Here’s a simple question.
I’m making cabinet doors for a kitchen. The rails and stiles are cherry. I going to use 1/4″ cherry plywood (mdf core) for the panels.
I’m sure I’ve read or heard somewhere that when cabinet doors are assembled they aren’t glued into place to allow wood movement. Is that true of when using plywood too? (Mine have some play in them now
At another Forum, hosted by a competing magazine, I heard don’t glue the panels, yes – glue them, and don’t glue them but use those barrel spaces to prevent rattles.
This is a once in a lifetime project for me so I’m trying to get it right. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance and Happy Easter.
Replies
First off, it's not clear to me whether you're using MDF or plywood underneath the cherry veneer. I prefer MDF if you've still got a choice...
It is absolutely not necessary to glue the panels. However, it will do absolutely no harm if you do. So everyone should be happy.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1
I agree whole heartily with David. Either way is accepatble for MDF core .
If it's a once in a lifetime project, why not go all out and make the panels from some glued up solid cherry? It's a lot more work but the end product will look much nicer and the doors will be heavier and stronger.
If you have the equipment, find some 5/4 wide cherry. Resaw it and make 2 door panels from each piece. You should be able to end up with 1/2" panels. That's fairly cost effective and you will have book matched doors. Just find some dead flat cherry stock. I just picked up an 8/4 cherry board 14" wide and 6 feet long. Only paid about $6.50 a bf.
The cherry plywood will take the finish differently than the solid rails and stiles and you will be able to fix any damage that may occur easier on the solid stock. Once you tear the thin outer skin of the veneer, it tough.
I'm finishing up a cherry vanity, cherry wall cabinet, and a cherry medicine cabinet. I used solid wood throughout. No veneer or plywood and I'm glad I did it that way.
I am a big time opponent of mdf like products and only use plywood when necessary, like on the kitchen cabinets I am building. I have all the face frames, doors, and drawers made. I have not decided what type of plywood to use. The veneer is so thin theses days, it chips like mad. Not a big problem at the ends, but it looks crappy when dado's chip out and is visible when the cabinet door opens.
Any suggestions on what plywood holds up best and is still cost effective? I am building 18 kitchen cabinets. The visible end caps will be solid panel construction but the interior dividers, backs, and bottoms will be plywood.
BTW, as another stated, gluing plywood panels is a matter of choice but I have read that gluing them will make a stronger door and will not cause any damage due to seasonal movement.
Edited 4/12/2009 5:29 pm ET by dynamwebz
Edited 4/12/2009 5:30 pm ET by dynamwebz
Gluing in the panels can lead to some problems. If your stiles and rails are much wider than 1 3/4", the lumber in the stiles and rails may move. The weak point will be the shaped edge the panels fit in. Occasionally this leads to the wood splitting at this area.
Glue squeeze out around the perimeter can also causes issues when you go to stain the doors. There is no need to glue in the panels. I would highly recommend staining and sealing the panels before assembly. If anything does move, you won't have some bare wood showing or a visible line where finish is missing. You have enough to do and keep neat while gluing the stiles and rails without glue oozing all around.
There are some specialty rubber balls called 'space balls' that are commonly used around the perimeter of the panel. They fit in a 1/4" groove and put light pressure on the panel so it doesn't rattle. They allow for some expansion, primarily the stiles and rails, in your case. You could also use some short 1/2"+- pieces of 1/4" plastic tubing.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
You shouldn't have any expansion/contraction problems with your panels, but use a correctly sized bit for the rail and stile grooves or your panels will be way too loose.
The "standard" rail and stile cutter cuts a 1/4" groove and you need one that cuts ~5mm. Check with MLCS or Rockler for the right cutter.
I like to use those space balls for flat panels (and have been known to cut up small chunks of foam weather stripping once in a while). During assembly, I use a small dab of glue in the middle of the top and bottom rail.
Whether you glue a composition material panel into the rails and stiles is sort of a non-issue. You can do either. Seasonal expansion/contraction is not an issue with plywood or other composition materials.
However, my preference is to glue them in. That way they don't rattle and it makes for a stronger door. For kitchen cabinets the additional strength may not be important unless something will we stored on the inside of the cabinet. For larger cabinet doors, gluing them in is a good idea.
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