"Richard Cranium" wrote...

Is there a "correct" way or is this something that is a personal
preference?

The traditional method is for the stile to run the full length of the door,
with the rails between the stiles, and for larger doors, centerstiles
between the rails, centerrails between the centerstiles.

I've never seen doors with full width rails. You could do it for a modern
look, but it would not look traditional, and you'd have to watch your
hardware -i.e. make sure euro hinges don't compromise your joints.


As for stile and rail width:

Same width stiles and rails look more elegant, using wider stiles than rails
or wider rails than stiles gives a country farmhouse look.

Wider rails provide greater joint surface area.

Stiles and rails in the 2 1/2" range are a good compromise - looks good and
offers plenty of strength, plus you can get good yield from rw lumber.

If some of the doors will be quite large, consider using wider stiles and
rails - 2 3/4".

3" stiles and rails for typical size furniture pieces are definately
entering the "clumsily charming country furniture" realm.

I just completed a 105" tall and 82" wide cherry entertainment center. All
doors had 2 1/2" stiles and rails, and looked elegant, traditional, and
properly proportioned.

Use the same width stiles and rails for all the doors on the project. All
kitchen cab doors should use the same width stiles and rails. If you're
building a free-standing furniture piece for the kitchen, don't match the
kitchen cab doors, or your piece will look like it was made by the kitchen
cab manufacturer.

Profitability-engineered production doors tend to have more narrow stiles
and rails to save $$.



--
Timothy Juvenal
www.rude-tone.com/work.htm