fronteli

Frequently asked questions

FAQ
What exactly do I get from fronteli?
A ready technical drawing of the front: a PDF, plus a DXF file for a CNC machine when you order. It carries exact dimensions and hinge-hole positions. It isn't a finished front or a piece of furniture — it's a precise drawing you use to have the front made in the material you choose, wherever you choose.
Where do I get it made — do I need a carpenter?
You don't need a carpenter. You take the drawing to a cut-to-size shop — one that cuts board to size, edge-bands it, and drills the holes. It's the same kind of shop a carpenter would order cut fronts from, so going direct means you skip their markup. (A carpenter can make it from the same drawing too, if you prefer — usually pricier.) How to find one: search maps or the web for "cut to size", "panel cutting service" or "MDF cut to size" plus your town — most cities have several, and there are mail-order shops that ship nationwide. When you ask for a quote, name three services: cutting to size, edge-banding, and Ø35 mm hinge-cup boring. Confirm that last one up front — not every shop bores cups, and it is what decides whether the front arrives ready to mount. Our PDF and DXF are everything the shop needs to quote and to run the machine.
How is this different from ready-made custom fronts?
Branded custom fronts arrive as a finished product with delivery — convenient, but pricier and limited to their material catalogue. With fronteli you get the drawing and have it made locally, in any material your shop can work. You pay for the work, not for the brand and freight.
Which hinges do I buy, and where?
Standard 35 mm cup hinges (European-style) — the same ones IKEA uses in the METOD system. IKEA's own UTRUSTA hinges fit too, including any you already have. Get them at any DIY store, a furniture-fittings supplier, or the same shop that cuts your board. The drawing marks the Ø35 mm cup positions, so the shop bores them exactly where they belong.
Can I use the drawings for inset fronts?
No. The drawings are for overlay fronts — like original IKEA METOD fronts, which cover the front edge of the cabinet and hang on standard cup hinges (such as IKEA UTRUSTA). An inset front sits inside the cabinet, so it has different dimensions and needs different hinges and a different drilling layout — our drawing won't make one.
Will it really fit — and what if the dimensions are off?
The free 2D preview shows the outline and dimensions before you order anything, so you can check them against your cabinet. The hinge positions aren't copied from a catalogue: we measured the cup spacing physically on an original IKEA front and an UTRUSTA template (July 2026), and paid drawings are generated only for checked sizes — if we're unsure, we block the order rather than send a wrong drawing. Always confirm the dimensions with your shop before cutting and drilling.
How much does it cost?
The drawings cost €49 — a one-off, for the whole kitchen, however many fronts it has. The fronts themselves are paid separately at the shop: for a ten-front example kitchen in lacquered MDF, published cut-to-size rates come to ~€680–930 including our drawings, and laminate runs roughly half that. For comparison, branded made-to-measure fronts start at ~€2,000 for the same kitchen, and Polish makers who ship start around ~€580. Your own quote depends on material, finish and region — ask two or three shops.
Will I get an invoice?
fronteli is the seller, and the price includes 23% VAT. You'll get an automatic payment receipt from Stripe by email as soon as you pay; if you need a VAT faktura, email us and we'll issue one on request.
What is the IKEA-list import?
If you've already designed a kitchen in IKEA's planner, paste the shopping list — we recognise the article codes and match custom fronts to the same sizes. Instead of configuring each front by hand, you choose the material and finish for the whole kitchen at once.
Is fronteli affiliated with IKEA?
No. IKEA, METOD and PAX are trademarks of Inter IKEA Systems B.V.; fronteli is not affiliated with IKEA. We create drawings for fronts that fit the METOD system.
Which METOD sizes do you cover?
Every standard METOD cabinet size we have checked: door fronts from 20 × 80 cm up to 60 × 200 cm, drawer fronts 40, 60 and 80 cm wide, a 45 × 80 cm dishwasher front, cover panels 39 and 62 cm wide, and the plinth. Cover panels and plinths can also be ordered at any custom size. The configurator lists all of them — if your size is not there, we do not generate a drawing for it rather than guess.
Which files do I get, and can the shop open them?
You get a ZIP package: one PDF with the drawings for every front, plus one DXF file per front. The PDF is enough to get a quote and to drill by hand; the DXF loads in any CNC machine or CAD program. To open them you need a PDF reader, a DXF viewer or CAD program, and software to unzip the package.
What exactly should I ask the shop for?
Three services together: cutting the board to size, edge-banding it, and boring Ø35 mm hinge cups. Confirm that last one up front — not every shop bores cups, and it is what decides whether the front arrives ready to mount. Our PDF is enough for a quote; the shop runs the DXF on the machine. Material and finish are your choice — the drawing does not depend on them.
Which countries do you sell to?
We sell within the European Union only. You are buying files, so nothing ships by post — the drawings arrive by email and you have the fronts made locally.
Which materials can I use?
Any your shop can work: laminated board, lacquered MDF, veneer, plywood. The drawing specifies dimensions and hole positions, not material, so no manufacturer catalogue limits you. That is the main difference from ready-made custom fronts, where you pick from the seller's own list.
How quickly do I get the files?
We send your files within 48 hours of your order. You get an email with a download link for the ZIP package; the link is tied to your order and stays valid for 30 days. If you lose the files or the link expires, email us and we will re-send them at no charge. If we exceed 48 hours, you may cancel the order and receive a full refund.
Can I get a refund?
The 14-day right of withdrawal does not apply to this purchase, on two independent grounds: the drawings are digital content not supplied on a tangible medium (art. 38 pkt 13 of the Polish Consumer Rights Act), and by completing the purchase you expressly request immediate delivery and confirm it with a checkbox; and they are made to your specification (art. 38 pkt 3). That said, if a file is faulty or does not match your order, email us: we reply within 14 days and, where the complaint is justified, we supply corrected or replacement files or refund the payment. Details are in the Terms and on the Refund Policy page.
Do Blum and other non-IKEA hinges fit?
Yes, as long as they are standard 35 mm cup hinges — the European standard. IKEA UTRUSTA, Blum and Hettich all use it. The drawing marks Ø35 mm cup positions rather than a specific hinge model, so the brand is your choice.
Do you do PAX wardrobe doors?
Not yet. Today we cover METOD kitchens. PAX is planned, but we do not sell drawings we have not verified.
Can I order a drawing for a single front?
Yes. The price is per project, not per piece: you pay once whether the project holds one front or a whole kitchen. For a single front that is a pricier way to buy than a full set, but nothing stops you.
My cabinet is a non-standard size — can you help?
Cover panels and plinths can be ordered at any size within the range the configurator accepts. Door and drawer fronts are generated only for checked METOD cabinet sizes, because the hinge positions have to land exactly on the frame mounting holes — at an arbitrary size we could not stand behind them.
Will this work with an older IKEA kitchen such as FAKTUM?
No. Our drawings are for the METOD system, which IKEA introduced in 2014. Older frames, FAKTUM included, have different dimensions and different mounting-hole spacing, so a front from our drawing will not fit them.
Does the drawing include holes for handles?
No. Hole spacing differs across thousands of handle models, so they are drilled once you have chosen a specific handle — by you or by the same shop that cuts the board. The drawing carries the outline, the cut dimensions and the hinge-cup positions.

Run a cut-to-size shop?

We're building a list of shops that cut board to size, edge-band it, and drill hinge holes. Want to be on it? Get in touch. hello@fronteli.com