Shaker doors using/gluing 1/4" plywood

[Brian Stephen]

I need to make some low cost Shaker doors for a kitchen project using 1/4" plywood (I have a surplus of the plywood already).

My plan is to use 3/4" Oak, Rail & Style contruction, with 1/4" A2 Oak plywood panels.

I have made doors with raised panels in the past and used "Space Balls" to allow for compression/expansion of the panels. My questions are:

- since the plywood is dimensionally stable, can I glue the plywood inside the Rail & Style grooves (for strength and rattle prevention)? If so, is it recommended to glue all sides, edge-to-edge, just the centers of each side, or just 2 sides?
- how deep should I make the mortise (I was thinking 3/8")?

Thx in advance,

Brian
(Dimensionally stable, but financially challenged)

[Brian Hale]

Welcome to the Creek Brian!

I'd still use the space balls to stop the rattles and forgo the glue. Even though slight, the door will still expand and contract some and may cause problems later on in life.

If you're staining the doors, i suggest staining the panels before assembly to prevent witness lines in the future.

Brian :)

[Sam Howe]

For what it's worth, I made the doors to my kitchen 5 years ago with 1/4 ply panels. I glued the whole thing together. Haven't had any problem with shrinkage or separation.
I think that the ply is stable enough that it's no problem.
Sam

[Steve Clardy]

Ply panels. I just pin them from behind, top and bottom

[Robert Strasser]

I go along with Steve. I use my pin nailer and put a pin at the top and bottom from the back.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you use plywood panels and don't glue them, you're sacrificing a free opportunity to strengthen the doors. Glued-in, the plywood panel acts as a big gusset reinforcing the corner joinery.

One more thought... I make doors like this in a cope-and-stick style, all cut on the table saw. I run a dado the full height of the inside face of the stiles. This dado captures the plywood panel. I cut tenons on the ends of the rails which fit into that dado. Of course, I dado the inside faces of the rails (at the same time I'm dadoing the stiles). This scheme is fast and easy.

[Russ Cass]

Glued all of the ¼" panels in this wall unit. Never had a problem.

As stated in an above post, I also believe that it strengthens the whole door assembly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/TruckGuy74/Home/Picture026Medium.jpg

[Pete Brown]

Also double-check your plywood thickness. Chances are, it isn't 1/4" You will need to adjust your cutters to account for that.

Pete

[Dick Bringhurst]

I did my entire kitchen in our Virginia house with 1/4" ply panels. i glued them in and had no problems in the 3 years we were in the house. Dick B.