Build Raised Panel Cabinet Doors

It s a good idea to make your doors 1 8 in.

Build raised panel cabinet doors.

Step 1 choose which door to make. There are lots of different choices and lots of different hardware considerations but one door style that makers come back to time and time again is the frame and panel door and particularly the raised panel door. The tool of choice for most small shop woodworkers who want to make raised panels is the router. Figuring the length of the stiles is easy.

Make a list of the parts of your diy shaker cabinet doors before you begin. Cabinets usually need a door or two and deciding on the style of the door can be make or break the appearance of the piece. You must use 3 4 thick stock for all parts. In a frame and panel construction a large panel is fitted into a groove in the interior edge of a more dimensionally stable frame made of narrow strips of wood.

The doors i build this way often are referred to as shaker style. There are two basic types of cabinet doors slab and flat panel most often chosen. Choose from a variety of styles including revere diaz bel air and more. Cabinet shops that turn out raised panel doors rely on heavy duty shapers and cutters or at the very least a router table setup that includes a range of expensive bits.

The panel raises when we apply a second plywood panel framed with molding. A large one generally 3 hp hung in a router table plus a set of specialized bits. In the following example we re going to make a raised panel door that is 12 wide by 18 tall. If you ve never made a raised panel door before you may want to make your first one from scrap.

The whole setup will cost 350 to 800 and is money well spent if you re going to make a whole kitchen full of doors. Extra tall so you can trim their ends after gluing. For each one you ll need two stiles the vertical parts two rails the horizontal parts and one panel. After choosing your materials pick a profile for the frame and raised panel.

Raised panel doors are an example of frame and panel construction a method developed hundreds of years ago to combat the effects of moisture on solid wood used in cabinetry and furniture making. Most slab doors are made of plywood. Shop our selection of high quality unfinished raised panel cabinet doors. If you ll paint your doors substitute medium density fiberboard mdf for the solid stock and birch veneer plywood for a glass smooth finish.

Each door is handcrafted and available in a variety of wood species leading to a consistently unique product. You should consider the need for speed of construction durability ease of cleanup and maintenance step 2 pick the correct material to fit your doors.