I've made raised panel doors out of wood. Standard rail and style
frame routed with a profile to hold the raised panel in place. The
raised panels are made slightly smaller that the rail and style frame
opening. Small rubber barrels are put in the slots of the frame to
cushion the panel and keep it in place. I assume this is done to
compensate for any movement in the wood over time.

I'm now helping friends build their cupboards. These doors will be the
same raised panel type but are being made out of MDF. Not my choice,
I'm just the helper with the tools.

Is there any reason to make the MDF doors any different than wood
doors? Should we make the MDF raised panels smaller than the frame
openings, then use the same rubber barrels in the MDF rail and style
frame slots?

Can the MDF raised panels be made the same size as the opening in the
rail and style frame? If so should the raised panel be glued into place?

LDB

In article , LdB wrote:
I've made raised panel doors out of wood. Standard rail and style
frame routed with a profile to hold the raised panel in place. The
raised panels are made slightly smaller that the rail and style frame
opening. Small rubber barrels are put in the slots of the frame to
cushion the panel and keep it in place. I assume this is done to
compensate for any movement in the wood over time.

I'm now helping friends build their cupboards. These doors will be the
same raised panel type but are being made out of MDF. Not my choice,
I'm just the helper with the tools.

Hopefully, you're making only the raised panels from MDF. The rails and stiles
should still be solid wood: MDF doesn't hold screws very well.

Is there any reason to make the MDF doors any different than wood
doors? Should we make the MDF raised panels smaller than the frame
openings, then use the same rubber barrels in the MDF rail and style
frame slots?

Not necessary, since MDF isn't going to change size with the seasons.

Can the MDF raised panels be made the same size as the opening in the
rail and style frame? If so should the raised panel be glued into place?

I wouldn't glue it. You'll still want it a trifle smaller than the opening,
since solid-wood rails and stiles are going to expand a little bit. This time
of year, in the northern hemisphere, you could make it the same size as the
opening; as the humidity decreases in the winter months, the rails and stiles
will shrink a little bit and make the fit a trifle loose.

On 7/6/2010 1:34 PM, LdB wrote:
I've made raised panel doors out of wood. Standard rail and style frame
routed with a profile to hold the raised panel in place. The raised
panels are made slightly smaller that the rail and style frame opening.
Small rubber barrels are put in the slots of the frame to cushion the
panel and keep it in place. I assume this is done to compensate for any
movement in the wood over time.

I'm now helping friends build their cupboards. These doors will be the
same raised panel type but are being made out of MDF. Not my choice, I'm
just the helper with the tools.

Is there any reason to make the MDF doors any different than wood doors?
Should we make the MDF raised panels smaller than the frame openings,
then use the same rubber barrels in the MDF rail and style frame slots?

Can the MDF raised panels be made the same size as the opening in the
rail and style frame? If so should the raised panel be glued into place?

The whole door MDF? Or just the panel? If just the panel, treat it
like any other raised panel. If the whole door (bad idea) then do it
whatever way is easiest for you.

On Jul 6, 10:34*am, LdB wrote:
I've made raised panel doors out of wood. *Standard rail and style
frame routed with a profile to hold the raised panel in place. The
raised panels are made slightly smaller that the rail and style frame
opening. Small rubber barrels are put in the slots of the frame

I'm now helping friends build their cupboards. These doors will be the
same raised panel type but are being made out of MDF.

So, do it the same as with wood. The panel shrinkage isn't
the only purpose of those rubber bits, they also keep it
from rattling.

You might use glues that can be softened/removed, and if
your friends want to spiff up the place, they can go with wood
panels on a future rebuild.

On 7/6/2010 12:34 PM, LdB wrote:
I've made raised panel doors out of wood. Standard rail and style frame
routed with a profile to hold the raised panel in place. The raised
panels are made slightly smaller that the rail and style frame opening.
Small rubber barrels are put in the slots of the frame to cushion the
panel and keep it in place. I assume this is done to compensate for any
movement in the wood over time.

I'm now helping friends build their cupboards. These doors will be the
same raised panel type but are being made out of MDF. Not my choice, I'm
just the helper with the tools.

Is there any reason to make the MDF doors any different than wood doors?
Should we make the MDF raised panels smaller than the frame openings,
then use the same rubber barrels in the MDF rail and style frame slots?

Can the MDF raised panels be made the same size as the opening in the
rail and style frame? If so should the raised panel be glued into place?

LDB

Thanks for the replies. The doors are completely MDF. Not my choice.
I've never used the stuff before and may never use it again. At least
not in anything going into my house.

Some salesman did a number on my friends and convinced them that MDF
is as good as wood. I tried to change their minds but gave up. The
cupboards are going in their house not mine. They bought the material
and are doing most of the work. If the cupboards fall apart they can
find that salesman and get him to make things right. At least they
will use euro hinges on the doors. They should hold fast for some time.

We will build the doors with the rubber barrels. There may be some
expansion caused by the paint. That's something I hadn't thought about
and I have no idea what they will finish the doors with. The barrels
will also prevent rattling as well. I new that, just didn't think
about it.

Thanks again. I just thought I could save a bit of time, but when you
think about it there's not much difference.

LdB

On 7/6/2010 7:09 PM, LdB wrote:
On 7/6/2010 12:34 PM, LdB wrote:
I've made raised panel doors out of wood. Standard rail and style frame
routed with a profile to hold the raised panel in place. The raised
panels are made slightly smaller that the rail and style frame opening.
Small rubber barrels are put in the slots of the frame to cushion the
panel and keep it in place. I assume this is done to compensate for any
movement in the wood over time.

I'm now helping friends build their cupboards. These doors will be the
same raised panel type but are being made out of MDF. Not my choice, I'm
just the helper with the tools.

Is there any reason to make the MDF doors any different than wood doors?
Should we make the MDF raised panels smaller than the frame openings,
then use the same rubber barrels in the MDF rail and style frame slots?

Can the MDF raised panels be made the same size as the opening in the
rail and style frame? If so should the raised panel be glued into place?

LDB

Thanks for the replies. The doors are completely MDF. Not my choice.
I've never used the stuff before and may never use it again. At least
not in anything going into my house.

Some salesman did a number on my friends and convinced them that MDF is
as good as wood. I tried to change their minds but gave up. The
cupboards are going in their house not mine. They bought the material
and are doing most of the work. If the cupboards fall apart they can
find that salesman and get him to make things right. At least they will
use euro hinges on the doors. They should hold fast for some time.

They're not going to fall apart but the edges are going to get beat up
pretty quickly.

We will build the doors with the rubber barrels. There may be some
expansion caused by the paint. That's something I hadn't thought about
and I have no idea what they will finish the doors with. The barrels
will also prevent rattling as well. I new that, just didn't think about it.

Thanks again. I just thought I could save a bit of time, but when you
think about it there's not much difference.

MDF machines really well--you can cut the doors out of a solid piece and
machine them to look like raised panel if you have the right tooling.

If the cupboards fall apart they can
find that salesman and get him to make things right.

Good luck with that. Will never happen.

The door edges with dent and the paint will chip and then most of the
corners will start to clip off and in about a month they will have
some really bad looking stuff. Really bad.

"LdB" wrote in message
...
On 7/6/2010 12:34 PM, LdB wrote:


Thanks for the replies. The doors are completely MDF. Not my choice. I've
never used the stuff before and may never use it again. At least not in
anything going into my house.

Some salesman did a number on my friends and convinced them that MDF is as
good as wood. I tried to change their minds but gave up. The cupboards are
going in their house not mine. They bought the material and are doing most
of the work. If the cupboards fall apart they can find that salesman and
get him to make things right. At least they will use euro hinges on the
doors. They should hold fast for some time.

We will build the doors with the rubber barrels. There may be some
expansion caused by the paint. That's something I hadn't thought about and
I have no idea what they will finish the doors with. The barrels will
also prevent rattling as well. I new that, just didn't think about it.

Thanks again. I just thought I could save a bit of time, but when you
think about it there's not much difference.

LdB

I have used MDF several times for customers at their request. They painted
them and were happy, repeadedly. One of my customers re did his kitchen and
a few years later moved and did the MDF again. 8 years later he is is still
happy and the doors still look great.

With that in mind I do strongly suggest the use of Euro style hinges. These
style hinges will support the weight of the doors with out screws, however
the screws are necessary to keep the doors from sliding off of the hinge.

MDF doors are VERY common and when coated, quite nice...

Take a peek and then wonder why you are going to go to
a LOT of trouble making doors that can be bought rather
cheaply....

http://www.cabinetmart.com/shop/Ther...vered-Doors.43

or Google "thermofoil doors" for a few thousand companies that
can do it much faster and much cheaper than you can...

Look for one piece doors for the cheaper variety that will
be painted.

The thermofoil comes in a LOT of flavors and colors.

J. Clarke wrote:
On 7/6/2010 1:34 PM, LdB wrote:
I've made raised panel doors out of wood. Standard rail and style frame
routed with a profile to hold the raised panel in place. The raised
panels are made slightly smaller that the rail and style frame opening.
Small rubber barrels are put in the slots of the frame to cushion the
panel and keep it in place. I assume this is done to compensate for any
movement in the wood over time.

I'm now helping friends build their cupboards. These doors will be the
same raised panel type but are being made out of MDF. Not my choice, I'm
just the helper with the tools.

Is there any reason to make the MDF doors any different than wood doors?
Should we make the MDF raised panels smaller than the frame openings,
then use the same rubber barrels in the MDF rail and style frame slots?

Can the MDF raised panels be made the same size as the opening in the
rail and style frame? If so should the raised panel be glued into place?

"Leon" wrote in message
...

I have used MDF several times for customers at their request.
They painted them and were happy, repeadedly. One of my
customers re did his kitchen and a few years later moved and did
the MDF again. 8 years later he is is still happy and the doors
still look great.

With that in mind I do strongly suggest the use of Euro style
hinges. These style hinges will support the weight of the doors
with out screws, however the screws are necessary to keep the
doors from sliding off of the hinge.


I see little difference in the MDF cabinets being discussed and
most of the melamine-coated box cabinets sold in stores. The only
difference in most is that the fiber/sawdust material is covered
with a plastic skin. In my shop, I made the cabinet doors out of
birch faced particle board and they held up perfectly well.

Yes, the European style hinges are the way to go.

Nonny


--
On most days,
it’s just not worth
the effort of chewing
through the restraints..

Here is a perfect example with sample pricing...

http://www.cpandwcabinetdoors.com/mdf-cabinet-doors.htm

$15 per door and you are considering making your own doors ???

It ain't fine furniture but it will work in the correct application.

Thanx for that link!
Where? London Ontario


I am just getting around to that stage on my new house, I am building.



"Pat Barber" wrote in message
...
MDF doors are VERY common and when coated, quite nice...

Take a peek and then wonder why you are going to go to
a LOT of trouble making doors that can be bought rather
cheaply....

http://www.cabinetmart.com/shop/Ther...vered-Doors.43

Those were just the first ones I saw on a google search.

There are "many" companies that make MDF cabinet doors.

I'm sure there are several in Ontario.

Josepi wrote:
Thanx for that link!
Where? London Ontario


I am just getting around to that stage on my new house, I am building.

I am sure there would be in Ontario but I have trouble finding stuff where I
am.

The website order form is pretty well done and prices are there without
calling to beg for info. A lot of cross reference stuff to do to learn all
the terms, though.


"Pat Barber" wrote in message
...
Those were just the first ones I saw on a google search.

There are "many" companies that make MDF cabinet doors.

I'm sure there are several in Ontario.

Josepi wrote:
Thanx for that link!
Where? London Ontario


I am just getting around to that stage on my new house, I am building.