Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Dec 23, 2006 01:17am | #1

   From what you said about sanding I am wondering what finish you put on the back.  Backs should be finished just the same as the fronts.  Perhaps I am not understanding. 

1. 
   Yogi | Dec 23, 2006 02:07am | #2

   Oops, I'm experiencing this sinking feeling-  Both sides need to be finished?

1. 
   oldusty | Dec 23, 2006 03:03am | #4

   Yogi ,

                 Rule of thumb on doors : what ever you do to one side , do to the other side and all the edges too . There are exceptions to mostly rules , but if you follow this one it's unlikely you will ever have trouble with warped doors .

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Dec 23, 2006 06:01am | #5

   Yup, both sides finished the same, especially on panels like these that aren't fully captured.  You do have to allow a bit more room in the sliding slots for the finish. 

2. 
   colebearanimals | Dec 23, 2006 02:16am | #3

   Hi,  Maybe a plywood with more veniers in its' core would help. Where it was stored , where it came from all can have an effect on flatness. Sheet goods have gotten very bad over the last 10 to 15 years in this regard. Being in the cabinet bussiness for the past 25 years I have seen all kinds of strange things. Wy should plywood or melinine bind going through the tablesaw. There shouldn't be any tension on this stuff but there is . We just have to live with it. Remake your cabinet doors using frame and panel.              Above all......have fun and enjoy 

                 Merry Christmas,    Paul

3. 
   Dave45 | Dec 23, 2006 05:52pm | #6

   This may never work very well.  The 1/4" I use generally has one "good" side and the back is a luan-type veneer.  Even finishing both sides (and the edges) may not completely stabilize the panel since the sides are different material.

   I've never used 1/4" ply as a sliding door, but often use it for flat panel doors.  I recently used some with an MDF core that seemed to be more stable than the lumber core ply.

1. 
   Yogi | Dec 23, 2006 06:12pm | #7

    <<<  "The 1/4" I use generally has one "good" side and the back is a luan-type veneer." >>> 

   That's the stuff-  The heck of it is, the original doors of these cabinets (which fit the original tracks installed in them) are of the same material and are flat as can be-

1. 
   Dave45 | Dec 23, 2006 07:15pm | #8

   Then I would bet that the core material is different. 

   I'm certainly no expert on plywood, but think that the "old" stuff was much better than what they make today.  I've seen numerous 50's era cabinet doors made of a slab of plywood with rounded edges that were still flat after all these years.  I'm not sure I would even try that these days. - lol

   I know that the "good wood" veneers are much thinner.  I used to have some wiggle room when I made a glued joint in plywood (such as a solid wood edge band).  The veneers were thick enough to allow a bit of sanding without digging into the core material.  I'm completely paranoid now when I have to sand a real wood to plywood joint - lol.

   If you just gotta have new 1/4" sliding doors, try a vendor who sells to cabinet shops.  Tell them what you're trying to do and see if they sell something that is intended for this application.  If they even have it, it will probably be spendy - but it may stay flat - lol.