Dick Snyder wrote:
On 3/14/2015 3:46 PM, dadiOH wrote:
Dick Snyder wrote:
I am building a cabinet with sliding doors (due to space constraints).
It is 36" high, 74" long and made from cherry plywood. I got 1/4"
cherry for the sliding doors that are to run in a sliding door track I
purchased from Rockler.

The plywood I made the doors from was the wrong choice. It started
warping and it very difficult to fit in the sliding door track. The
rest of the project is complete but I need to find a better choice
for the sliding doors (something that is stable and straight). I
finished the doors the same as the cabinet(50/50 blend of Watco
natural oil and poly followed by two coats of poly after the watco
blend had fully dried) but clearly I need to changes horses. Do you have
any suggestions for
me?

I have used 1/4" ply without problems but only smaller doors (up to 18"-24"
high).

I have also used it in bigger doors with the same result as you. In fact, I
have 4 cabinet doors - about 36" tall - in an upper cabinet in our laundry
room with that problem but they are frame & panel, not sliding. I posted
about them many months ago, the general consensus was that it was the frame
warping, not the ply. I disagree, they will be remade someday.

Even in smaller doors, I have had occasional minor problems. My fix was to
glue a piece of wood across them at top & bottom. That works but you need
enough space between them. The best solution is to use thicker ply, same
caveat about space.

For a non-warping panel for your current needs, I would suggest Masonite
(hardboard). It is butt-ugly but can be painted nicely. Or covered with
wallpaper. Or even veneered (both sides). In either case, should you go that
route, search out hardboard that has NOT been made on a screen; that results
in one smooth side, one rough. You would want both to be smooth (or at
least I would).

I think I now understand why all the reviewers of the Rockler bypass
door sliders were able to use 1/4" plywood. Their doors were not as big
as mine.

I do not have enough space between the doors to put in a stiffener. I am
going to call my plywood supplier to see if they have any better ideas.
Otherwise I may go with painted hardboard.

Thanks for helping me understand why I got the warping.

Dick

Possibly you could put the stiffener on the front side of the front
panel and on the back side of the back panel. But whether you can
remove the warp is uncertain.

--
 GW Ross 

 People who live in stone houses 
 shouldn't throw glasses.