabinets themselves but about framing them in a way that adds style and character to your space. Molding can take a simple kitchen design and elevate it, making any kitchen look finished and polished.

Molding comes in various types, each serving a unique purpose and adding a different element of design to your kitchen. Whether you are remodeling your kitchen or just looking to add some finishing touches, understanding the different types of cabinet molding is essential to utilize the space within your kitchen.

Base Molding

Base molding sits at the bottom of your cabinets, giving them a solid, grounded look. It’s like the shoes for your cabinets, finishing off the look and tying everything to the floor and usually ends at the cabinet’s toe kick area, which is that recessed space at the bottom, making your cabinets look complete and grounded.

Besides its aesthetic appeal, base molding helps protect the bottom of your cabinets from wear and tear, scuffs, and scratches. It’s an essential detail that adds both beauty and functionality to your kitchen cabinets. Also when remodeling a space with existing cabinetry a base molding and a shoe molding combined can help you hide your new flooring cut edges (tiles, wood).

Crown Molding

Crown molding is all about adding elegance and a touch of sophistication to your kitchen cabinets, and it pairs especially well with white shaker cabinets, where the clean color lets the molding details stand out. It sits at the top of your cabinets, creating a smooth transition between the cabinetry and the ceiling. This type of molding adds height and drama to your kitchen, drawing the eye upward and making the space feel larger and more open.

Crown molding comes in a variety of styles, each bringing its own flavor to the design, allowing you to customize the look to fit your personal style and the overall design of your kitchen. Here are some of the various types of crown moldings:

1. Simple Crown Molding: This style is all about clean lines and a sleek look. It is perfect for European kitchen cabinets or any modern kitchen that wants a touch of detail without overwhelming the space.
2. Traditional Crown Molding: With more intricate designs and patterns, traditional crown molding adds a classic elegance to your kitchen. It’s great for adding character to your cabinets.
3. Shaker Crown Molding: This type emphasizes functionality with a straightforward, uncluttered design. It complements the minimalist style of Shaker cabinets perfectly.

Corner Molding

Corner molding plays a crucial role in the overall look of your kitchen cabinets. It is used to cover and beautify the corners of your cabinets, whether they are outside corners that jut out into the room or inside corners where two sets of cabinets meet. This type of molding can soften the edges of your cabinets, making the kitchen feel more inviting, or it can define the corners, adding a sharp, architectural element to the space.

Corner molding is not just about aesthetics but it also protects the corners of your cabinets from bumps and bruises, keeping them looking new for longer. With various styles available, you can choose corner molding that complements your kitchen’s design, pairing well with modern cabinets for a sleek aesthetic or traditional kitchen cabinets for a more classic feel.

Fillers

When you are fitting cabinets in your kitchen, sometimes the standard cabinet sizes might not fill perfectly your space. That’s where fillers come in. These are strips of wood that fill in the gaps and get attached to the frame of the cabinet, making sure everything looks like it was made just for your kitchen. Without fillers, you might see spaces that make the cabinets look like they were just stuck on the wall without much thought. To make a smooth, finished look, it is also suggested that you use overlay fillers also. Overlay fillers sit on top of the standard fillers to create a flush look with the door as if your cabinets were custom-made to fit perfectly in your space.

They also help make sure your cabinets are properly spaced. This means your doors and drawers can open without hitting each other or the walls. It’s a small detail, but it makes a big difference in making your kitchen both beautiful and functional.

Light Rail Molding

Have you ever noticed the molding at the bottom of wall cabinets? That’s called light rail molding. It is not just there for decoration. One of its main jobs is to hide the lights that are installed under the cabinets. This way, you get the benefit of extra lighting on your countertop without seeing the fixtures themselves. It makes your kitchen look cleaner and more stylish.

Riser Molding

Riser molding, sometimes called starter molding, is used when you are installing cabinets and you want them to look a bit taller or more grand. This molding is placed on top of the cabinets but below any additional decorative molding, like crown molding. It essentially lifts everything up, giving you a bit more space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling or the next row of cabinets.

This extra space is not just for looks. It can be practical, too. It gives you room to add lighting or decorative items above your cabinets, making your kitchen feel more custom and thoughtfully designed. It’s a simple addition that can make a big impact on the overall look of your kitchen.

Scribe Molding

Not all walls are perfectly straight, but your cabinets need to look like they fit snugly against them. This is where scribe molding comes into play. It’s a thin strip of wood that fills any gaps between your cabinets and the wall. With scribe molding, your kitchen installation looks precise and tidy, no matter the shape of your walls.

This type of molding is especially useful in older homes where the walls might have settled and are not completely flat. It allows your cabinets to have a custom-fit look, making your kitchen seem perfectly put together, even if the space you are working with is a bit challenging.

Skin Panels

Sometimes, the sides of your cabinets are going to be visible and you will be able to see where 2 cabinets are put next to each other (connection line). That’s where skin panels come into play. These panels are attached to the exposed sides of the cabinets, ensuring that they have the same finish as the doors and drawer fronts. This way, no matter where you look in your kitchen, everything appears uniform and cohesive.

Skin panels are key for making your kitchen look seamless. They cover any raw sides of the cabinets, giving your kitchen a polished and complete look. Whether your cabinets are placed at the end of a run or you have an island or if you are trying to make custom depths to cover high end appliances or any other custom build out, skin panels ensure that every angle of your kitchen is beautiful and fully covered.

Toe Kick Molding

Toe kick molding is a key element in kitchen cabinet design that many might overlook, yet it serves a critical role in both functionality and aesthetics. Positioned at the base of your cabinets, toe kick molding offers protection against scuffs and damage that can occur from foot traffic, cleaning, or the hustle and bustle of kitchen activity. It essentially acts as a shield, keeping the bottom edges of your cabinets looking neat and damage-free.

Beyond protection, toe kick molding contributes to the overall design coherence of your kitchen. It creates a smooth transition from your cabinets to the flooring, giving the space a finished and polished look. This detail, while small, plays a significant part in the overall feel of your kitchen, ensuring that every aspect from top to bottom is considered and cohesive.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is cabinet molding and why is it important?
  Cabinet molding is a decorative piece of wood that adds detail and finish to kitchen cabinets. It’s important because it enhances the overall look of your kitchen, covers unsightly gaps, and can even protect cabinets from damage.
• How can I choose the right type of molding for my kitchen cabinets?
  Consider the style of your kitchen and cabinets. Each type of molding serves a different purpose and adds a unique touch, so select one that complements your kitchen’s aesthetic and meets your functional needs. When you work with us, ask your designer to show you how your kitchen can be transformed using the different types of available moldings.
• Can I add molding to existing cabinets?
  Yes, you can add molding to existing cabinets. It is a straightforward way to refresh your kitchen’s look without a full renovation, and it works especially well if you’re installing RTA kitchen cabinets since the molding pieces are designed to match.
• Where can I buy cabinet moldings?
  You can buy cabinet moldings from CabinetSelect.com –> https://cabinetselect.com/rta-kitchen-cabinets/moldings/
• How do I install cabinet moldings?
  Installing cabinet molding can range from straightforward to complex, depending on the type. It typically involves measuring, cutting, and attaching the molding to the cabinets with nails or adhesive. For detailed or custom installations, it may be best to hire a professional.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Alexakis

Chris is Director of Product & Design here at CabinetSelect.com. He's certified as a Florida State Building Contractor (CBC1256670) with many years of construction experience. Most important, Chris is passionate about kitchen design – Whether you're building a new home or remodeling an old one, he has plenty of experience and the right tools, ideas and solutions to help create a beautiful kitchen in any space, large or small.