Gap size between doors/frame

[Tierney]

Hi,

I would like some advice on how big a gap to leave between doors and frame that are going to be painted?

It is for built in cabinets with a face frame and doors. The whole thing will receive four coats of paint (primer, undercoat, 2 coats of eggshell) applied by brush. The doors and frame are made from tulipwood/poplar; which was in an attic for over a year and the components (I.e. rails and stiles before assembly) have been in the room where the cabinets are for about three weeks, so hopefully the wood is stable. The carcass is plywood.

I have a gap of 1mm all around the unpainted doors/frame at the moment, just not sure if this is enough.

Regards,

DT

 

[Jojo]

Hi I am not sure about your cabinet but domestic internal doors is tested on site with a penny this should just fit all around to allow for painting.

Hope this helps

John

 

[eezageeza]

I'm just building some kitchen cupboards, and allow 1mm all round, followed by 5 coats of paint. Seems to work okay.

 

[owen]

I leave 2mm all round normally.

 

[MMUK]

Metric 8-[ Aaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh :!:

Depending on application I normally leave between 3/32" and 1/8" :mrgreen:

 

[petermillard]

2mm all round here, too. Also happens to be the thickness of a 2p coin, though I prefer to use a plastic packer to kid myself I'm being professional

 

[Tierney]

Great, thanks for all the responses - I really like the idea of using a penny; which since 1992 has been 1.65mm thick (about 1/16th). 1.5mm seems to be about the average of the replies so far.

A 2p (since 1992) is 2.03mm thick (about 5/64)

Thanks again,

DT

 

[RobinBHM]

I do 2mm all round and set the doors so there is a very slight larger gap at the bottom. Also tend to plane a bevel on the lead edge.

 

[chippy1970]

2 mm here too

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[Mar_mite]

I'd say anything under 2mm is very tight. I normally a for about 2.5 for a painted cabinet. Aren't overlay blums set up to give a 2.5 - 3mm gap as standard? If you wanted a 1mm gap and was using blums you would have to wind the adjustment right in. If you were using ordinary butts you would have to sink one leaf in quite far to give <2mm.

 

[twothumbs]

Used to be a tanner..sixpence. Joiners well paid then. Best wisihes.

 

[Tierney]

I'm using butt hinges and have let them into the cock bead on the stiles, so the knuckle is in line with the bead. I have probably 1.75mm on average all around now.

DT