Oak and mdf

[Mar_mite]

Hello all. Looking for a few ideas.
I'm making a wardrobe for a customer at the moment and she wants panelled doors (18mm mdf) and oak panels (6mm veneer). I have 8 drawer fronts and 4 doors to make. I'm a bit worried about having a nice sharp line between the oak and mdf. The way I see it, I have 3 options..

1. Make the doors and mask up the panel for painting. I can pre finish the oak before assembly.
2 paint all the inside faces of the mdf before assembly. How will this affect the glue joint where the shoulders meet the stiles?
3. Plant on the rails and stiles on a solid piece of mdf. Paint. Then drop in the oak panel. In my experience the doors will bend when the glue dries. Not an issue on the drawer fronts, but I can't use bowed doors.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

 

[mailee]

How about masking the areas to be glued and then paint them before assembly? :wink:

 

[doctor Bob]

Bead the panels in from the back with a nice clean bead. Like a glazed door but with the oak panel instead of glass.

 

[Mar_mite]

Bead the panels in from the back with a nice clean bead. Like a glazed door but with the oak panel instead of glass.

I like that idea. Thanks. That's what I'm going to do.

 

[Mar_mite]

How about masking the areas to be glued and then paint them before assembly? :wink:

I thought about that. It's a bit of a ball ache though, all that masking up. Thanks for the idea.