What is a shaker cabinet door, and which style should you choose?
A shaker door is a five-piece door: a flat, recessed center panel inside a square frame of two stiles and two rails. It is the most common kitchen door because it is plain enough for a modern room and classic enough for a traditional one. Within shaker, the real choice is the width of that frame. RTA Cabinets Plus sells two shaker kitchen doors: Sterling, with wider rails for a classic look, and Studio, with slim rails for a cleaner, more modern line. Mantel is the bathroom vanity door. Choose the door first and the finish second; every door comes in real paint or stain finishes, on a box that clicks together on a licensed system.
Three door styles, and the finishes each comes in.
- Sterling
- A shaker door with wider rails and stiles, the classic proportion. It suits traditional and transitional kitchens. Finishes: Snow, Alabaster, Quarry, Wood Ridge and Coastal.
- Studio
- A slim-rail shaker door. The narrower frame gives a cleaner, more modern line and pairs well with simple pulls. Finishes: Snow, Alabaster, Coastal and Caviar.
- Mantel
- The door on our bathroom vanities, a shaker face sized for vanity cabinets. Finishes: Snow, Quarry, Wood Ridge, Coastal and Malachite.
The door styles you will see everywhere.
Most kitchen doors fall into a handful of types. These are the ones worth knowing by name.
- Shaker
- Five pieces: a square frame around a flat, recessed panel. Clean, versatile and the most common choice in kitchens today. Both of our kitchen doors are shaker.
- Slab
- One flat piece with no frame, also called flat panel. Very modern and minimal. We do not sell slab doors today.
- Raised panel
- A frame around a center panel that is raised and shaped at the edges. Formal and traditional. We do not sell raised panel doors today.
- Glass front
- A frame with glass in place of the panel, usually on a few wall cabinets to break up a run. Some of our wall cabinets come with glass doors.
Four ways to narrow it down.
- Follow the room. Wider rails (Sterling) sit naturally in a traditional or farmhouse room. Slim rails (Studio) suit a modern or minimal one.
- Pick the door, then the finish. Not every finish comes in every door, so settle the door first and choose from the finishes it is offered in.
- Think about the hardware. A slim rail leaves less frame for a knob or pull, so simple, slim hardware looks best on it. A wider rail takes almost anything.
- Hold one in the room. A full sample door is $19.99 and a quarter door sample is $4.99, shipping included on both, and the sample price is credited toward your cabinet order.
What people ask next.
What is a shaker cabinet door?
A five-piece door with a flat, recessed center panel inside a square frame made of two stiles and two rails. It has no decorative edge, which is why it works in both modern and traditional kitchens.
What is the difference between Sterling and Studio?
Both are shaker doors. Sterling has wider rails and stiles for a classic look; Studio has slim rails for a cleaner, more modern line. They also come in different finishes, so check which finish you want before you choose.
What is the difference between a door style and a finish?
The door style is the shape of the door: its frame and panel. The finish is the color and surface: the paint or stain on it. At RTA Cabinets Plus each door style comes in several real paint and stain finishes.
Are shaker cabinets still in style?
Yes. Shaker has been the most common kitchen door for years because its plain frame suits almost any room, and the slim-rail versions keep it current in modern kitchens.
Do you sell slab or raised panel doors?
No. RTA Cabinets Plus sells two shaker kitchen doors, Sterling and Studio, and the Mantel door on its bathroom vanities.
Who we areRTA Cabinets Plus is an independently owned retailer that sells ready to assemble kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities direct to homeowners, remodelers and trade buyers. Made by a manufacturer that builds cabinets for one of the largest semi-custom brands in the U.S.
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RTA means ready to assemble: cabinets that ship flat and go together at home. How they compare with stock, semi-custom and assembled cabinets, and what to check.
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How much do RTA kitchen cabinets cost?
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How long does it take to assemble RTA cabinets?
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Plywood vs particle board cabinets: which is better?
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What CARB Phase 2 and TSCA Title VI mean for kitchen cabinets: the formaldehyde limits for plywood, particle board and MDF, the label to look for, and why it matters.
Painted vs stained cabinets: which is better?
Painted or stained kitchen cabinets: how each looks, wears and touches up, and why paper, thermofoil and melamine wraps are a different thing altogether.
What are the standard kitchen cabinet sizes?
Standard kitchen cabinet sizes: bases 34 1/2" tall and 24" deep, wall cabinets 12" deep in seven heights, tall cabinets to 96", vanities 21" deep, and every width.
How does a free kitchen design work?
How our free kitchen design works: what to send, what a designer sends back within 1 business day (floor plan, 3D renders, parts list and price), and what it costs.
Want a person to check your plan?(305) 782-7587, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm ET. Or send your measurements for a free design.