Thread: Kitchen Cabinet Doors

If this is just a "practice run", does the material matter so much?

Depends on your attitude to your workshop/cupboards/workbench - some want art-gallery quality pieces, while others are happy with bashed and beaten utility pieces.

OTOH, maybe you should use the same material as you're planning to use in the kitchen, so you know how it works. If you bodge a door, just say "That one's for the garage", and aim to do better on the next one.

Cheers,
Andrew

What about using solid timber for the panel?

It could be lighter and easier on your tools plus giving you the opportunity to give it a clear finish.

I have done it a couple of times with pleasing results, just make sure the panels are floating to allow for expansion in the panels and the frames.

- Wood Borer

If I use veneered particle board / brimsboard, I will not be able to create the raised panel effect as the exposed edges will show the particleboard construction.

The only approach by a few kitchen makers I've seen to this problem to raise the veneered panel and then fit it into the rail and stiles. Once fitted, the exposed board is then spray painted with a paint colour that complements the veneer/laminate. The aim is to blend the panel into the rest of the door, with some overspray on the panel and stiles and rails. It looks better on darker veneers/laminates than it does on lighter ones. It also depends on how distinct the grain is. On beech veneer/laminate it doesn't look too bad. I think you'd need to use a board made of finder composition - painted chipboard would look obvious. I'f you were to follow this approach yourself recommend at least MDF veneered board, which Brims make. You'd need to follow all the usual rules of finishing MDF (see elsewhere on this forum under "finishing MDF"). You'd need a steady hand in spraying as well as the effect I saw was done by machine!

If I was to build raised panel doors in my next kitchen (they're not to my taste) I'd make the panels out of MDF (very stable) with rails and stiles our of select grade wood, and then with 3-4 coats of an enamel satin or gloss finish in my favourite colour.

Good luck!

My 2.2c worth

You could skip the raised panel idea (because of MDF) and apply some small detail trim inside the panel for a raised affect.

Gordon.

I can think of two ways to build the centre panel (in the raised panel door) using veneered MDF (which, of course is cheaper, and possibly easier than solid wood).

Method 1: You can make the centre panel out of MDF then vacuum bag a veneer of your choice onto the MDF. Of course this method requires the ability to do such work. Personally, I have not tried it but from my reading it does not seem too difficult.

Method 2: Build up the centre panel in stages. First cut out a veneered MDF centre rectangle. Then glue onto the outside 4 sides of this a solid wood surround onto which you have routed the relief shape (i.e. one long moulding, cut into four strips of solid wood, then mitred at the corners like a picture frame).

What do you think?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks for the ideas boys.

In relation to using solid timber for the raised panel, this would probably mean joining some lengths together to achieve the required width. Previous experince in this has caused frustration in obtaining lengths that aren't bent like boomerangs. This is why I was looking at the option of using MDF or particle board.

I also gave some thought to Derek's option of "framing" the panel with solid timber ( much like a table top is often formed ). The only doubt I had with this method, is how it would like within the rails and stiles which effectively make another frame around the "framed" panel.

I guess I will have to try several methods and see which one looks best.

Honest Gaza

HG,

Joining lengths requires planing down the lengths so they meet exactly and of course make sure the grain matches.

There are a few techniques, I use a No7 handplane to get it 99% and then use a smaller plane to fine tune the joint.

On longer lengths I route corresponding slots on the edges to be joined and use ply or biscuits mainly to keep the boards flat with respect to each other.

Find a good book on the subject and play around, the results are pleasing when the only way to tell there is a join when you need to look at the different endgrains. Achieved sometimes.

- Wood Borer