I am building two cabinets of equal size and decided to step it up and make the raised panel doors myself. (this way I could talk my wife into letting me buy a jointer) My question is the following:
The cabinet height is 48″ and width is 40 3/8″. I plan on standard face frame widths 1 1/2″ and 3″ for the center). At what height, should I consider using a double raised panel door vs one single raised panel? Also, another side question, what’s the best way to determine the length of the rail?
Thanks
Shawn
Birmingham, AL
Replies
Shawn,
The cabinets you describe are about the same size as a typical desk's bookcase top, and cabinetmakers have been putting panelled doors on them for hundreds of years, more or less successfully.
Some thoughts:
The frame for such a door ought to be broad enough to be able to restrain any tendency for the panels to warp or twist. 3" is pretty much the norm in old work- I'd say the typical range of width is 2 1/2-3 1/2" In addition, the tenons on the rails ought to be long. I consider 1" to be minimal tenon length for a door of this size, and in old work, they frequently extended thru the width of the stile. In addition, consider making the bottom rail 1/2" to 1" wider than the stiles to give the doors more visual weight at the bottom. Rarely, the top rail is slightly narrower than the stiles to heighten (heh) this effect.
Be careful in selecting the stock for your doors. Quartersawn (edge grain) or riftsawn is beetter than flatsawn (face grain) for the frame members, as it ypically is more stable. The panels will be facegrain usually, for the most attractive grain pattern. All the door stock ought to be acclimatised (allowed to stabilise) after thicknessing (before final thicknessing-see the thread on "unbalanced thicknessing" in the general discussion forum) to minimise any tendency to warp or let you eliminate any stuff that wants to move unpredictably. In addition, ample allowance ought to be made (in the depth of the grooves for the panel edges) for seasonal movement. A panel approaching 16-18" in width can move as much as 1/4" in width over severe changes in humidity.
Whether you want to divide the height of the door into two panels or not, is a matter of personal taste, or a dictate of design.
If the inside of the frame is not molded, the length of the rail can be easily calculated. Take the width of the opening, divide by 2. This is the width of the door, outside all. Subtract from that the width of the stiles (3" wide stiles, subtract 6"). This is the length of the rail between tenons. To this, add the combined length of the two tenons.
{The length of the rails between tenons is also used to calculate the width of the panel. Add the amount you want the panel to extend into the groove (usually 1/4 or 5/16") in each side to this dimension. The groove itself ought to be 1/16- 1/8" or so deeper than this, to allow for expansion of the panel, depending on the season you are in (humidity level) at the time of the build.}
If the opening for the panel is surrounded by a molded edge on the frame, you must subtract the width of the mold from the width of the stiles (or add it to the length of the rails between tenons), to allow for mitering or coping the stile and rail moldings together.
This will give you a door that is exactly the width of the opening, which, if the case is square, and the door is square, will give you plenty of allowance for fitting the door to the opening. Overlapping, or lipped doors must be sized in width to provide for the desired overlap, of course. Ditto if there is to be a half-lap or lip where the two doors meet in the middle.
Ray
Rail length ? Don't forget about the hinges ! And how you are mounting he doors ? Inset or overlay ? And how much overlay ? Those questions will determine the length of your rails. If you are using standard stile and rail bits to build the door, don't forget to add 2 X 3/8" for the tongue length you loose when making the cope cut on the rail.
I like using a story stick over the face frame opening, just to be sure I don't end up with short rails. "tape measures" tend to forget about the lost tennon length ;-)
Shawn:
You've gotten two spot on responses, let us know if you have any questions. Wider frame members is strongly suggested, and I'd add to make them thicker, 7/8" if you can, for added strength and visual weight.
I still often make a small sample first, to test arithmetic, and detailed drawings showing tenon length. Poplar is relatively inexpensive, mills well, and a well made sample, unglued, can be a valuable reference for years.
Thanks for the input y'all. I will definitely use a story stick and do a test run with some poplar I have lying around.
Thanks Shawn
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