Raised Panel Doors

[Paul Dell'Anno]

I am planning on building a small island for our kitchen and I want to match the design of the existing cabinet doors. The cabinet itself will be made from birch plywood. SInce this is my first experience with raised panels, am I correct in my thinking that plywood is not the best choice for the raised panel. Each door will be approximately 18" wide (only need two). What type of wood is usually used for the panels in the door? I want to try to use stock which I can cut to the correct width since I do not yet have a Planer and Jointer. Thanks for the help.

[Bob Lasley]

Paul,

If the door panels are indeed raised on the table saw or the router table, plywood is not a good choice. Flat panels from veneered plywood are fine. For raised panels I usually make them from the same wood that the rails and stiles are made from though they can be made from a contrasting wood such as maple with cherry rails and stiles.

Hope this helps,
Bob

[Robert Henderson]

Paul,


You definitely want to use solid wood for raised panels if they to stained or clear finished. However, I have had great results using MDF for the panels if the doors are to be painted. Just make sure you use a mask when cutting and/or routing this stuff.


Robert

[Lee Schierer]

You definitely want solid wood in the raised panels unless you plan on painting them. The link below will show you how I do raised panels on my table saw. they are quick and easy this way.

Raised Panels on a TS

[Paul Kunkel]

Originally posted by Paul Dell'Anno
I am planning on building a small island for our kitchen and I want to match the design of the existing cabinet doors. The cabinet itself will be made from birch plywood. SInce this is my first experience with raised panels, am I correct in my thinking that plywood is not the best choice for the raised panel. Each door will be approximately 18" wide (only need two). What type of wood is usually used for the panels in the door? I want to try to use stock which I can cut to the correct width since I do not yet have a Planer and Jointer. Thanks for the help.

What type of wood are the panels you're trying to match? If it's solid wood and you can't glue up and make panels that size for lack of the proper tools I think you either need some new tools or have a local cabinet shop give you a hand. You'll never make a matching raised panel out of manmade materiels. IMHO

[Ted Shrader]

Originally posted by Paul Kunkel
What type of wood are the panels you're trying to match? . . . or have a local cabinet shop give you a hand.

Paul -

Some places carry ready made unfinished doors. You might have good luck if your existing cabinets use a common profile cutter to raise the field of the panel. If your existing cabinets are painted, your planned use of birch will work fr the carcass construction. Otherwise, recommend using the same wood as the existing cabinets if they are varnished wood.

Just make the carcass and put the doors on it. The ends could be fixed; i.e use the doors as part of the carcass. If there is no local source for ready made doors, check with a local cabinet shop (like Paul Kunkel said).

Good luck,
Ted

[Tim]

If you're only making two doors, and don't see yourself making more in the future, then the cost of rail/stile and raised panel cutters is pretty steep. If you're not using coped rail and stile joinery (e.g. biscuits, pocket screws, M&T) and are making your panels on the TS, then maybe it's not such a big issue. I think it was the Rockler catalog I was scanning recently where I saw a custom made (unfinished) cabinet door service offered. Most common kitchen cabinet woods were available, in a couple of different styles. Might be worth looking into for just 2 doors.