What is a
cabinet carcass?
The part nobody photographs and everybody eventually finds out about.
The short answer
A carcass is the box behind the door — the sides, base, back and shelves that everything else attaches to. It decides how a kitchen ages far more than the door finish does: 18mm moisture-resistant board with laser-bonded edging outlasts a thinner or standard board by years, because the carcass is what the hinges, runners and benchtop actually anchor into.
What it is made of
Almost every Australian kitchen carcass is particleboard or MDF with a melamine or laminate face, not solid timber — that is normal and not a sign of a cheap kitchen. What varies, and what actually matters, is the board grade (standard versus moisture-resistant), the thickness (16mm versus 18mm), and whether the exposed edges are laser-bonded or glued. We build every carcass to 18mm moisture-resistant board with laser-bonded edging as standard, on every collection.
Why it matters more than the door
A door can be replaced for a few hundred dollars if you tire of it. A failed carcass — swollen at a water line, an edge lifting near the sink, a shelf sagging under crockery — means pulling the kitchen apart. Ask any supplier what board thickness and moisture rating they use before you ask about door colours; it is the question that predicts how the kitchen looks in year eight, not year one.
Kitchen & cabinetry glossary
More in this series: What is a kickboard? · What is a scribe piece? · What is edge banding? · What is a full-extension runner? · Soft-close hinges explained · What is a handleless kitchen? · What is a waterfall benchtop edge? · What is a mitred join? · What is a kitchen splashback? · What is a service drawing? · What does "supply only" mean? · What is a tall pantry unit? · What is a corner carousel? · What is a blind corner cabinet? · Push-to-open hardware explained · What is moisture-resistant board? · What is an overhead cabinet?.
Frequently asked
Common questions
If your question is not here, call the studio. We would rather talk it through than have you guess.
Ask us directly →What is the difference between a carcass and a cabinet?
They are usually the same thing in conversation — "carcass" is the trade term for the box itself, before doors, benchtop or handles are added.
Is 18mm board better than 16mm?
Generally yes — it is stiffer over a wide span and holds screws and hardware more securely, particularly in base cabinets carrying a stone benchtop. We use 18mm across every collection.
How do I know if a carcass is moisture-resistant?
Ask the supplier directly and get it in writing on the quote — it is not visible once the kitchen is finished, and it is the single biggest factor in how a kitchen survives near a sink or in a humid climate.
Delivered assembled
The assembly is done
before it arrives.
Carcasses built square on a bench, Blum hardware fitted, doors hung and adjusted to even gaps. On site you are fixing finished cabinets to a wall, not building them on the floor. Our own team fits it in Central Queensland; your installer fits it anywhere else in Australia. Prefer to build it yourself? The same kitchen ships flat pack.
New build, kitchen fitted at fit-off
Gloss doors, adjusted to even gaps before delivery
Kitchen into dining, one palette
Put it to use
Reading is one thing.
Your room is another.
Send us your dimensions and we will tell you what actually works in your space — and what it costs. Free, fixed, and yours to keep either way.