Frameless and framed, side by side
A framed cabinet is the American default: a box with a solid wood face frame glued to the front, and doors hung on that frame. A frameless cabinet, the European default, is a thicker-sided box with doors and drawers mounted directly to the sides. Because there is no frame to clear, drawers are wider, interior access is full, and doors sit flush with tight, even reveals. Frameless construction suits flat-panel and slab doors; framed construction suits inset and raised-panel traditional kitchens.
Installation differs too. Frameless boxes are hung to tighter tolerances, so walls are shimmed and leveled carefully; this is why experienced installers matter more with frameless lines.
TFL, melamine, lacquer and veneer
The names get mixed up because they overlap. Melamine is the resin; thermally fused laminate (TFL) is melamine-saturated decor paper fused to a wood-based core under heat and pressure, so the surface and core become one. Low-pressure paper-faced boards sold as 'melamine' are thinner and chip more easily; TFL from makers such as Egger and Cleaf has deep texture, wood-grain synchronised with the pattern, and strong wear and moisture resistance. Lacquer is a sprayed finish over MDF: smooth and paint-like, higher cost, and chips show the substrate. Wood veneer is a thin slice of real wood over a stable core, with natural grain variation and the highest price; it needs a UV-protective finish in sunny rooms.
What the core is made of
The core carries the screws and the weight. Particleboard and MDF cores are standard under TFL and lacquer; plywood cores are lighter and hold screws well but are rarely flat enough for TFL. Ask whether the board is CARB Phase 2 and TSCA Title VI compliant for formaldehyde emissions, which the European manufacturers document, and whether the edges are banded with matching ABS so moisture cannot reach the core.
San Diego conditions
Three local factors shape the choice. Strong year-round sun fades natural veneers and some painted finishes near windows; TFL decors are colorfast. Coastal humidity cycles move solid wood more than engineered panels, which favors stable cores in beach neighborhoods. And many San Diego homes sit on slabs, where kickboards and sink bases face more moisture; sealed TFL with ABS edge banding handles that better than raw particleboard.
How to read a cabinet spec
A complete cabinet specification names the construction (frameless or framed), the box material and thickness, the surface (TFL decor code, lacquer system or veneer species), the edge banding, the drawer system and hinge brand, soft-close, the warranty, and the finish samples you approved. Swell publishes its finish library online with CLEAF and EGGER decor codes so the spec can name the exact surface.