Panel doors

[mango301]

Hi all,

I plan to build my first set of panel doors for a wardrobe i'm constructing and i have a question about the suitable size of timber for their construction which i'm hoping someone with more experience can help me with, for the record i'm a keen diyer and not a pro!

Currently the face frame i have constructed is with 32mm thick pine (38mm planed) so initially i assumed i'd just use this thickness of timber for the door rails and stiles and either 6mm veneered mdf for flat panels, or to run up some raised panels with a 6mm thick edge using a panel raiser. However, having looked at the available router sets to produce the doors (wealdon tools/axminster) the recommendations are to use timber between 18 and 25mm.

I'm happy to go with this size but for some odd reason i thought that it may be too thin, the reason for this is the doors will be approx 2.0m by 0.5m, so my question is this too thin or am i worrying too much (lack of experience probably)? was planning something around the 70mm mark for the rail and stile width (as you look at the door).

Thanks

Stu

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I suggest you aim for the thicker size limitation (25 mm) rather than the minimum thickness (18 mm) if you can. I've made and seen many wardrobe doors of about that sort of height and width, but the thinner ones tend to flex significantly more as you open and close them, especially if you're using magnetic catches or similar: thicker doors are, naturally, stiffer.

I don't know if you have access to a saw and planers, but if you do, you could buy 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" rough sawn stock and then you'd be able to easily machine stuff to 21 or 25 mm. The 70 mm width for rails and stiles is pretty standard, although you might consider making bottom rails 90 or 100 mm wide. This looks better and more balanced - lower rails frequently look narrower than they are because you tend to look downwards at them, visually foreshortening their actual width. Slainte.

 

[mango301]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated, glad i wasn't off the mark too far with the concern about the thinner end of the range, really enjoying the project and don't want to finish the doors and then be disappointed.

With the doors thinner than the face frame i'll also have some space behind them if their fitted flush to the front for the catches which i'd not thought about until your post, thanks.

I've got access to a saw and planer through a friend who's more than happy to let me use them, i've just never used a table saw or planer yet so i guess i'd not really thought about using anything other than off the shelf planed stock. If i do go down this route i'll make sure to get plenty of instruction on their use/supervision. Having said that the local timber merchant stocks plenty of 32mm which when planed will come up approx 26mm which i guess may work.

Was thinking of going for the thicker bottom rail so your comments have helped there too.

Thanks once again.

 

[RobinBHM]

500 x 2000 doors 25mm thick work fine. I always use tulipwood but softwood should be ok provided you use good stock.

I always use concealed hinges, never butts for wardrobe doors. Probably 4 hinges on a 2000mm high door. There is some play in these hinges so setting them out so they start with 1mm gap at top and 5mm-6mm gap at the bottom means they will drop to about the right place without taking all the adjustment upwards.

I find a mid rail of 150 to 180 wide looks good. Bottom rail maybe 100mm with 70mm stiles.

Be careful when assembling, it is easy to over tighten cramps forcing the stiles to tilt over.

 

[mango301]

Hi Robin,

Thanks for the advice on the wood choice, i'll have a look at tulip wood too now as the local place to me only has rough sawn but if i use the planer i can do it myself. Also going to go over some designs with the mid rail too to get a feel for it as it will match in nicely with the existing doors in the room.

I've been looking to rout a bead in the face frame edge with the hope of setting but hinges into it with the barrel lined up with the beading but will also have a look at concealed hinges too now you've mentioned them. Although my face frame over hangs the carcass sides by 20mm (into the opening) so i may struggle with clearance on this if i use concealed hinges? unless you can by long reach ones?

Point noted on the clamping.

Thanks