To set up full-overlay doors in Mozaik, set the construction method to Full Overlay in the product's Face category, then control how the doors and drawer fronts sit using the reveal parameters in the Door category. Full overlay works by reveals (the gap measured from the outside edge inward), not by overlays. The fastest way to learn each parameter is to open a single cabinet, run a product parameter override, and exaggerate one value at a time so you can see exactly what it moves.
This guide follows Mozaik's official walkthrough. Watch the original on Mozaik's channel:
The one thing to understand first: reveals, not overlays
Full overlay in Mozaik is driven by reveals. Your reveals go from the outside (the top or the end) inward, while overlays go from the inside out. Because full overlay is built on reveals, the door and drawer-front position is set by your reveal values, not by overlay values.
It helps to understand Mozaik's parameter hierarchy before changing any door parameters, so you know how library parameters, job parameters, and product override parameters stack and affect each product and the job.
Step 1 - Open one cabinet and override it safely
The safest way to learn these settings is on a single cabinet without changing the rest of the job:
- Double-click the cabinet to open the Product Editor. If you have two monitors, slide the editor to one screen and keep the 2D/3D view on the other.
- Use the product viewer to spin the cabinet in perspective, switch it to wireframe, or make it hidden, so you can see into the product.
- Use the Layers button to turn product layers off and on so you can inspect the parts you care about.
Because you do this through a product parameter override, the changes are scoped to this one cabinet only - nothing else in the job is affected.
Tip: When you're done experimenting, hit Cancel and choose No to save changes, and you're back to your original products untouched.
Step 2 - Set the construction method to Full Overlay
Before you touch any door parameters, set the construction method in the Face category to Full Overlay. This determines which door parameters actually do anything.
A handy habit while learning: select any parameter, then click the blue question mark to open Mozaik's built-in help for that specific parameter.
Step 3 - Know which door parameters apply (and which don't)
Once the construction method is Full Overlay, some parameters at the top of the Doors category no longer have any effect, including the door overlay (top, bottom, side) values and the frameless top-height drawer parameter. With full overlay, you use the reveal parameters instead.
One door-category parameter that does matter on a full-overlay cabinet is the one that sets the height of the top drawer area (DwOph). In the video it's shown at 5" and exaggerated to 10" to make the change obvious. Override it, watch it move, then delete the override to snap back to your job parameters.
How to "see" any parameter: switch to a Left or Front view, go to wireframe, and use the dimensioning tool to snap to the relevant edges. Then change one value to something obvious (like 1" or larger) so the movement is unmistakable.
Step 4 - Dial in the reveals (the heart of full overlay)
These reveal parameters live in the frameless-reveal group and control the gaps around your doors and drawer fronts. Importantly, they are split by cabinet type - the base reveals apply to base cabinets, and the wall reveals apply to wall cabinets. Make sure your subcategory (Base vs. Wall) matches the cabinet you're editing.
Top reveal
The top reveal (FLRevT on a base cabinet) sets the gap between the top of the cabinet and the top of the drawer front/door. In the demo it starts at 1/4"; bumping it to 1" visibly opens that top gap.
Bottom reveal
The bottom reveal (FLRevB on a base cabinet) sets the gap between the bottom of the cabinet and the bottom of the door/drawer front (1/4" in the demo). Change it to 1" and the bottom gap opens to match.
Side reveal - and why it sometimes "does nothing"
The side reveal controls the gap on the left and right sides (1/4" in the demo). Here's the catch: a side reveal only applies to a finished end. If a side is an unfinished end (for example, where it butts against a tall cabinet), changing the side-reveal value may appear to do nothing on that side - the adjacent-cabinet reveal governs it instead.
In the editor, a side marked with an F is a finished end. Toggling an end's type (finished vs. none) changes which reveal parameter controls that side, so confirm the end type before troubleshooting a reveal that "won't move."
Reveals against neighbors: adjacent cabinet, finished end, adjacent filler, applied end
Full overlay reveals are context-aware - they change based on what's next to the cabinet:
- Adjacent-cabinet reveal: the reveal used when this cabinet touches another cabinet.
- Finished-end reveal: the reveal used on a finished end (the side marked F).
- Adjacent-filler reveal: the reveal used on a side that touches a filler. Remove the filler and that side reverts toward unfinished-end behavior; make it a finished end and it follows the finished-end reveal instead.
- Applied-end reveal: the reveal used when you add an applied door to the side of the cabinet (set via the Shape tab). On a face-frame cabinet, the applied end sits behind the face frame, and this parameter governs the gap there.
Mid reveal (the horizontal gap between fronts)
The mid reveal is the horizontal gap between stacked drawer fronts - or between a drawer on top and a pair of doors below. Changing it adjusts every mid (horizontal) reveal at once.
After testing any reveal, select the override in the far-left column and delete it to revert to your job parameters.
Step 5 - Applied-door and door-outset parameters
Three more parameters round out a full-overlay setup. Note that the inset reveal parameter (InSetRev) has no effect on full overlay - skip it.
Applied-door width adjustment
This is the applied-door width adjustment (AplDoorWA), and it adjusts the width of an applied end door - the applied door you add from the Shape tab. In the demo, a positive value made that applied door wider and a negative value pulled it back in, so you can tune it for your shop's preferences.
Applied-door position
This sets whether an applied door sits behind the frame or flush with the face. With the value at zero, a "behind frame" setting places the applied door at the back of the frame, while "flush with face" lines it up with the face. Flush-with-face is more common on frameless construction.
Door outset (distance from face to back of door)
This is the distance from the cabinet face to the back of the door - i.e., the space for your door silencer or the amount your hinge sticks out from the face frame. The demo's default is 1/8". Depending on your hinges you might prefer about 3/16". It's largely a visual parameter; its main practical use is getting countertop overhang measurements correct.
Step 6 - Wall-cabinet specifics (top reveal for crown molding + pair gap)
Switch to a wall cabinet and open it in the Product Editor. Three settings matter most here.
Top reveal (wall) - leave room for crown
On a wall cabinet, the top reveal (FLRevTW) determines how much room you have above the door for molding. Setting it to zero removes the reveal entirely; a 1/4" reveal isn't enough room to apply crown molding. Setting it to about 1-1/2" opens up enough space to run crown along the top.
Bottom reveal (wall) - keep it consistent
Set the wall bottom reveal (FLRevBW) to match your look - for example, a 1/4" reveal at the bottom to stay consistent around the cabinet while the top carries the larger molding reveal.
Pair gap
The pair gap (PrGap) is the gap between a pair of doors (same idea as on other construction methods). Set it to 1" to open the pair wide; set it to 0 and the doors touch. A typical pair gap is around 1/8".
Important: the pair gap only applies when the Face tab is set to a pair of doors. If you split that into two separate single doors, the pair-gap value no longer affects them - at that point a center stile governs the spacing between the two doors instead.
How to learn the rest on your own
The video's core method works for every door parameter: select a parameter, click the blue question mark for Mozaik's built-in help, run a product parameter override on a single cabinet, exaggerate one value, and watch what moves with the dimensioning tool. Then delete the override to return to your job parameters.
Get it done-for-you
You can set this up yourself using the steps above. If you'd rather skip the setup, PAC's Mozaik training and done-for-you services can help - phillanton.com.
Full disclosure: this guide is published by Phill Anton Consulting.
FAQ
Why does full overlay use reveals instead of overlays?
Because in Mozaik, full-overlay construction positions doors and drawer fronts by the gap measured from the outside edge inward (the reveal), rather than by an overlay measured from the inside out. Once the construction method is set to Full Overlay, the overlay parameters at the top of the Doors category no longer have an effect.
I changed the side reveal but nothing moved - what's wrong?
That side is most likely an unfinished end (for example, butting against a tall cabinet). Side-reveal values apply to finished ends; on an unfinished side, the adjacent-cabinet (or adjacent-filler) reveal controls the gap instead. Check the end type - a finished end shows an F marker - before adjusting.
How much top reveal do I need on wall cabinets for crown molding?
A 1/4" reveal isn't enough room for molding. The demo uses about 1-1/2" of top reveal (FLRevTW) on the wall cabinet to leave space for crown, while keeping a smaller (e.g., 1/4") reveal at the bottom for a consistent look.