Router or Tablesaw for making Plywood Kitchen Doors

[hulmea]

Hi All,

I am replacing my kitchen cupboard door with 18mm Marine Plywood. Would it be best to use the old doors as a template and use the router to cut the Plywood down to size or using my table saw. I want to get the best edge for finishing.

The table saw would be more work getting everything straight but I am not sure of the router finish will be as good as a straight cut.

Any advice would be warmly welcomed.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Steve Maskery]

I'd say Tablesaw with a blade specifically designed for laminates. See Doug Perry at Cutting Solutions for advice. You should be able to get a clean cut that needs only a quick pass with a sharp plane get a good finish (or at least, as good a finish as you can expect from plywood).
S

 

[Lord Kitchener]

I don't think plywood is suitable for kitchen doors, it usually isn't flat enough. You will be very lucky to end up with doors that aren't pround at one corner.

Better IMO to use MDF, then it won't matter too much how you cut them as you can easily sand the edges smoot with a sanding block.

 

[RogerBoyle]

Bad idea with the plywood
Either use a solid timber or MDF of the moisture resistant variety MRMDF
Regardless what you eventually use I recommend using the table saw and a quick pass with a plane if timber or a light sand if MDF
Prior to painting Sand everything to 240 /320 grit then paint

HTH

Roger

 

[fluffflinger]

18mm mrmdf will give you a far superior result and will be loads cheaper. Painted finish will look excellent and really good results can be achieved without spraying.

I design and sell kitchens for a living (and occasionally make doors) . Speaking from experience I've never seen a door made from plywood, with the exception of some (hate to say it) rather lovely varnished doors made from an exceptional quality birch ply.

Save some cash and a whole host of other issues and go the mrmdf route or go solid timber (ash for paint as you will get a nice grain print or Oak if you want to use a natural finish).

You can buy unfinished mdf doors on a mtm basis if you need to save time but they are so simple to make (thinking plain Shaker Style) I'd have a bash and see what you think of the results.

 

[Giff]

Hi Andy
Atlantic Timber in Altrincham will make any size MDF door to size, or cut the sheet to size if you want to do your own. Geoff

 

[beech1948]

Andy,

I no longer make my own doors. I found a company which can make them more accurately, with greater precision, wrap the edges, supply the board eg Egger in whatever finish I want. They will make MRMDF frames, drill holes and create the 6mm MRMDF centre panels.

I just glue em up, then spray and mount fittings in holes.

They are cheaper than my own work...sigh.

They are http://www.wrightscarpentry.com/

A bit far away from you but maybe there is a similar company near you.

regards
Al

 

[Racers]

Hi, Hulmea

My kitchen cupboard doors are made from 18mm Birch ply with chamfered edges and a 35mm chamfered hole for the handles. I recently re-finished them because I used water based varnish which didn't stand up to well, a quick sand down and varnish and they are good for another few years.

I would go for a table saw for cuting them out, it will be much quicker.

Pete