The Dutch Door is a classic single door split in kitchen cabinets that adds casual elegance. Matching interior doors depends on the desired look and functionality of the space, and matching finishes and styles can create a cohesive look. Before starting, gather tools to make matching cabinet doors easier, such as samples of door styles and finishes from various sources.
In addition to concealing household contents, cabinet doors also play a crucial role in elevating interior design. When choosing a new interior door, consider factors such as style, materials, soundproofing, and door swing. It’s okay to go with a different door style, as a colonial/early American 19th-century house often has different doorstyles throughout. However, it’s important to plan and thoughtfully design each space where the doors are placed.
Glass cabinet doors easily mix and match with other cabinet styles, and cabinetry can adapt to many different interior design styles. If you want to use a regular door, it should match your other doors. Some people install special doors for the pantry.
Our guide will help you discover the various features of contemporary, farmhouse, traditional, and transitional cabinet doors. The short answer is yes, but there are some things to consider before choosing non-matching doors. For example, a Shaker style cabinet door with a flat panel and inset face frame would work well. Trim, just like interior doors, can use different styles and colors under one roof.
📹 Choosing Your Cabinet Door Style
New cabinets are a real treat. Honestly, the opportunity to have a new kitchen is a luxury and embarking on remodeling a dated …
Is it OK to mix interior design styles?
Universal Furniture offers a user-friendly To The Trade storefront for designers, free shipping, and no order minimum. They provide in-stock and customizable special-order pieces in three key, easy-to-mix-and-match styles: Modern, Coastal, and Transitional. To create a unique and unique space, follow a common color palette, ideally using two neutral shades and two accent colors. This will help avoid visual overwhelm and focus on a statement piece.
Use Universal Furniture’s Coastal collection for custom-created sofas, Transitional sideboards, or in-stock or in-stock-soon pieces. The website makes it easy to check pricing and availability, and place the order that suits you best.
Skip matching sets, which can dominate the tone of a room, as they can dominate the room’s tone. Instead, use Universal Furniture’s ready-to-ship and special-order pieces from award-winning brands like Crypton Home, JB Martin, and Moore and Giles in three popular and stylish yet functional styles. For special-order items, use Universal Furniture’s To The Trade digital-design tools to custom-create coordinating pieces from each style, made from more than 400 fabric options and 50 leathers.
In summary, Universal Furniture offers a user-friendly storefront, free shipping, and no order minimum for designers to create unique and memorable spaces.
Can cabinet doors be a different color than cabinets?
To achieve a unique two-toned look in your kitchen, consider painting your cabinet boxes blue and using textured, natural wood cabinet doors. Black cabinet doors with white cabinet boxes or choosing complimentary neutral colors can also provide a contemporary look. Two-tone cabinets are a popular interior design trend, and a great two-toned look starts with the right cabinet doors. CabinetDoors. com offers an extensive selection of cabinet door styles, wood species, and finishes, allowing you to create the kitchen look you have always wanted. Explore their complete selection of kitchen cabinet doors to get started.
Can I put new cabinet doors on old cabinets?
Replacing old kitchen cabinet doors is a simple task that requires a screwdriver, right fixings, and basic DIY skills. However, it’s crucial to ensure the new doors fit perfectly on the old cabinets. To do this, carefully measure the door sizes and send them to us. If you’re not confident, consider using a local fitter to help measure and install the new fronts. Remember to follow these steps to ensure a perfect fit and maintain the overall look of your kitchen.
What is the current trend for internal doors?
Modern oak panel doors are gaining popularity due to their strength, naturalness, and texture, while also exuding a minimalist aesthetic with clean lines. These doors are versatile and can be oiled in Premium or Select grade, coated in any RAL or NCS color, or frameless for seamless integration. The Modern H collection features a horizontally glued solid oak panel with Original grading, making it expressive and accentuating the oak’s authentic patterns and texture. This model is designed for those who want a contemporary feel in their home without sacrificing the cosiness and warmth of natural wood.
Do interior doors need to match cabinets?
The choice between matching and non-matching interior doors depends on personal preference and the space. A uniform look can modernize interior doors, creating a specific identity and highlighting personal style choices. This is convenient and cost-effective. However, there are no set rules for home design, and there is no need to limit creativity. A one-style-throughout approach can work well, but it may lose its charm and originality sooner than a home with varied interior doors chosen for their uniqueness and the space they occupy.
Non-matching interior doors are gaining popularity due to the wide variety of choices available from leading sellers like 27estore. Factors to consider when selecting doors include the space, size, and style of the room.
Do all internal doors need to match?
Matching internal doors is a common practice in creating a cohesive and harmonious look in a home. Consistency in style, material, and finish helps establish a sense of unity and flow. Mixing and matching internal door styles is possible, but it requires careful consideration to maintain consistency in other elements. When choosing the right internal doors, consider factors such as the overall style of your home, the functional requirements of each room, and personal preferences. Consider the material, finish, and any additional features needed, such as glazing or fire resistance.
In conclusion, matching internal doors can significantly impact the overall aesthetic and feel of your home. By choosing doors that are consistent in style, material, and finish, you create a visually appealing interior that flows seamlessly from one room to another. Remember to consider your personal style, the functional requirements of each space, and the overall design aesthetic of your home when selecting internal doors.
Is it OK to have different style interior doors?
To create a visually appealing interior, mix different door styles to avoid overwhelming the space. It’s essential to choose a few right-sized styles to avoid overwhelming the space. Working with reputable door manufacturers is crucial for achieving desired results. Yarrow Sash and Door, a top window company in Winnipeg, can help you select the right doors for your home, including storm doors and window shutters. Their extensive selection ensures you find exactly what you’re looking for, making them a top choice for your interior and exterior design needs.
Can you mix and match door styles?
To create a seamless interior design, consider the visibility of each door and the other doors in the room. Mixing various types of doors, such as hinged, sliding, and French doors, can be acceptable as long as they all work together. However, don’t overdo it and choose simpler designs for doors that share the same space as the more eye-catching options. While some doors should be design focal points, prioritize functionality over appearance.
Use impressive door designs when they make sense and prioritize function for the rest of the design. Remember to consider all visible locations and simultaneous access to doors to ensure a seamless flow and cohesive design.
Should interior doors match closet doors?
Shaker doors are a minimalist and unassuming option that can be incorporated into a variety of interior design schemes. Their versatility allows them to be paired with other elements to suit the specific needs of a given space. For instance, bedroom doors and closet doors can be utilized to allow natural light to permeate the interior. It is nevertheless recommended to maintain a consistent visual and tactile quality for the main interior doors.
Can you mix cabinet door styles?
Combining different styles of kitchen cabinets can add visual interest to a kitchen. Shaker style cabinets, with their classic design of a large flat recessed central panel and raised frame, are ideal for pairing with other styles. The Houghton Kitchen showcases this by combining classic panelled Shaker cabinets in vibrant Bramble and Lavender Fields with recessed J-Groove handleless cabinets in exposed walnut.
This harmonious combination of traditional and modern styles and colors creates a visually appealing and functional kitchen. Both types of cabinets are in-frame designs, creating a harmonious overall design.
What color cabinets never go out of style?
Kitchen cabinet colors are a crucial investment in a home’s value and can transform the entire room. Some timeless tones, such as white, off-white, and cream white, are popular among homeowners due to their long-term appeal and ability to match with various design styles. These colors are also cost-effective, saving money and time in the long run. White cabinets, which have been around for decades, are clean, fresh, and brighten up any space.
Various shades of white, from off-white to cream, can add a touch of originality to the kitchen. Overall, choosing the right kitchen cabinet color can significantly enhance the overall aesthetic appeal and functionality of your home.
📹 CHEAP and EASY Shaker Cabinet Doors and Drawers | DIY | HOW TO
READ THIS!!! The material I used was 5/8″ MDF NOT 1/2″. The price is effectively the same, but a smidge thicker. My apologies to …
IWATCH THIS. I did this for a laundry room but used ash for stiles and rails. Also used table saw. However if I had this article first I would have saved countless hours on redoing my stiles and rails. The many, many tips will save you time and frustration over and over again. The careful explanations and tool reviews are golden. The pure quality of the article is practically flawless, and it’s engaging and fun. What the heck more could you ask? Thank you man! Cheers!
Excellent article! Content, comedy, production, etc. were all really well done. I agree with you on using MDF. People say it’s garbage or not for jobs like this, but I’ve used MDF for tons of projects, and I’ve been surprised at how versatile can be. Side note, I don’t think you mentioned it in the article, but they sell a formaldehyde free MDF/HDF so you don’t have to worry about offgassing toxic chemicals. I learned of the material recently from a knowledgeable guy and thought I’d share it here. Cheers!
I’m doing something similar for my kitchen remodel… but I’m going with 3/4″ poplar R&S with either 1/2″ inset plywood or MDF panels to give them some “beef.” Most of the cuts are with the table saw, but I’m using a Freud R&S shaker set to mill the inside edges to achieve a beveled look (Freud 99-762). A bit more classy looking in my case. Biggest tip I gleaned… cut your stiles about 1/4″ long. After assembly, run the doors through through the table saw to trim the ends flush (top and bottom) and make them dead square by removing about 1/8″ from both ends. The little you take off the rails will not be noticeable and make for perfect edges with no need to hand sand them very much.
Loved your step by step tutorial, appreciate it! Will def be buying you a drink! Quick question, can you do a article on your dust collector? Don’t know if you have one or not but it is clean! I started on my cabinet doors and while I was running my pieces through the miter I got snowed in with wood shavings.🎅🏽
Hey Tyler! Great, reassuring article. I’m currently in a place with extra blah “landlord special” kitchen cabinetry made only of 3/4″ MDF (cut plain, with no rails or styles present at all — just raw sheet painted poorly all around, and with too-tight tolerances). Even that crap has mostly held up for probably a decade, although the tight gaps have created a few rub spots in the paint, which then allowed some moisture in, which then bubbled the edges on doors directly under the sink 🤬. I thought I would need to go with poplar for my next kitchen, but your article really drove home how being careful about it will yield great results.
I do flips and rentals full time. I often do a variant of this that I like even more. Cut 1/2″ MDF sheet to exact size of finished door or drawer. Rip 1/4″ sheets of MDF down to rail/stile size. Glue liberally with brush or roller and stick them on the 1/2″. Let them overhang all around by about 1/16″. I’ll usually use a few 5/8″ 23gauge pins and/or large binder clips to hold them til glue dries. Then flush trim the overhang with a router bit. Prime, and paint with Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane or similar. If you pay attention to detail you get an excellent looking result. Also works great for built ins for book cases, closets, etc.
I made 52 doors and drawer faces like this all over my house. My advice, take your savings and spend some of it on good paint. I used Latex in the bathrooms and good Alkyd enamel in the kitchen. Two years later I have had to remove and repair several cabinet doors in the kids bathroom since the MDF blows up once the water gets past the coating. The kitchen still looks nice.
Man. You are a handy person to be married to. If I want shaker style cabinets, I have to do it myself (or pay thousands). Husband not interested in getting hands “dirty.” I have shakers but only the doors are shakered. Can you do a vid perhaps where you take a slab drawer front and turn it into a shaker drawer front? Like, just the outer part? Have you ever done that? Thanks so much. You are entertaining and educational.
Dude, I was LITERALLY getting dressed while perusal this article, looked away for a second, and you said “Put your pants on.” One of the most hilarious timing coincidences I’ve ever experienced.😂(This is the first article of yours that I’ve watched, so I don’t know if it’s a catchphrase or not. I was caught completely off guard!)
Perhaps a dumb question, I’m not sure if I just missed it…. How do you get just the right measurement for the panel to fit/slide between the stiles and rails. I know you said you take off 1/8th for some wiggle room, but that’s about all I caught. The budget I’m on is very tight so I can’t really afford to mess up, so if I can avoid it.. 😂 That aside, this is excellent and so clear and easy to understand. Thank you!
I’m about to embark on a down-to-the-studs renovation on a small cottage (~425 sf) to which I’ll move in while renovating the main house (~1200 sf). Both built in the 1950s and my overall design hinges on custom cabinetry. I’m good with the functional part of the build, but the aesthetic part concerned me. I appreciate your budget savvy ideas and also that you shared your decision making process. I lost most my shop tools so seeing you create such beautiful doors and door fronts without an insane $150K workshop is inspiring. Thank you!
Very nice explanations and visuals, making this look like a really professional job. One question/suggestion: on the drawer fronts for the small drawers, since it doesn’t look that you’ll be installing pulls, you might put a slight back bevel on the side stiles (or bottom rail) to make it easier to get your fingers on the drawer to pull it out.
Of all the articles I’ve watched about making shaker doors, you have done the best job. Yours is clear and concise, and easy to understand. My plans are to help my nephew build new doors for his kitchen to replace the ones they lost in the 2016 flood in South Louisiana. I am looking forwarding to tackling this project. Thanks again!
MDF (water resistant type) is pretty standard in Europe & the UK. Has been for years. A good hard paint/lacquer finish is key to keeping them from environmental effects but they’ll outlive the normal cabinet lifespan within a home before they’re replaced for aesthetic or style reasons not because they’re damaged or performing poorly.
Nice work. We refreshed my daughters bathroom earlier this year and used this exact same color combo. That kind of Brushed gold fixtures, with a sage green cabinet. Whenever I go in there I’m surprised how much I like the combination (I’m old enough to remember the ‘brass’ fixtures of the 80’s and swore I’d never install yellow colored fixtures in my house, but here we are). ;0)
Dude, can I just say, this article is so good. I was skeptical at first with the MDF. But man! How thorough you were in your explanations, SO many tips and tricks I learned that I will absolutely use, even went as far as buying different clamping systems so you can offer us the best possible products. What clinched it for me was the donut. I burst out laughing. Top notch content my friend. Thanks for the article.
Very good explanation, thank you! I still have a question: I need to build quite a few doors measuring about 42″ long and 16″ wide, is it better to use 3/4 thickness instead of half an inch for more stability of the door? And also how many hinges would be needed per door 2 or 3, since doors are tall? Thank you in advance.
For smaller drawer faces I like to do 2 – 2¼” rails and stiles so the panel is a little bit bigger. Makes it look just a little better. To avoid foot use to hang doors, Kreg makes a jig that clamps to the face frame and makes it so much easier to mount and you can adjust your reveal for the size of your doors.
No way man! I had MDF cabinet doors made by a master carpenter to reno my kitchen. He convinced me they would be perfectly fine once painted so with hesitation I agreed. Huge mistake! Many of the hinges split. All of the lower are worn at the handles, swollen in spots. Totally disgusting. I am now going to tear out all the cabinets to replace them. Was a huge waste of money.
Tips no one asked for. Sand the panel side edge of the styles/rails before glue up if needed. Drill and glue in 3/8″ dowels where screws attach at the hinges as this is usually the first point of failure. Wear a mask (as you did) as MDF is nasty to breathe in depending on how many pieces you’re doing. Currently in my area mdf is $10 more a sheet than cabinet grade sanded plywood and would make a great alternative if you planned on a stained look. Plywood is also resistant to movement with moisture and, if it does soak up water, dries out without compromising the piece. The only difference is you’ll need an hour or so for edge banding.
One of if not the best woodworking websites on youtube. Good skills, well articulated, cost saving advice. AND best of all, it’s without all the bad language so my 7 year (future woodworker) son can watch and learn. I want him to learn tools and skills not how to speak like a street corner thug. THX so much.
Combination of nice expensive tools (such as table saw capable of using dado blades) and cheap shit materials like MDS… feels the opposite to DIY, but perhaps it’s just me. I prefer to spend a bit more on material and use my trusted router as my cheap cheap table saw doesn’t let to use dados 🙁 Nevertheless, thanks for the great article – I learned a lot!!!
mdf can not support screws in my experience, its basically a thicker version of drywall made out of a different material. The weak point are always are the screws. Securing the hinges by screws will create stress points where the mdf will fail over time due to heavy use. Light use should be completely fine. The workaround is to 1) use more screws to distribute the load or 2) use a some sort of backing plate like thin metal plate, or 3) use epoxy as the primary source of attachment with screws being secondary.
As a woodworker, it’s people like this that should remind us all that, the bottom line is that the job got done and looks and functions well. My methods, admittedly, are not “professional” and my work is hardly perfect, I feel that one must give a nod to tradition while, kind of ignoring it and do what one can do to get the job done. Awesome article. Thank you.
Dude, you did such an incredible job. Those cabinets look so awesome. Quick question from a newbie. Same material thicknesses if I’m doing my Kitchen? Thank you for taking the time in showing how you did this. Really appreciate it. Just gotta get the nerve to do it. If I could do this it would literally save me thousands of dollars.
I’m thinking of making a pair of glass or plexiglass shaker style bifold doors to separate my front door and closet from the rest of the space. This is so I don’t chill off the house too much in the winter. I’m just thinking that the materials you’ve used won’t be sturdy enough for what I’m hoping to do. There would be 4 panels, each panel 17¾”. I’d like to go with the plexiglass as it’s lighter. It will depend on the cost of each. I was thinking of going with just one clear panel, top/ bottom rails and 2 styles. I could also go with a solid panel covering 1/3 of the bottom. What do you think? Thanks 😊
I bought this kreg jig for my old door to install soft close hinges and it was awesome and made it a breeze. But I would love to switch all my doors a drawers to this style but my cabinets are oak but now painted ultra gloss white and I mixed 1 to 1 on ultra white wall paint and a gloss clear coat and it made a great finish and it self levels when using a brush and it cleans so easy to keep it all clean.
Very nice! I refinished my kitchen 15 years ago in nearly the same method. I cheated a little more though and used 1/4″ MDF for rails and stiles over 1/2″ MDF doors, glued them together and from the outside looked great. Unfortunately little scratches in the finish over time introduced moisture and the MDF swelled.
Wow. Glad I stumbled across your article. I have been experimenting with build some cabinets and doors and had decent results. I got a lot of good info in your article on how to up my quality and make things easier on myself at the same time. Also, heading right now to watch your measurement article! Dropped a sub and like too!
What a well put together article. Normally someone shows you how they did something, but doesn’t explain crap. I’m not a professional contractor that knows about and has high end unobtainable tools not commonly available for diyer’s. They have tools that are only available online instead of at a big box store for the general public. Also, you explained what you used an why. Awesome. You have a new subscriber.
IMO the handsaw and clamped rail method gets the absolute cleanest straightest edge to rip down the long cuts. Not a professional woodworker, but have OCD, so that’s an easy go to, especially with a single person. 😂 You could use a router to clean up edges, but lord routing MDF 😳 Looking like a yellow Christmas! 🤣 You’ll need a full face gas mask and bio suit for it to keep it out of your lungs and eyes.
Merry Christmas. I have a pretty large kitchen with a lot of golden oak cabinets and drawers. I’d like to build shaker style doors and drawers myself. I can get all of the styles and rails for free from my work. They are MDF rips that are 4 1/2″ wide x 8’ tall and 3/4″ thick. What would you recommend that I use for the panels for the doors and drawers? Ty
Really well explained! If I had the tools I can see how easy this would be now but sadly I live in an appartment, so I only have the basic power tools (drill, sander, jigsaw). Could you make maybe a article of how to create simple cabinet doors with MDF using maybe more basic equipment for those who are not woodworkers but like to try some basic cabinet project? I guess I could cut the stiles and the rails and the panel with the jigsaw with a bit of an edge and make it as straight as possible with a bit of sanding, but definetly cant do the dado. Any alternative? maybe a big panel the size of the whole door and glue the rails and stiles on top?Thanks man!
Great article. Any suggestions on how to make a decent “stop” for a table saw like the one you got on the right side of your table saw in order to adjust width? I ask because i bought a cheap table saw and it does the job great, but the “stop” (i dont know what it’s called in english) sucks donkeyballs and moves when pressure is applied.
Boy oh Boy you sure do like fiddling around. For perfect drawer alignment and foolproof install: 1) Measure cabinet height and width, drawer height and width, calculate the spacing requirements to center drawers between the cabinet doors and to space them vertically. 2) place bottom stop block – as you did to align the bottom drawer. 3) cut 2 spacers. a vertical spacer to align drawers left of right – depending your handedness – and a horizontal spacer to separate the drawers. 4) clamp or use double sided tape to afix the vertical spacer next to the cabinet drawer. 5) install 1-2 strips of double sided tape to drawer fronts. Align drawer face against the spacers and stick to the drawer front. 5) Screw the face to drawere front through pre-driled holes. 6) Move the horizontal spacer to top of newly attached drawer face and repeat proceedure. This can eleminate clamping fus and muss, and get the drawers done in less than 30 seconds per drawer. Love what you are doing – keep doing it! Cheers.
Refaced all my kitchen cabinets 4 years ago with MDF stiles, rails, panels. Primed, sealed, and painted with PPG’s breakthrough paint. Tough as nails. However…..one door corner right above my range is now damaged due to rising steam from boiling water. No matter what you do, MDF will not hold up to hot steam coming from a boiling water pot. Keep that in mind if you’re going to do kitchen cabinets with this method.
Buddy this was great but ima keep it real I’m not gonna be able to get the saws correct it would take me plenty of time to even get close 😢. Ima just do a refacing in my bathrooms and that should be straight cuz I have the kind of cabinets that have the peeling crap. So ima remove them and replace so starting with good already made doors 😳😬. But this was great
Excellent article! Super great! I really appreciate how meticulous you are from start to finish. I am a beginner with an ol lady handicap. I’m fairly knowledgeable with certain steps, it’s the gathering of everything I’m going to need, like types of hinges,this and that etc.. I’m not confident I’ll choose the right brand, product etc.so many choices. And the worst part for me is give a set of instructions and I will find 20 ways to mess it up first. Show me once maybe twice no matter the difficulty, I’m good. I work the the way you do, like how you check 1 way, then turn it over check again, and taking extra measures. Insurance for added assurance. The drawer front clamps plus the additional blocks for the sides, then the doohicky for the space and the bottom board to insure the 1st front was even with door bottom,I’m OCD and :within tolerance”is not good enough and will drive me nuts. I mean you are super efficient you offer ways to help others avoid mishaps and your well prepared! 100% Thank you!
Thank you for the great and easy to understand detailed article. I really like how you inform how to ” sneak up” on the final cut dimension. I am glad you mention in your notes to use a push stick for safety. I will add if you do not mind: Wear eye, ear and Lexan face mask and dust mask. Always better safe than sorry. A safe shop is a happy shop…..
Sending this article to my husband. His woodworking skills are pretty basic but we have an issue with some kitchen cabinet doors which are delaminating (IKEA kitchen, usually reasonably decent quality but if theres an issue they replace, right? 25 year warranty and all that…tiny problem being that this kitchen was redone by a contractor just before we bought the house and we discovered too late that the previous owners hadnt left any receipts or anything for the reno, so when stuff started falling apart after a couple years, we were hooped. So IKEA wont honir the warranty,sadly). Which leaves us with either (a) replacing the entire kitchen because all the cabinet sizes are now different, so we cant just buy new doors, or (b) making new doors ourselves. Obviously a huge project but this article does gove me some reassurance that we might be able to do it…..
Good article. I am replacing internal shelves with pull out drawers and using existing doors but I am making an opening in my island and this will be helpful. I looked up MDF vs HDF and a 4x 8 sheet was similar in price ( I think they were both same thickness). I am a new subscriber and thank you for the article.
Have kitchen at the lake, maple doors with raised insert. it is not a/c in summer and no heat in winter. so temperatures go from -40*C to +40*C 🙂 kitchen is 15 years old and still looks great. I worked at kitchen manufacturing facility for 17 years. Now i service wood processing equipment. Lots of people buy CNC routers to make these style doors, because how popular they are.
The duck fart comment made me hit LIKE, going to get a beer comment made me SUBSCRIBE. I’ve been Woodworking for 10 yrs. YT taught me most. Your vids are amazingly calm & clear. My hubby built me a shop and I recycle tons of junk to pay for my hobby. I have to get me one of your shirts & have a beer 🍺! P.S. your wife has fab decor talent!
If I got this right: The bottom drawer alignment is critical for presentation. The top drawer height above/below cab door height is not as important to naked eye? Love the green color using gold hardware. Wow. The tips helped a lot as I encountered all of these issues in a recent cab build. Gonna try these Kreg templates – such a good company. Excellent painstaking presentation that answered all of my questions. Thank you! Sub’d
Was that apple Juice? How healthy of you 🙂 Excellent article. A little humor and a lot how why we do it this way. Tip: I have been doing Shaker doors just like you did, including glueing the panel in, for some years. It’s easy and fast. My latest is to use a drum sander for the rails and stiles. It gets them all the exact same width and gets rid of those little gaps where the rails and stiles meet for a perfect no gap fit.
Also was wondering if it would look okay to just use the mdf panel for the dwarer and rout out the tines/rails so it looks like the doors but it’s really just one piece? I’m going to tempt the doors you made but I’ll use the panel from my old doors and make new tines and rails. Thanks for your knowledge! Appreciate it 😊
Good article been doing this work for a long time I have built doors the same way but when you cut the tenons use a dado blade much faster when building lots of doors also can you use 1/4 inch MDF for the Panels the only other thing is you have to be careful with the hinge screws into the doors they will strip easy MDF is soft thanks Glenn
How difficult would it be to make a split panel cabinet face (3 rails) with a 1mm iron sheet plate on the front of the bottom panel, for using magnets on as an hidden utility for holding recipes, lists, etc. Also, another utility cabinet door to either set in a tablet, or have a hard install of a small monitor in the cabinet, allowing for the wires to run near the hinge side?
As a cabinet maker. I personally would never use mdf for rails and stiles. Especially 1/2″ mdf. I have seen people that have used it and had horrific results. I’m not disrespecting you or your style, you have skills. But for paint grade, for me, it’ll be poplar or hard maple. Thanks fora great article, you’re doing a great job.
MDF is absolute trash, wet once shit forever. It’s basically computer paper. That said if on a tight budget…..use reclaimed lumber prom pallets. That wood is free and cheaper than MDF. That said MDF gives quick results and would be perfect for flipping a house or if you are gentle on your own stuff then it should be fine.
Great article! I have wondered before if you could make a shaker style door by using just plywood. Having a panel the same size as the whole door and gluing strips of plywood round the edge to locally thicken. If you wanted to keep it really simple, you could have the strips only on the outer surface and use 9mm + 5mm plywood, otherwise you could use 5mm plywood throughout. The only concern I could think of is how well would the plywood edge take paint? What do you think?
Awesome article! It’s awesome having a tutorial. You can easily build some ‘spares’ for a low cost (or even do it on demand). Then the paint might not fully match up though. When you have kids or if you tear out a door by accident, MDF would be really hard to repair. I;ve used poplar and maple before. I should try making some MDF ones for a powder room as an experiment! I can always remake them if i need to
I’ve built a ton of doors out if 3/8 mdf with 3.125 inch wide 3/8 thick stiles and rails glued to the face . I use 23 gauge nails and clamps to get a real tight edge seem . I oversize the doors 1/8 so I can trim all the glue squeeze out around the perimeter 1/6 on each side. once your done use a 1/16 inch round over to break the edge on front and back this us important to keep from damaging the mdf . these doors have held up fine .less joint cracking that traditional doors.
i wouldn’t use hard wood if you plan on painting it either. that’s buying a Lamborghini and using a paintbrush and some ugly wall paint on it. just dont. you dont want to put in a lot of money and effort into picking a really nice hardwood just to have someone paint over it. its absolutely insulting. the thing i dont like about MDF is it can be gouged by fingernails. and paint is pretty boring.
Very comprehensive treatment man. I’ll use a lot of your ideas and experience on my cabinet door reface/replace project coming up this year. A couple questions. I am suspecious of MDF or HDF absorbing the occational peeing by one of my cats or dogs, even if I paint and perhaps poly the doors. Would plywood be better or will paint and or polyurethane (or similar) be enough. I’m old and old school, so looking for durability rather than pretty. Cabinet bones seem good as is, so I plan to refinish them, leaving the top in place, and replace all the hinges and pulls. Also going to ’86’ the dishwasher and add a cabinet space there. Waddya think. Open for all ideas. Larry
Do you think it’s possible to add a metal tin panel to these? My tin panels are 10×14, which is not the size of all my cupboards, so wondering if it might be possible to have the plywood inside the rails and styles and then add the tin panel? I’m thinking this might be next to impossible, but wanted to check before we get started lol. Thanks in advance 🍻