Need help fixing a mistake

[Maurice Arney]

I just finished making a set of raised panel inset doors for a bedroom armoire. The opening for the doors is 38 1/2" X 40". I wanted to end up with a full unobstructed opening, so there is no stile in the center between the two doors (I plan to install magnetic catches to close the doors against). So what I have is a pair of raised panel doors, that meet in the center of the opening, with full inset hinges left and right. My problem is that I erred on the door width and ended up with a 5/16th inch gap in the center between the two doors (with 1/16" gap on each of the hinge sides). Essentially I need to widen the doors. Which of course is not possible at this point. So I need some suggestions on how to "fix" or compensate for my mistake. I thought about gluing thin strips to the hinge side of each door but am afraid it will not look right. I know you guys will have some great ideas :)

[Harold Burrell]

Any pictures?

[Dave Richards]

Pictures would help indeed. Depending on the style, you could put a strip on one door that laps over the other. This is a traditional feature of paired doors without a center stile. An alternative might be to trim the outer edges off all four sides of the doors and apply a new piece all the way around. Put a profile on the outer edges. This would be similar to a cockbead although it wouldn't have to be raised above the surface of the door frame. Doing that could make it look like an intentional design feature.

[Maurice Arney]

Any pictures?

No sorry. I thought I did a pretty good job of describing it though :) Actually, there is nothing to take pictures of anyway. The doors are not installed yet. I just know from measuring that I will have a 5/16th" gap in the center. I'm holding off installing them until I come up with an acceptable solution to the center gap issue.

[Maurice Arney]

Pictures would help indeed. Depending on the style, you could put a strip on one door that laps over the other. This is a traditional feature of paired doors without a center stile. An alternative might be to trim the outer edges off all four sides of the doors and apply a new piece all the way around. Put a profile on the outer edges. This would be similar to a cockbead although it wouldn't have to be raised above the surface of the door frame. Doing that could make it look like an intentional design feature.

Yes I thought of the "lap" approach. I guess I would need to do some research on what would look nice. The cockbead sounds interesting. I just googled images and it looks like a miniature bullnose. I could put one along the edge of one of the doors where they meet. This would definitely close the gap!

[Lee Schierer]

Instead of remaking the doors, can you remake, add a face frame or add a thin piece to the face frame of the cabinet to added the needed width on the cabinet instead of the doors?

[Maurice Arney]

Instead of remaking the doors, can you remake, add a face frame or add a thin piece to the face frame of the cabinet to added the needed width on the cabinet instead of the doors?

Yes, I thought of that too. I would just need to figure out how to do it so it looks like a "feature" and not a "repair."

[Dave Richards]

Yes I thought of the "lap" approach. I guess I would need to do some research on what would look nice. The cockbead sounds interesting. I just googled images and it looks like a miniature bullnose. I could put one along the edge of one of the doors where they meet. This would definitely close the gap!

Yes, you could just add a thin piece to one door and put a little bull nose on it. Again, make it a design feature.

[Maurice Arney]

Yes, you could just add a thin piece to one door and put a little bull nose on it. Again, make it a design feature.

Yes! I like this idea! Good thing I bought my "GRRR-RIPPER" push block. Should make it easy to rip out some cockbead on my table saw! Thanks for the idea!

[Dave Richards]

I hope it looks nice when you are finished.

Of course the picture police will say it never happened if you don't share some pictures. :D Before and after would be cool.

[glenn bradley]

Instead of remaking the doors, can you remake, add a face frame or add a thin piece to the face frame of the cabinet to added the needed width on the cabinet instead of the doors?


Yes, I thought of that too. I would just need to figure out how to do it so it looks like a "feature" and not a "repair."

Making the addition decorative will solve the "looks like a fix" problem. The challenge is that cockbeads and such generally appear all around doors (although I have seen other examples) which could cause you height problems. The walnut trim echoing the hinge profiles (not shown in these pics) in this piece might give you an idea of a feature that doesn't look like a fix. At least I hope not because it was in the original design :o.

300180 . 300181

[Maurice Arney]

I hope it looks nice when you are finished.

Of course the picture police will say it never happened if you don't share some pictures. :D Before and after would be cool.

I will definitely post photos... If possible, I will do "before and after."

[Maurice Arney]

Making the addition decorative will solve the "looks like a fix" problem. The challenge is that cockbeads and such generally appear all around doors (although I have seen other examples) which could cause you height problems. The walnut trim echoing the hinge profiles (not shown in these pics) in this piece might give you an idea of a feature that doesn't look like a fix. At least I hope not because it was in the original design :o.


Yes, that looks really nice! I'll think on this more and post pictures of what I come up with.

[Prashun Patel]

Instead of cockbeading to draw attention to the edge, after you glue up, you can just chamfer that up to the seam. The change in direction will likely hide the seam.

Alternatively, you could just shim behind each of the hinges so that the gap is evenly dispersed between the three gaps.

[Bradley Gray]

What kind of hinges? If you are using full inset euro style hinges you could simply adjust to 3 equal 1/8" gaps.

[Kevin McCluney]

Here are two ways to add a strip in the center: attach it to the back side of one door (that door closes first and the other overlaps the strip) or to the front side of one door (in this case the door with the strip closes last; I think the term for this is an astragal and is common on french doors).

[William C Rogers]

I would install the doors and see what adjustment the hinges have as Bradley suggested. I have on one occasion shimmed the hinge as Prashun suggested and it was not noticeable.

[Larry Fox]

Maurice - you say a "set of doors". Does this mean two? If so and it were me I might just look to punt and make a new set of doors. It is likely that you can re-use the raised panel if you only need to make up 1/4" over the whole span (1/16 x 4) so you would only need to remake the rails and stiles. I know it seems like a bummer to have to contemplate doing that but any approach you take is going to involve time and the question is does this equation hold:

Time already invested in making doors - time invested to apply a "fix" > (Time already invested in making doors - time required to make new) + value of knowing you did it "right"

In this case the definition of "right" is the way that you originally intended for the piece.

[Andrew Hughes]

Good for you for admitting you made a mistake.Now you can check that one off the list that you won't make again.I have no idea how to fix other mistakes too many of my own to work out.:confused:

[Maurice Arney]

Good for you for admitting you made a mistake.Now you can check that one off the list that you won't make again.I have no idea how to fix other mistakes too many of my own to work out.:confused:

Yes, lesson learned. Next time I will err on the side of "too wide." I can always make a few passes through the jointer.

[Maurice Arney]

Here are two ways to add a strip in the center: attach it to the back side of one door (that door closes first and the other overlaps the strip) or to the front side of one door (in this case the door with the strip closes last; I think the term for this is an astragal and is common on french doors).

Yes I think astragal is the term for those. It would be a last resort... I never did like those things.

[Maurice Arney]

Maurice - you say a "set of doors". Does this mean two? If so and it were me I might just look to punt and make a new set of doors. It is likely that you can re-use the raised panel if you only need to make up 1/4" over the whole span (1/16 x 4) so you would only need to remake the rails and stiles. I know it seems like a bummer to have to contemplate doing that but any approach you take is going to involve time and the question is does this equation hold:

Time already invested in making doors - time invested to apply a "fix" > (Time already invested in making doors - time required to make new) + value of knowing you did it "right"

In this case the definition of "right" is the way that you originally intended for the piece.

I think you are right, and normally I would agree. But I am really starting to like the idea of the cock bead. I want to see how it looks :)

[Chris Padilla]

Yes, lesson learned. Next time I will err on the side of "too wide." I can always make a few passes through the jointer.

I just came back from a marquetry class with David Marks and no students make any mistakes in his class. They are simply design opportunities! :)

[Kent A Bathurst]

What kind of hinges? If you are using full inset euro style hinges you could simply adjust to 3 equal 1/8" gaps.

Yeah - exactly - you have 1/16 + 5/16 + 1/16 = 7/16 total gap.

Divide that by 3 = abour 4.5/32" - very slightly more than 1/8". move the doors out to get an even reveal, and trim the door height a tad to match.

[Larry Fox]

Yeah - exactly - you have 1/16 + 5/16 + 1/16 = 7/16 total gap.

Divide that by 3 = abour 4.5/32" - very slightly more than 1/8". move the doors out to get an even reveal, and trim the door height a tad to match.

With all due respect to Kent and Bradley, their idea is a solid one in most cases but I suggest you mock this one up before heading down that road because (in MY opinion) for an inset door an 1/8" is a yawning gap that I think might be a bit much for what you are likely going for. Inset doors are brutal to get right as the traditional hinges have exactly 0 adjustment but, man, when you get them right they are beautiful and really demonstrate craftsmanship and attention to detail - an 1/8" is too much. About the thickness of a dime or penny is all you want there.

[Bob Carreiro]

Are the doors cut to length yet? If not, you can make the door styles wider by ripping each style diagonally, then reglue with an "off-set" sufficient to provide the additional width needed. This process works, and this application is an ideal candidate. Even though the grain will be slightly misaligned, since its along the grain, only you will know it has been modified. Good luck!