need advice on outdoor cabinet doors

[david paul miller]

The architects plans on a job I'm on , show 20" wide cabinet doors for an outdoor kitchen made out of Spanish cedar, the details say they are to be, Vertical "v" grooved, T.G. with back "Z" bracketed support (picture shows about 6 slats per door painted) My question is about wood movement, would you glue the "z" ?, Glue the T&G?, Skip the T&G and make panels and add V groove ?. I'm in S.W. Louisiana where its very humid. and don't have a lot of experience with outdoor cabinets, any advice appreciated .

[Sam Murdoch]

On the coast of Maine if I were to build such doors according to these specs I would use no glue. T& G face boards and then screw the Z brackets with stainless screws. The wood will move but it should move as a unit. You don't say, but I assume that there will be no other horizontal boards incorporated into the face. Finally - as I do with all out door furniture legs or doors - I soak the end grains top and bottom (and ends of Z boards) until saturated with epoxy. Usually takes at least 2 treatments. This is independent of whatever other finish I will use.

[Larry Edgerton]

I agree with Sam and I do the same thing with Epoxy.

I hate it when architects get that specific. In this case, and is often the case there is a better way, but I have learned the hard way not to ever argue with the architect. I recently made some doors out of Versatech, but they have not gone through a season yet. Kind of an experiment.

Interior designers are worse. They have no clue whatsoever.

Larry

[Bill White]

I think Sam nailed (oops! Screwed) it. For sure on the stainless steel screws, Then, go kill the architect. Will the doors be overlay or inset? If inset, leave a bit of room for expansion.
Bill

[Jamie Buxton]

IMHO, the architect spec'd it correctly. What he wants is a solid-wood door. He knows that solid wood may expand and contract across the width. He's put T&G edges between the boards so each one can expand and contract a bit. The gap between the boards may change with the seasons. I'd build the doors with a little gap to start. The T&G joint will hold the board edges aligned while they're moving. To hold the face boards together he's fastened them all to stringers on the door back. To prevent the door from sagging, he's arranged some of those boards at an angle. On top of this, he's picked a wood that's pretty weather-resistant, and he's using paint to help protect it from the elements.

I'd just screw the door together. And most definitely no glue on the T&G joints.

[Andrew Joiner]

IMHO, the architect spec'd it correctly.

On top of this, he's picked a wood that's pretty weather-resistant, and he's using paint to help protect it from the elements.

I'd just screw the door together. And most definitely no glue on the T&G joints.

I agree Jamie. Of course any paint on the T+G will crack with movement. I didn't see paint on the spec , but my eyes are old.

Outdoor fine woodwork. Sell your work well by explaining all the future problems to all parties (that means NO warranty). Then it's like a little lifetime pension for the cabinetmaker if the owners are fussy. You will be called back often to repair and refinish, get a little pay and selling them on indoor stuff that will last.