In short: frameless (European) cabinets give you the full carcass opening, so hardware is sized close to the nominal cabinet width. Framed (North American) cabinets have a face frame that narrows the opening by roughly 25–50 mm, so the same nominal cabinet needs a narrower pull-out or a frame-mounting bracket. Order the wrong one and the basket will not enter the opening — this is the single most common transatlantic specification error.
What actually differs
Frameless construction attaches doors directly to the carcass sides. The opening is the carcass, and hardware is bored on the 32 mm system — a grid of holes spaced 32 mm apart that lets hinges, runners and shelf supports from different manufacturers interchange. This is the standard most Asian and European factories build to.
Framed construction adds a solid frame across the front of the carcass. It adds rigidity and gives a different visual style, but the frame intrudes into the opening on all four sides. A nominal 15-inch (about 380 mm) framed cabinet does not present 380 mm of usable opening.
The practical consequences for pull-out hardware
| Frameless (European) | Framed (North American) | |
|---|---|---|
| Usable opening | Nominal width minus two side panels | Nominal width minus panels and frame stiles |
| Basket sizing | Close to nominal cabinet size | One size down, or a frame-specific version |
| Runner mounting | Directly to carcass sides | Often needs rear sockets or frame brackets |
| Boring pattern | 32 mm system throughout | Inch-based, varies by manufacturer |
| Screw length | Shorter — panels are thin | Longer into the frame |
How to order correctly for each
For frameless projects, give the nominal cabinet width and panel thickness. That is normally enough.
For framed projects, give the clear opening width measured at the narrowest point — inside the frame stiles, not the carcass. Also state whether the runners can be mounted to the frame or need rear support brackets, because face-frame cabinets often lack a rear panel at the right depth.
If you sell into both markets, keep the two specifications as separate SKUs in your catalogue. Trying to serve both with one part number is how mixed containers turn into returns.
A note on retrofit projects
Retrofitting pull-outs into existing framed cabinets is a large and growing market, and it is unforgiving: every cabinet is slightly different, hinge hardware intrudes unpredictably, and there is no drawing to work from. For those programmes we recommend supplying a size range and clear measuring instructions to the end customer rather than a single fixed size.
FAQ
What is the 32 mm system?
A construction standard where mounting holes are bored 32 mm apart along the cabinet sides. It originated in post-war European cabinet making and is what allows hinges, runners and baskets from different manufacturers to interchange on frameless cabinets.
Can European pull-out baskets be used in American framed cabinets?
Only if the clear opening is measured first and the basket sized to it. The nominal cabinet width is not the usable width on a framed cabinet, which is why the same part number fails across the two markets.
Which measurement should I send my supplier?
For framed cabinets, the clear opening width at its narrowest point plus the internal depth. For frameless, the nominal cabinet width and panel thickness. Sending a photo of the open cabinet alongside the numbers prevents most misunderstandings.
Do you supply hardware for both construction types?
Yes. Our standard range is built to the 32 mm frameless convention, and we quote frame-compatible sizes and mounting options for North American projects on request.
Working on a specification or a quotation? Talk to our team — we reply within 24 hours, or request the full catalog.
