Number of Panel in Closet Door

[Samuel Brooks]

I am creating two built-in closets and the opening on each is 32-1/4 x 81-1/4. I have decided to go with 5/8" overlay doors so I have calculated the individual doors to be 16-5/8 each which will give me a 1/8" opening between them. Since the doors are 82-3/8 tall, I am using 4 euro hinges on each.

Stile's are 2" x 82-3/8"
Rail's are 3" x 13-13/32"

Here is my question, should I use 3 or 4 rails? My question stems from the question of how much extra strenght will an additional rail give me? My original plan that I came up with was to use 3 rails and put it 1/3 from the top of the door but now I am wondering if I should do 4 rails? I am planing on using 1/2" MDF raised panels.

These will be used for Closets for my girls room.

This picture is what the closets look like. Their will be a bench seat between the closets.
Closets.jpg

The following is a picture of the door. The stiles are made out of MDF for sizing purposes. The actual stiles will have the profile with routed in them to accept the panel.

Door.jpg

Thanks for any comments.

[Jim Becker]

Your 1/2" MDF panels are going to add a lot of mass to the doors. My first consideration for the number of rails would be matching the design of any other doors in the room. My doors in the house are all two panel doors, for example, so that would be how I'd make these. You can beef up the width of the rails for this construction, too, to add a little more strength. Our regular doors are like that, for example, so the look would be consistent. Since you are using MDF panels, if you intend to glue them, that will add considerable strength to the doors without requiring you to add a lot of rails for structural support.

[Greg Heppeard]

With the size you stated, I would go with 2 1/2" stiles and 4" top rail, 6" bottom rail and probably one 2 1/2" center rail. That will make your panels a little smaller, plus add some strength to the top and bottom. Center the center rail so that the panels are both the same size. Just my $.02

[Samuel Brooks]

With the size you stated, I would go with 2 1/2" stiles and 4" top rail, 6" bottom rail and probably one 2 1/2" center rail. That will make your panels a little smaller, plus add some strength to the top and bottom. Center the center rail so that the panels are both the same size. Just my $.02

Since my Rails are already cut should I switch to 1/4" MDF or 1/4" plywood for the inserts. If the 1/2" raised will create too much weight? Also no other doors in the room other then the main door and it is a plain flat $30.00 door .

[Greg Heppeard]

You can still use the 1/2" MDF for your raised panels. Just reduce the rail size by 1/2".

[Samuel Brooks]

You can still use the 1/2" MDF for your raised panels. Just reduce the rail size by 1/2".

Each opening will have two doors with an 1/8 gap between them. It looks like your plan calls for one door to cover the opening. I want to minimize the clearence in front of the closet required so that is why I decided on two doors. Do you still think I need a 5" rail at the bottom when each door is only 16-5/8" wide each?

Thanks for all the comments.