How To Make Kitchen Cupboard Doors

[SimonWray]

Hi

I'm after some advice on how best to construct kitchen cupboard doors from scratch, using the kit I have available.

Level of skill - I've made a wall-running carcas/cupboard for boiler, belfast sink & washing m/c from hardwood, which is very sturdy, although plain.

Noteworthy tools available; 1/2" router, compound mitre saw, jigsaw & workmate.

My thought is that I can rout along a (e.g.) 3"x1" length of timber to give it a lip, then cut this into 4 for the 2x Stiles & 2x Rails.

Then need to rout a groove in the top & tail of the two stiles & then corresponding tung's for the rails.

Finally use 1/2" slats for the centre of the door, which rests on the routed lip/recess.

My two areas of doubt are how best to rout the grove in the Stiles using my hand-held router on a B&D workmate. The second being whether my idea for the centre of the door is the right way to go, or is there a better option.

Thanks for any help.
Simon.

 

[Norcon]

You could save yourself a lot of hassle and just buy them from b&q.

 

[SimonWray]

It's not a standard size.

 

[big-all]

you can use a buscuit cutter in your router a dowel set
or iff you have a 1/2 inch router and a table then you can use a cabinet door set

cheapest option is biscuit or dowel option
if you need a step by step guide i will talk you through it

 

[foxhole]

Plain 18mm mdf and improve design with router, you will need the bit required to sink hinge holes assuming you are using standard kitchen hinges?

 

[Jasonb]

Get a 6mm slot cutter for your router as its easier than using a straight bit and balancing the router on the edge of the rail/style and use the joints shown below

Use 6mm board for the panel, you can use a "V" bit in the router if you want this to look boarded. Get the 18mm stuff ripped down into strips at the suppliers or buy a cheap tablesaw. Preferably us e MR MDF as it gives a better finish and will resist the humid kitchen air.

Jason

 

[SimonWray]

Thanks for the responses - done it now.

The door only needed to be ~8" wide by ~32" high, so I could of used a single board, but I wanted a 'recessed' look with a stile/rails look to it.

So, after Jasonb's message (thanks!), I checked my router bits and found a 1/4" rabbetting bit. I used this to groove 44mm x 18mm lengths of ash for the stiles & rails. I then planned a length of ash board down to 1/4" thick and used this to effectively join the four sides all together, gluing it and clamping with sash cramps.

Looks fine now. I think if the door needed to be larger, then I would need a better way to join the corners of the rails and stiles, but it is strong and with no obvious joint.