Bench note · 1 October 2026
Face Frame or Frameless: Which Cabinet Door Jig Fits
Look at the front edge of the cabinet box. What you see there decides which door jig will clamp to it.
Look at the front of the box
Open a cabinet door and look at the edge around the opening. On a face-frame cabinet, a wood frame is fixed to the front of the box, and the door hinges to that frame. On a frameless cabinet, you see only the edge of the side panel, and the door hinges straight to the panel.
American kitchens are often face frame. Flat-pack and European-style cabinets are frameless. A room can hold both.
What the jig has to grip
A door mounting jig clamps under the opening and gives the door a ledge. On a frameless box it grips a plain panel edge. On a framed box it has to open wide enough to step over the frame and any molding on it.
That is the whole difference between our jigs. The table lists the cabinet type and the clamping range of each one.
| Jig | Cabinet type | Clamping range | Height adjustment | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUITOOL 3-in-1 Door Mounting Jig | Face frame and frameless | 3/8 to 2-3/4 in (9 to 71 mm) | 93 mm in all: 63 mm up, 30 mm down | $36.47 |
| RUITOOL Frameless Door Mounting Jig | Frameless only | 7 to 40 mm (0.28 to 1.57 in) | 0 to 64 mm on the standard model, 0 to 55 mm on the 2-in-1 | $29.59 |
| RUITOOL 35mm Hinge Jig | Any door up to 38 mm thick | Up to 38 mm | Door supports included | $42.23 |
Setting the height
Once the jig is clamped, a threaded post raises or lowers the door. Line the top of the door up with its neighbor, then drive the hinge screws. Use the same setting for the next door in the row.
The jig sets height. Check the gap at the side with a rule before you tighten the last screw.
If the doors still need hinge cups
A door with no cups drilled needs one more step. Our 35 mm hinge jig clamps to the door and guides the cup and its pilot holes. It also comes with supports for hanging the door afterward.
For a single cabinet, the 7-hole shelf pin jig has a hinge template for layout.
