Several articles and books encourage using a 1/2 inch panel instead of a 1/4 inch panel in plain frame-and-panel doors in kitchen cabinets for additional ruggedness and better sound. I like the idea, but wonder how much clearance to leave between the rabbit and the frame on the inside of the door to allow for seasonal movement. I want to paint the completed doors, so will make them from either soft maple or poplar with birch plywood panels. Given all that, is the plywood-to-long-grain seam stable enough that I need 1) no clearance, 2) oh, about 3/16 on each side, or 3) just make them from 1/4 and call it good.
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Replies
Plywood panels need no room for expansion. None.
Yeah, the plywood panels won't expand, but the rails and stiles will just a little. Leave a little room in there (no more than 1/16").George Patterson
Make the panels from medex and leave just enough tolerance to slide them into the groove.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Sphere is right about plywood expansion. However, trying to exactly fit a panel into a frame is a nasty job and will cause you problems. For flat-panel doors I use either 1/4" ply (only at customer request) or 3/8" ply (preferable). But whether the panels are plywood or solid wood I fit them as follows: The groove is 7/16" deep in the frame. The groove width, of course, suits the panel. I make the panel 1/4" smaller in height and width than the hole it's going in and I hold it in place with several pieces of 1/4" or 3/8" backer rod (foam rod used to caulk log homes). The panels don't move around and super precision isn't required. Before assembly, I slightly chamfer both sides of the groove with 100 grit (or so) sandpaper on a wood block. This makes the assembly appear more uniform. Hope this is of some help.
Thanks, all. I think I'll try to find find some 3/8 ply.