Raised Panel White Laminate Doors

[Steve Milito]

My kitchen has white laminate raised panel doors. I was wondering how that is done and if it's possible to do it on a hobbyist scale.

[Stephen Cherry]

something like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E70SqHmoMAo

[Richard Coers]

It's a thermofoil operation. They send a number of doors into the machine, it rolls out a sheet of thin "plastic" then heat and pull a vacuum. I suppose you could do a similar thing with a vacuum forming machine, but it wouldn't be easy! You can buy those doors for about what the material would cost you. Menards used to sell them, just look around.

[Peter Quinn]

No feasible way to make thermo foil doors without a membrane press, and IMO no good reason to try. Those presses are upwards of $100k, you have to make a lot of panels to absorb that kind of cost. Speaking of absorb, have you ever seen a thermo foil door that's gotten wet, say under a sink cabinet? I replaced a kitchen full of those once, they swell up like little sponges and never go back, you have a better chance with wood or plywood.

[John TenEyck]

For the hobbiest, it's called paint.

John

[Jeff Duncan]

Thermofoil doors are basically the cheapest kind of door you can produce out of a factory. Much easier to buy them if you want thermofoil....the question is....why would anyone who participates on a "woodworking" forum want thermofoil???:p Consider maybe making yourself some nice replacement doors out of wood;)

good luck,
JeffD

[Steve Milito]

Thermofoil doors are basically the cheapest kind of door you can produce out of a factory. Much easier to buy them if you want thermofoil....the question is....why would anyone who participates on a "woodworking" forum want thermofoil???:p Consider maybe making yourself some nice replacement doors out of wood;)

good luck,
JeffD

I didn't say I wanted to make them, I was just curious how it was done. I hate the f*&$#@ things and have no intention of making anything similar. I will eventually replace them with wood.

[Steve Milito]

For the hobbiest, it's called paint.

John
Thank you. That's funny. LOL

[Jeff Duncan]

I didn't say I wanted to make them, I was just curious how it was done. I hate the f*&$#@ things and have no intention of making anything similar. I will eventually replace them with wood.

Oh good.....that's great to hear, I didn't want to come right out and say it.....but it's how I feel as well:D

Jeff