3/8″ or 1/2″ veneered plywood panels on shaker doors
I am building new cherry cabinets for my kitchen and plan on building shaker-style doors and drawer fronts with a flat center panel. I’m not concerned about authenticity and therefore it just seems unnecessary and probably unnoticeable to use solid wood panels given the style of door. I do, however, want to make high quality cabinets. Because the center panels are flat, it makes sense to me to use a veneer and to glue the panels in place. Should I make my own veneered panels or purchase cabinet grade cherry plywood? To make the doors more solid, I am considering using 3/8” or ½” veneered plywood with a rabbet rather than ¼” thick plywood. Does it make more sense to use 3/8” or ½”? I am leaning towards 3/8” so that the rails and stiles are slightly proud of the panel in the back.
– Lyptus
Replies
ply panels
As far as the thickness is concerned, a 3/8" panel is certainly enough for any size door you'll be making in the kitchen. But I want to caution you about the use of ply in the first place. It's a common occurence that plywood, even if it's correctly veneered, will bow. That can cause serious grief in cabinet doors because there isn't much you can do(*) to remedy it except make a new door. Over the years my shop has made many hundreds of kitchens, and we much prefer veneered MDF panels because they are flat and stay flat. Entrapped in a wood frame they are protected from most of the abuse that plagues MDF in exposed situations. So after a lot of experience on this issue we try to get our customers to opt for either solid wood or veneered MDF. If you've got the means to do the veneering yourself, then by all means do it. It gives you the possibility of matching veneer to solid stock much better than any store-bought panel will. And typically with cherry, that difference can turn out to be very very glaring.
BTW, we've just renewed our website (on the eve of my retirement). Comments welcome.
almost forgot...
The (*) above was to remind me that if someone has already got long cabinet doors that are bowed, then there is a high-tech solution that can be used. A very long steel rod gets embedded in a channel along the frame (on the inside of the door of course) and it threads into 35mm inserts also set flush into the wooden frame. The rod can then be either shortened or lengthened in order to counteract the bow in the door. This is most commonly found on long sliding doors where it cannot be seen, but in a pinch we've used it on the rear of long doors that needed to be saved. If anyone needs it, I can get the info on the manufacturer. For desperate situations only.
MDF core ply
Do you know of a source for buying cherry veneered MDF? Based on what you've said, it makes sense that MDF core would be better but why then is not as or more common to find than veneered ply?
- Lyptus
can't help you much
I don't know where you're located but odds are that my sources are of no help whatsoever. I'm probably at least 7 time zones away...
solid wood panels would be cheaper
I have not found a nearby source for MDF core veneer and after looking at the cost of veneer plus the extra work involved, I think I will go with solid wood. I just want a flat panel- nothing fancy- and I have a lot of experience book matching and edge joining boards. Surprisingly (at least to me), it will be much cheaper to go with solid wood over veneer. I'll just have to be careful to accommodate wood movement in the frame and I'll save my money for a moisture meter instead of a veneer press.
Thanks for your help.
Lyptus
I'm real close to finishing up my built in office nock, and I also went with a shaker style door for my doors and drawer fronts. I used a 1/4' mdf for the center panel, but I painted them to contrast with the natural cherry styles and rails. I used a beaded panel an spray painted them in a mat black lacquer. Over the years I've just gotten sick of finishing everything natural. It's easier for sure to go all natural, but I needed some color and contrast. I'll try and post some pictures when I get around to mounting them. I ccentered a grove in the styles and rails using a Freud adjustable shaker router bit set on a router table. I like this set since you can adjust the slot cutter to accomadate the thickness of the panel your using anywhere from 7/32" to 1/2". I didn't through cut the groves on the styles so I could secure the corners with dowels( love my Dowel Max jig) rather than relying on the shallower tongues of a stub tenon. I feel that this is not only a stronger joint but also easier to accomplish. I have made shaker style doors before using a rabbet to inset the panel from the rear and that works well also, it's just that if you use that method then you should secure trim pieces where the rabbet meets the panel to make it look neat.and professional.
For flat panelled doors, most kitchen cabinetry uses 3/4" rails and styles and 1/4" veneered plywood for the center panels. It's your choice whether you want to glue the panels in or just let them float. With today's thinner plywood, you either should glue them in or use "space balls" to take up the slop in the fit or the panels will rattle.
Your comment about plywood bowing started me thinking about my next project which is a combination of book case and CD media storage. basically it will be 3 CD storage cabinets surrounded by bookshelves ( 6 ft by 6 ft). I was planning on using veneered plywood for the entire project. Can the sides of the bookcase and cabinets be made out of plywood with top bottom and 1 to 2 fixed shelves holding the sides or will it still bow?
larry
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