What Size Panel?

[Julian Wong]

Hi Guys, I'm a relatively new woodoworker (started dabbling with wood about a year ago) but I'd like to build some frame and panel doors for my kitchen cabinet.

I'm in the design stage and have not decided what material to use for the panel yet. Thinking of either plywood in groove with molding or raised panel. I know that I need to leave a small gap in the groove for solid panel (raised panel) but not if I use plywood.

My question is how much of a gap need I need to leave for the solid panel to float? 1/8" on each side?

Thanks for your help.

[John Grossi]

1/8 on each side is correct. John

[Julian Wong]

John, I guess the answer can be interpreted both ways, each side with frame panel centered or not?

Just wanted to confirm:
1/8" gap on each side if the panel is centered in the frame, making it 1/4" shorter for the total width and 1/4" shorter for the lengh

or

1/8" total reduction in lengh and 1/8" reduction in width, making it 1/16" gap on each side when the panel is centered on the frame?

Sorry for asking so many times. Just wanted to make sure so as not to blow out any frames due to expansion.

Thanks

[James Hart]

Julian,

IMO, there's a little more to it than just a fixed number. The width of the panel and the species of wood come into play. An 18" panel will have more movement than a 4".
Pick up a copy of Understanding Wood or do a google search to get a feel for the amount of movement to expect from various species of woods.
I don't leave any extra room on the top and bottom, only the sides.

Jim

[George Bowen]

Depending on your taste, you can make a plywood center with molding and what not look very nice. This alleviates a lot of headaches involved in making your own raised panels.

[Joe Chritz]

Spaceball recommends that you don't compress them anymore than 50%. For most that would be .13 on each side.

I use a cabinet door program by woodshop calc and the space is a parameter to set in the program. I set it at 5/32 space on all sides.

Bigger doors will have more problem with expansion than smaller doors. A 16" wide panel can swell as much as a 1/4 inch by going from 6% to 11% MC. Check out the shrinkulator.

Joe

[Julian Wong]

Thanks for the info.

I hear that that book ("understanding wood) is a good reference book and a must have for all woodoworker.

I will get the book and read some more.

Thank you for all your replies.

Newbie and still learning ;)