Spliting a Style/rail door

[Sammy Shuford]

Is it good practice to build a style / rail door, and then split it to install hinges on both sides? (Two smaller doors)

Or is it better to build two small doors for fill on opening.

Is it only a visual appearance thing, or structural problems?

[Pete Brown]

Build two.

It is both visual and structural. I could see splitting an existing door if you built it with that in mind, but you don't know exactly where the tenons or other fasteners lie.

Measuring will also be easier if you build two. The 1/8" + sanding/etc. kerf loss down the middle would mean you would have to build the door extra wide to close the gap, as 1/8" is a large gap between doors.

If you built it as one unit, you would need to put full-height stiles on both sides and in the middle. For a single door, typically any center divider stile doesn't go the full length, it butts into the top and bottom rails.

Pete

[Lee Schierer]

Typically panel type doors are not structurally sound if you saw them down the middle. The frame does all the support and the panels are just riding in their grooves. If you cut the frame, you would end up weakening the door.

[Pete Brown]

Typically panel type doors are not structurally sound if you saw them down the middle. The frame does all the support and the panels are just riding in their grooves. If you cut the frame, you would end up weakening the door.

Lee, it didn't even occur to me that he may have been talking about a door with just one big floating panel.

In that case, I totally agree with Lee, don't do it :)

Pete

[Sammy Shuford]

Thanks, that's what I needed to hear.
I will build a pair of doors. I am going full overlay, so setting them will be no problem either.
Thanks

[Hal Flynt]

I built 4 doubles for a cabinet by making the center style double the width of the outside styles. (2 panels) After they were dry, I cut them down the middle with a Forrest II. Then I ran them over the jointer face to face to remove the saw marks. At this point, I could have joined them back into 1.

Next I used a strip of cardboard less than 1/16" thick to space them apart and installed the piano hinges on the back side. When Finished, painted white, the split line almost disappears when closed.

I plan on doing this again. I may size the center style thinner next time to give a bit different look, just not so then as to adversely affect the integrity of the door.

[Sammy Shuford]

Wow,

That seemed to work good for you. Was any harder than normal?
I not yet received my bits to cut rail and style doors, so this project will be my first. And it's also a painted project.

[Hal Flynt]

No it wasn't harder. I have a jointer and planer, so after I got my thickness correct, I ripped the way I planned it.

Outside styles were 2" and the middle one was 4", top rail 2" and bottom rail 2.5". Panels were about 8". You notice my bottom rail is wider than my top by design. I cope the ends of a 5" board first (backing up the cope to prevent blowout), then rip to size before I "stick" all of styles and rails. The wide center style is the only piece that gets sticking on both sides.

If it's your first go. MAKE test cuts with the exact thickness of your finished doors and use these as setup blocks when you get them dialed in.

You might want to put blue tape on all the edges you don't want to rout DAMHIKT.

[Sammy Shuford]

Humm, ask and learn!

Coping the rails all at one time, eleminate blowout. I had first thought of cutting all the rails and styles to size, but not now.
I'm either going to build or make a coping sled for my router table.
This project is the first for r/s doors, should see my wife's list!
But that OK. I like this kind of work!

[Hal Flynt]

I believe you are getting it.

The Coping sled is a good idea; I keep meaning to make one. Currently I use a piece of 3/4" MDF that has a true 90 degree corner. One edge is 90 to the fence which I use to push to cope ends past the bit. (I use a feather board to keep the stock down rather than the clamps.) I use scrap to back it up anyway and added a small block at a comfortable angle to use as a handle.

In a perfect world you would cut your stock to size, but in my world I cut styles a tad long and trim after assembly, rails to exact length but double wide to assure equal sizes when ripped to width.

It will depend upon which bit set you have as to whether all your cuts will with the stock face down or all face up or like mine Styles down Rails up. If all the stock is the same thickness and you set the depths correctly the first time, all goes well, but if the stock is off 1/16th, then your joints will be proud by that amount.

Have SWMBO assist you in feeding the wood etc. on a project for her to give her an idea of what's involved. It helps prevent the "all you do is cut it and put it together don't you?"

It’s rewarding in the end!