Making Panel Doors Move

In a frame and panel construction a large panel is fitted into a groove in the interior edge of a more dimensionally stable frame made of narrow.

Making panel doors move.

Then subtract the widths of both stiles from the total door width then cut the rails to that length plus 3 4 that will make more sense later. Link to the craftsman door trim project. This is a beginners guide to making loose tenon raised panel cabinet doors in mdf. The groove is a hair wider than 3 4 and 1 2 deep.

For that reason the panel is typically captured in grooves plowed along the inside edges of the stiles and rails so it can float and move. Frame and panel doors add class to any project but they don t have to add a lot of assembly time. Raised panel doors are an example of frame and panel construction a method developed hundreds of years ago to combat the effects of moisture on solid wood used in cabinetry and furniture making. Frames use 3 4 thick stock with 1 4 panels in various materials and veneers a general purpose saw blade will do the job although.

Typical construction for frame and panel doors have stiles running the full height and the rails fitting in between. That meant that all i d need for this project is a 12 piece of 1 4 actual thickness 0 2 plywood from lowe s. Mark the doorway. Fortunately our bedroom door was completely smooth so i didn t need to apply veneer over it our foyer door had that faux wood grain texture which i covered with veneer.

Before you get to sawing gluing and sanding you ll need. The panel should slide into the groove without requiring any force but it shouldn t wiggle either. If the groove is too narrow and it probably will be on the first try nudge your saw s fence a tiny bit and repeat both cuts. Using the straightforward process detailed here you can crank out great looking doors for many applications including furniture cabinets and built ins.

Other panel options include glass mirror metal or even ceramic. It will hold the panel but still allow it to expand and contract across its width. There are many ways to make raised panel cabinet doors and having tried m. Wooden door panels usually are flat or have raised center fields possibly with carvings.

Run down to your local hardware store or home. Acquire a 4 ft 1 2 m x 8 ft 2 4 m sheet of 1 2 in 1 3 cm plywood. After putting my stack dado in the table saw i cut a groove for the door s panel to float in. Updating a flat panel core door with some trim and bead board to give it a more updated look.