ckucia
Well-known member
Been reading lots of old threads on building cabinets.
One theme that comes up somewhat regularly is building the doors so they don't warp.
MDF is often suggested because it is very flat, but it's then subject to moisture damage if not meticulously prepped and then it's also subject to dings and dents.
I came up with an idea of using 3/4" styrene insulating foam and laminating it with Luan to give what should be a light, strong, and largely warp-proof door. I was thinking that the outer frame could be wood and it would let you route a decorative edge or just a round edge to simulate metal cabinets. Also could build in blocks for hinge mounts and handles/latches. The Luan is hardwood faced and could be stained/finished to give a beautiful wood look, or it could be filled and smoothed to give a solid base for a glossy paint job.
Googling around, I didn't find much on this, but I did find some guys who build cabinets for vans by using foam board and reinforcing it with fiberglass screen, "glueing" it on with paint. In the video, there's a blurb where they tried thin plywood and it sounds like it was very strong, although a bit heavier than they were after.
I did a quick cost estimate. Luan and 3/4 styrene board are both around $15/sheet in my area. Probably could also use 1/2 styrene. If you laminated both sides with Luan, you're right around $45, not counting the framing, glue and time. That ends up being a shade less that what maple or birch 3/4 cabinet plywood is going for (about $52 in my area) and you'd have a thicker and lighter door that would better resist warping. If you were going to frame the plywood anyhow, then that ends up being about a wash, not counting the time, of course.
I've not tried this, but I thought I'd throw the idea out there. Might not be worth it for every cabinet door, but if you have a couple of large doors you need to build, it might be worth the experimentation and work.
One theme that comes up somewhat regularly is building the doors so they don't warp.
MDF is often suggested because it is very flat, but it's then subject to moisture damage if not meticulously prepped and then it's also subject to dings and dents.
I came up with an idea of using 3/4" styrene insulating foam and laminating it with Luan to give what should be a light, strong, and largely warp-proof door. I was thinking that the outer frame could be wood and it would let you route a decorative edge or just a round edge to simulate metal cabinets. Also could build in blocks for hinge mounts and handles/latches. The Luan is hardwood faced and could be stained/finished to give a beautiful wood look, or it could be filled and smoothed to give a solid base for a glossy paint job.
Googling around, I didn't find much on this, but I did find some guys who build cabinets for vans by using foam board and reinforcing it with fiberglass screen, "glueing" it on with paint. In the video, there's a blurb where they tried thin plywood and it sounds like it was very strong, although a bit heavier than they were after.
I did a quick cost estimate. Luan and 3/4 styrene board are both around $15/sheet in my area. Probably could also use 1/2 styrene. If you laminated both sides with Luan, you're right around $45, not counting the framing, glue and time. That ends up being a shade less that what maple or birch 3/4 cabinet plywood is going for (about $52 in my area) and you'd have a thicker and lighter door that would better resist warping. If you were going to frame the plywood anyhow, then that ends up being about a wash, not counting the time, of course.
I've not tried this, but I thought I'd throw the idea out there. Might not be worth it for every cabinet door, but if you have a couple of large doors you need to build, it might be worth the experimentation and work.
