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panel doors

sunnylo | Posted in Construction Techniques on June 16, 2013 10:10am

I’d like to build a bunch of interior doors out of vertical grain doug fir. The stiles and rails would be 4″ wide by 1 3/8″ thick. I’m thinking for the interior panels that I’ll glue up some 1x material, have a buddy of mine who has one of those giant belt sander machines sand the assembly then use this for panels. My question is, (for anybody who has done something similar), is there a problem with using that much of an expanse of clear, kiln dried, vertical grain fir in such a manner? Is it going to move to the point of cracking? I’ve thought of some ways to get around the problem, if it exists, but would rather not add the extra labor.

Thanks for any input.

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  1. DanH | Jun 17, 2013 06:28am | #1

    This is why you never tightly fasten the panel to the stiles and rails, but allow it to "float".  There is still some risk of the panel itself cracking, due to internal stresses, but this is minimized with clear VG KD material.

  2. oldhand | Jun 18, 2013 02:28pm | #2

    more info needed...
    H

  3. oldhand | Jun 18, 2013 07:02pm | #3

    more info needed...
    How wide are the panels

    1. sunnylo | Jun 20, 2013 09:54am | #5

      Not more than 26".

      Not more than 26".

  4. Lationston28 | Jun 19, 2013 02:16am | #4

    just fine

    it was a few years back that we installed a few patio doors of grain doug fir. They are in perfect shape without any signs of cracking.

    1. sunnylo | Jun 20, 2013 09:56am | #6

      Did they have interior panels of solid fir?

  5. IdahoDon | Jun 26, 2013 12:00am | #7

    Based on what you've said I'd say there's 100% chance that your pannels will split and your frames will bend and twist to the point of being unuseable. 

    KD stamp on wood only means wood is brought down to 16% moisture - not anywhere near what you need for building custom doors!  The wood needs to aclimate to the conditions in the house BEFORE you start making the doors - it doesn't matter where you bought the wood - it either is or isn't the right moisture content and you need to have the tools to figure it out.  Understanding wood movement is one of the most basic things that a door maker needs to understand.

    The second concern is that you need to understand how to make pannels so they float and have room to expand and contract with changes in air humidity.

    1. sunnylo | Jun 29, 2013 01:15am | #8

      Yep.

      Based on what you've written I'm 100% sure you have no idea what you're talking about. Why do you come on someone's thread to waste their time? I'm asking for input from people who have had some actual experience. 

      1. sapwood | Jun 29, 2013 12:10pm | #9

        I hate to step into the middle of a good dog fight, because there's a good chance of getting bit. However, if you'll accept some advice from a retired furniture maker who can't recall if he ever made up a frame and panel with a 26" wide frame (thus satisfying your experience requirement), but who has made many plank tables much wider than 26"......

        There are no inherant problems associated with wide panel construction as long as prudent wood fabrication techniques are followed. A wide panel will move with humidity/moisture content. It cannot be constrained. If your wood has a high moisture content during construction AND it is moved into an environment of low humidity after construction, then there's a good chance the panel will split. This is true even if the panel is allowed to free float within the frame. This is so, because the panel, like any plank of wood, will loose moisture faster from its ends than its middle. Thus the middle portion will constrain the movement of the ends and then something has to give.... cracking is the usual relief mechanism. 

        So, like IdahoDon said, if you're dealing with KD wood that is still "green", you may have a problem. If your KD wood is near the final moisture content of its intended environment, you won't. I think a moisture meter would be helpful to your situation. They aren't too expensive and given the scope of your intended project, its an expense worth absorbing. 

        Best of luck to you.

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