Bore Options

Prebore means your doors will arrive with hinge holes already routed for European (concealed) style hinges.

Before you start: two things to know

  1. Cup Style — how the hinge attaches to the door
  2. Bore Distance — required by your hinge model (3mm or 5mm)

Important: Left- or right-hinged doors are determined by looking at the front of the door, not the back.

Replacing existing doors?

Match what you already have. The goal is for your new doors to install exactly like the originals. Have questions? Email us at info@cabinetnow.com.

Step 1: Choose hinge side (Left vs Right)

With your current cabinets closed, which side of the door are your hinges placed?

For new cabinets or remodels: If your kitchen layout directs traffic left → right, left-hinged cabinets may be more convenient (and vice versa). This helps prevent doors from obstructing walkways and improves everyday functionality.

Left-hinged door
Hinges on the left when viewing the door from the front.
Right-hinged door
Hinges on the right when viewing the door from the front.

Step 2: Choose cup style

Cup Only
  • Used for screw-on style hinges
  • Hinge attaches to the door with wood screws
Cup and Dowel
  • Used for press-in hinges
  • Includes plastic dowels and special screws
Quick check

  • If the holes above and below the cup are small (for screws) → Cup Only

  • If the holes above and below the cup are larger (for plastic dowels) → Cup and Dowel

Prebore options illustration showing Cup Only and Cup and Dowel
Cup Only vs Cup and Dowel (reference illustration)

Step 3: Choose bore distance (3mm or 5mm)

Bore distance refers to the distance from the edge of the door to the edge of the hinge cup hole. This is determined by your hinge model. Please consult the specification sheet for your hinge.

5mm
Select 5mm if your hinge specifications call for 5mm.
3mm
Select 3mm if your hinge specifications call for 3mm.
Note about measuring
Cup Only: you do not need to measure your existing hinge holes. Simply select the bore distance required by your hinge (3mm or 5mm).

Number of hinge bores per door

  • Heights below 50” → 2 bores
  • Heights at 50” and up → 3 bores

(This is applied automatically based on the door height.)

Bore patterns (Production reference)

These pattern codes correspond to Cup Style + Bore Distance selections.

Pattern A
Cup and Dowel — 5mm from edge
Pattern A boring diagram
Pattern B
Cup and Dowel — 3mm from edge
Pattern B boring diagram
Pattern T
Cup Only — 5mm from edge
Pattern T boring diagram
Pattern U
Cup Only — 3mm from edge
Pattern U boring diagram
Additional fee
Please note that an additional $10 fee applies for any bore pattern outside of the standard options.

IKEA Bore Options

All doors and drawer fronts from our IKEA Program will be bored to fit patterns related to SEKTION cabinets. Due to licensing restrictions, we cannot use images here, but the codes are listed below.

Doors
  • SEM Standard — Regular boring option for most doors
  • SEM Lazy Susan A — Only needed for Lazy Susan cabinets, right side
  • SEM Lazy Susan B — Only needed for Lazy Susan cabinets, left side
Drawer Fronts
  • SEM 4 — For most smaller drawer fronts
  • SEM 12 — For larger drawer fronts

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