Understanding Material Templates in Mozaik
Overview
Material Templates assign materials to cabinet parts. Create templates for the different material combinations your shop uses, then select the appropriate templates for the job. When an individual cabinet needs a different material combination, you can select a template override in the Product Editor.
Understanding Material Templates
A Material Template defines which material is assigned to each applicable part type.
For example, your standard cabinet construction may use a 1/4-inch plywood back, while another construction uses a 3/4-inch plywood back. Create separate Cabinet Parts templates for these two material scenarios.
Important: Review the individual part assignments within a template. A template name alone does not confirm that every part has the intended material.
Material Template Categories
Material Templates are divided into five categories. Each category controls a different group of parts.
Doors - Door and Drawer Face Materials
Purpose: Assigns materials to door and drawer face parts.
How it works: Select the Doors template that contains the material assignments required for those parts.
Application: Door and drawer face material selection.
Important: Drawer faces belong to this category. Drawer box parts are controlled by Drawers and Trays.
Drawers and Trays - Drawer and Tray Box Materials
Purpose: Assigns materials to drawer and tray box parts.
How it works: Select the template containing the required drawer and tray box material assignments.
Application: Drawer and tray box construction.
Important: Review this category separately from the Doors template when the drawer faces and boxes use different materials.
Cabinet Parts - Cabinet Box Materials
Purpose: Assigns materials to cabinet box parts.
How it works: The template lists part types with their assigned materials and thicknesses.
Examples shown in the template window include:
• Tops and bottoms.
• End panels.
• Adjustable and fixed shelves.
• Partitions and dividers.
• Back panels.
• Frames and nailers.
Application: Cabinet box material selection.
Important: Check the relevant back, shelf, and panel assignments when switching between construction scenarios.
Countertops - Countertop Materials
Purpose: Assigns materials to countertop parts.
How it works: Select the countertop template required for the job.
Application: Countertop material selection.
Banding - Edgebanding Materials
Purpose: Assigns edgebanding materials.
How it works: Select the banding template required for the job.
Application: Edgebanding material selection.
Selecting Material Templates for a Job
Settings Tab - Job Material Template Selections
Purpose: Establishes the material template selections used for the job.
How it works: You can mix and match a different template for each category.
To select the job templates:
- Go to the Settings tab.
- Open the Materials section.
- Select the required Door Material Template.
- Select the required Drawer Material Template.
- Select the required Cabinet Material Template.
- Select the required Countertops Material Template.
- Select the required Edge Banding Material Template.
Example combination:
• Doors: Solid Wood Doors.
• Drawers: 1/2 Plywood Drawers.
• Cabinet Parts: 3/4 Plywood Cabinet.
• Countertops: 3/4 Solid Surface Tops.
• Banding: Default Edge Materials.
Important: Each category has its own selection. Changing the cabinet template does not replace the need to review the door, drawer, countertop, and banding selections.
Reviewing Template Assignments
Material Template - Template Selection
Purpose: Selects the template you want to review.
How it works: In the Material Templates window, select the appropriate category and choose a template from the Material Template list.
The window includes New, Edit, and Delete controls for managing templates.
Part Type - Component Assignment
Purpose: Identifies the cabinet component receiving the material.
How it works: Locate the part type you want to check, such as Top, Bottom, AdjustableShelf, or Partition.
Application: Verifying that the correct component has the intended material assignment.
Material - Assigned Stock Material
Purpose: Shows the material assigned to the listed part type.
How it works: Review the material beside each applicable part.
Important: Different part types within a template can have different material assignments.
Thickness - Assigned Material Thickness
Purpose: Shows the thickness associated with the assigned material.
How it works: Review the thickness alongside the material name.
When to check: When using a different panel thickness, especially for backs, shelves, or cabinet box components.
Base and Wall - Cabinet Parts Views
Purpose: Selects the Base or Wall assignments shown in the Cabinet Parts template window.
How it works: Use the Base and Wall options to review the applicable assignments.
Important: Review both views when the template needs to support different base and wall cabinet material combinations.
Overriding Materials for an Individual Cabinet
Info Tab - Material Overrides
Purpose: Allows an individual cabinet to use a different material template from the job selection.
How it works: Select a material template override in the Product Editor.
To apply an override:
- Open the cabinet in the Product Editor.
- Select the Info tab.
- Locate Material Overrides.
- Choose the alternative template in the applicable field.
- Review the cabinet’s material assignments.
The available override fields include:
• Door
• Drawer Box
• Cabinet
• Banding
When to use: When one cabinet needs a different material combination within the same design.
Example: Most cabinets use a template with 1/4-inch plywood backs, but one cabinet requires the template with 3/4-inch plywood backs. Select the alternative template in that cabinet’s Case override.
Important: Material Overrides and Library Overrides are separate areas on the Info tab. Use Material Overrides when changing the cabinet’s material template selection.
Use Job Setting - Follow the Job Selection
Purpose: Keeps the cabinet linked to the corresponding job-level selection.
How it works: Leave the applicable override field set to Use Job Setting when the cabinet should follow the template selected in Settings.
When to use: For cabinets that use the job’s standard material combination.
To return a cabinet to the job selection: Change the applicable override back to Use Job Setting.
Common Material Template Scenarios
Standard Cabinet Material Combination
• Select the required templates in Settings > Materials.
• Leave individual cabinet overrides set to Use Job Setting.
• Review the part assignments in the selected templates.
Alternative Back Thickness
• Maintain one Cabinet Parts template for 1/4-inch plywood backs.
• Maintain another for 3/4-inch plywood backs.
• Select the appropriate template for the job or apply a Case override to an individual cabinet.
Different Door and Cabinet Box Materials
• Select the required Doors template.
• Select the required Cabinet Parts template independently.
• Review the Drawers and Trays and Banding selections to complete the material combination.
One Cabinet with Different Materials
• Keep the standard job template selections.
• Open the exception cabinet in the Product Editor.
• Apply the required Material Override on the Info tab.
Troubleshooting Material Template Issues
Issue: A cabinet uses a different material than expected
• Check the template selected in Settings > Materials.
• Review the cabinet’s Info tab for a Material Override.
• Check the individual part assignment inside the selected template.
Issue: Changing the job template does not produce the expected result on one cabinet
• Check whether that cabinet has a specific template override.
• Select Use Job Setting if it should follow the job selection.
Issue: The cabinet back uses the wrong material or thickness
• Review the selected Cabinet Parts template.
• Check the relevant back part assignments.
• Confirm that the job or cabinet uses the template for the intended back construction.
Issue: Drawer faces and drawer boxes use unexpected materials
• Review Doors for the drawer face assignments.
• Review Drawers and Trays for the drawer box assignments.
• Check the corresponding cabinet overrides.
Issue: Base and wall cabinets do not use the intended material assignments
• Open the Cabinet Parts template.
• Review the Base and Wall selections.
• Confirm the assignments in each applicable view.
Best Practices
Template Organization
• Create templates for the material scenarios your shop regularly uses.
• Use descriptive names that identify meaningful differences, such as back thickness.
• Verify the part assignments before relying on a template name.
Job Setup
• Review all five template categories before finalizing the job.
• Mix and match category selections to suit the required construction.
• Check material names and thicknesses together.
Cabinet Exceptions
• Use individual cabinet overrides for material exceptions.
• Leave standard cabinets set to Use Job Setting.
• Review overrides when a cabinet does not follow the expected job selection.
Template Interactions to Know
Job Selections and Cabinet Overrides
Settings establishes the job’s template selections. An individual cabinet can use an alternative template through Material Overrides on the Info tab.
Doors and Drawers and Trays
Doors controls door and drawer face parts. Drawers and Trays controls drawer and tray box parts.
Cabinet Parts and Back Thickness
Different back material scenarios require appropriate Cabinet Parts templates. Review the back assignments when selecting between them.
Template Categories
Each category can use a different template. Together, the five selections establish the job’s material combination.