Making Plywood Slab Cabinet Doors

Plywood core doors are dimensionally stable and even raw mdf will resist warping as long as the laminate or thermofoil covering remains intact.

Making plywood slab cabinet doors.

For a base cabinet less than 4 wide you can cut all the parts except the back and toekick from one 3 4 4 8 sheet of plywood or mdf. Probably the most inexpensive and versatile style of a cabinet door is the slab. Solid hardwood too if properly sealed with stain or paint should not warp. For cabinet doors a plywood face can give you a finished look regardless of the type of plywood you ve chosen to use for the box construction.

Then cut the door out of a sheet of plywood or your chosen material with a circular or table saw. Warping plywood cabinet doors cabinetmakers agree that plywood is not suitable for making doors because of its tendency to warp. If you want a woodgrain look use medium density fiberboard on a painted or covered surface. Extra tall so you can trim their ends after gluing.

Sources for slab doors. Plywood thicknesses vary though so make certain your material thickness measures a true 3 4 or adjust your part dimensions to achieve the final cabinet width. Here s a classic way to put together a strong good looking door without making any unsightly holes. Make a list of the parts of your diy shaker cabinet doors before you begin.

To make a simple slab door start by measuring the dimensions for your door. Columbia s appalachian traditions line answers the need for the edge glued lumber or plank matched look perfectly. While slab style cabinet doors can be built from plywood or melamine with the edges banded it is relatively simple to build slab doors from solid wood. Edge banding is of a matching wood species.

It s a good idea to make your doors 1 8 in. Make a no fuss case using your tablesaw. A banded edge door may have a rough seam that may show through the paint stain when the door is finished. For flatness and stability mdf core material is a better choice.

Question i ve made some slab doors out of fir plywood for a small kitchen and i m concerned about the doors warping as some have started. Nearly every major cabinet manufacturer will offer cabinet lines that feature slab doors. They can be finished with paint stain followed by polyurethane or any other finish you deem appropriate.