Mdf for kitchen doors stile and rail

[2020c]

Is it possible to use MDF for stile and rail doors with thin ply in the centre. I've been finding it very difficult to source joinry grade oak or pine where I live. I tried using pine from the local builders yard but the timber isn't that good. Lots of knots and small twists.

I have all the tools. A trend Router table, DeWalt table and chop saw along with stile and rail router bits but finding it difficult to source good timber so now considering MDF just to get the doors up and on.

 

[opps]

I guess that you mean shaker style doors.

Use moisture resistant MDF and make sure that you prime and paint all end grains thoroughly (especially near the sink).

Why use ply as the panel though, MR MDF will be fine.

I spent years working as a cabinet painter. I painted loads of kitchen units. Ideally they would be primed with (spay applied) pre-cat or acid cat but even waterbased primer is fine so long as you use oil based eggshell (or similar).

A spray finished acid catalyst finish (AKA 2K paint) would be the most durable but they should be applied in a proper spray booth with a clean air supply (to help you breathe).

 

[2024]

I guess that you mean shaker style doors.

Use moisture resistant MDF and make sure that you prime and paint all end grains thoroughly (especially near the sink).

Why use ply as the panel though, MR MDF will be fine.

I spent years working as a cabinet painter. I painted loads of kitchen units. Ideally they would be primed with (spay applied) pre-cat or acid cat but even waterbased primer is fine so long as you use oil based eggshell (or similar).

A spray finished acid catalyst finish (AKA 2K paint) would be the most durable but they should be applied in a proper spray booth with a clean air supply (to help you breathe).

Yeah its a few new doors i need as the kitchen was extended. I cant get the same doors anywhere and was going to make them but now i cant get any decent timber for them either. So was thinking of just using moisture resistant mdf instead if it can be used for routering them similar to the ones i already have. It was an oak kitchen but its been painted so thinking no one will notice if the doors are mdf now that all are painted.

 

[big-all]

my thoughts

iff you can see the woodgrain at all on the painted doors they will show up more than you probably think on smooth mdf
do you have cabinets in a less obvious place like round a corner or other room where you can swap the doors and group the new ones away from the main run with visible separation to reduce the ability to see both easily at the same time

 

[opps]

my thoughts

iff you can see the woodgrain at all on the painted doors they will show up more than you probably think on smooth mdf
do you have cabinets in a less obvious place like round a corner or other room where you can swap the doors and group the new ones away from the main run with visible separation to reduce the ability to see both easily at the same time

Valid point, however, oak kitchen shaker doors are normally grain free. I have repainted a few over the years.

 

[opps]

Yeah its a few new doors i need as the kitchen was extended. I cant get the same doors anywhere and was going to make them but now i cant get any decent timber for them either. So was thinking of just using moisture resistant mdf instead if it can be used for routering them similar to the ones i already have. It was an oak kitchen but its been painted so thinking no one will notice if the doors are mdf now that all are painted.

MR MDF will be fine to run the router over.

 

[2020c]

MR MDF will be fine to run the router over.

Can the MDF be stile and rile thou?

 

[opps]

Can the MDF be stile and rile thou?

Absolutely no reason why not.

Over the years, I have known cabinet makers that have used router bits plus the reverse profile. Additionally, I have known others that use Festool Dominos (an improvement over wooden dowels. One friend used a poor man's version of dominos- he routed a 6mm slot in the rails and stiles- the center panel would slot in to the 6mm slot and then he used small sections of 6mm to act as "biscuits" where the rails and stiles meet. It worked very well. I often painted his doors and then went back 20 years later to repaint them, and they were still sound.

Professional DOMINO jointing system with Festool

www.festool.co.uk