Frame And Panel Door Construction

There are distinct structural and stylistic advantages to frame and panel construction of doors for cabinets and room passageways.

Frame and panel door construction.

The panel floats inside the frame housed in grooves so its seasonal movement is hidden especially if the panel is stained and finished before it s installed. A frame and panel structure creates a stable solid wood door see door structure at right. The basic idea is to capture a floating panel within a sturdy frame as opposed to techniques used in making a slab solid wood cabinet door or drawer front the door is constructed of several solid wood pieces running in a vertical or horizontal direction with exposed endgrains. Its primary purpose is to create a large panel with minimal wood movement.

Whereas solid wood shrinks and expands with changes in humidity affecting its overall dimensions a frame and panel doesn t. Vertical stiles and horizontal rails form a rigid frame with minimal seasonal movement. A general purpose saw blade will do the job although a dado stack cuts smoother tenons. Frame and panel door construction has changed little in the last 1 000 years.

Using the straightforward process detailed here you can crank out great looking doors for many applications including furniture cabinets and built ins. The basic principles of good construction are the same. Frames use 3 4 thick stock with 1 4 panels in various materials and veneers. Only during the last 100 years or so have there been changes mainly with the tools used and the quality of glues.

The frame and panel construction provides stability to a wooden door allowing the large floating. Frame and panel construction also called rail and stile is a woodworking technique often used in the making of doors wainscoting and other decorative features for cabinets furniture and homes.