Why a glossary helps
A shared vocabulary makes contractor conversations easier
The reason we keep this glossary is that most homeowners are at a disadvantage when talking to cabinet contractors — the contractors use trade terms daily, and the homeowner uses them once every few years. A homeowner who walks into a kitchen cabinet meeting without knowing what "carcass" means is at the mercy of the contractor's interpretation of every line item in the quote. Knowing the terms gives the homeowner a way to ask "what kind of carcass are you quoting?" and to understand the answer.
The terms on this page are the ones that come up most often in Malaysian kitchen cabinet quotes. "Carcass" refers to the cabinet body structure before doors and finishes are applied. The carcass is what determines durability and water resistance — a melamine-faced plywood carcass is the standard for Malaysian homes, while an aluminium carcass is the upgrade for homes with very heavy cooking and humidity exposure. "Edge banding" refers to the protective strip applied to the exposed board edges of the carcass. PVC edge banding is the standard, while ABS edge banding is more durable and is worth specifying in higher-humidity kitchens.
"Soft-close hinge" is one of the most common line items in a Malaysian kitchen quote. A soft-close hinge is a hinge with a damper that slows the door's last few centimetres of travel, which reduces slam noise and impact damage. The price difference between a soft-close hinge and a standard hinge is small per hinge but adds up across a full kitchen. "Linear foot pricing" is the way most Malaysian contractors quote — a per-foot rate for the cabinet run length, before upgrades. Sofware is a useful reference for comparing quote-to-quote only when the scope and specification match. "Wet kitchen" is the heavy-cooking zone, distinct from the "dry kitchen" used for light prep and entertaining. Wet kitchens are common in Malaysian homes and warrant different material choices than dry kitchens.
