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Wood for Kitchen Cabinet Doors

1K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  AlaskaGuy 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi all!

I'm new in the woodworking world and I started my DIY project at home. I wanted to renovate the kitchen cabinet doors but I'm having issues with lumber. I've made a couple of doors but because I only a have table saw and I'm using the lumber from homedepot some of them are warped. Any suggestion about how to work with straight lumber for this?

I really appreciate any advise on this!

Thanks.
 
#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
Try and hand select your lumber instead of having them do it. Sight the corners to find the straightest.

Gentle warp can be mitigated automatically as the pieces are crosscut. Severe warp not so much.

One thing is clear, you need MORE TOOLS! LOL

You can tell your better half it's OK 'cause I said so.
 
#3 ·
First, go to the tool section and grab an 8' box level, the most expensive they have. Bring that with you to find the straightest boards. The poplar at the big box store is usually decent, but I still have to sift through and am lucky to find 25-50% of the straight enough.
 
#5 ·
Thank you guys for the advice! I will definitely go the a local hardware dealer to see if I can find better ones. I started using poplar but I found that it dented easily so now I'm using Maple (but it is expensive) so I don't want to ruin them.

I definitely need more tools! but you know the deal, slowly but surely.

Cheers!
 
#7 ·
I've got a friend who is the finest cabinet maker in my area. I trust his advice and I've seen his results.

1st- Are you doing natural wood or painted?
2nd- Raised panel or flat.

My friend prefers Beech for raised panel painted and just about any other painted cabinets. Why? it's cost effective, super easy to work with and holds paint extremely well.

I don't care for any sort of painted anything. But I do enjoy using beech. It's a much under appreciated wood.

For natural wood, don't stain, get the real thing. The real thing is way better that a fake stain job.
 
#8 ·
I ve got a friend who is the finest cabinet maker in my area. I trust his advice and I ve seen his results.

1st- Are you doing natural wood or painted?
2nd- Raised panel or flat.

My friend prefers Beech for raised panel painted and just about any other painted cabinets. Why? it s cost effective, super easy to work with and holds paint extremely well.

I don t care for any sort of painted anything. But I do enjoy using beech. It s a much under appreciated wood.

For natural wood, don t stain, get the real thing. The real thing is way better that a fake stain job.

- BurlyBob
It sound to me like he is doing Solid wood Slab Doors. Risky business if you asked me. Risky meaning getting a whole kitchen done without at least some doors warping. In the past there have been a lot of discussions on the WoodWeb cabinet making forum on Solid wood Slab doors. Many refuse to make them or won't warranty them against warping.
 
#9 ·
You need to tell us what style of door you're making.

But, since its poplar, now maple, my assumption is its painted. And since you've only got a table saw, I would assume flat panels. Use MDF or plywood. There is no reason to use solid wood panels.
 
#10 ·
First, go to the tool section and grab an 8' box level, the most expensive they have. Bring that with you to find the straightest boards. The poplar at the big box store is usually decent, but I still have to sift through and am lucky to find 25-50% of the straight enough.

- SMP
I find the cheapest level from Horrible Freight to be just fine. Just verify the level set in the store ( bubble reads the same end for end) Fancy wood and brass does not make a better level.

Recently, the selection at least at our local HD look more like 2×4's that have been left in the weather. More suitable for modern sculpture. Possiblly unstable weather leading to it. Sooooo. Lux head came yesterday for my new/used planer.
 
#11 ·
First, go to the tool section and grab an 8' box level, the most expensive they have. Bring that with you to find the straightest boards. The poplar at the big box store is usually decent, but I still have to sift through and am lucky to find 25-50% of the straight enough.

- SMP

I find the cheapest level from Horrible Freight to be just fine. Just verify the level set in the store ( bubble reads the same end for end) Fancy wood and brass does not make a better level.

- tvrgeek
I'm pretty sure he meant to take a level from the tool section over to the lumber to use as a straightedge to check boards along their length, not purchase one. Besides, why would it matter if it was an accurate level?
 
#13 ·
I m pretty sure he meant to take a level from the tool section over to the lumber to use as a straightedge to check boards along their length, not purchase one. Besides, why would it matter if it was an accurate level?

- Rich
I have seen someone do this, but they didn't remove the tie at one end they put on it. Was laughing so hard I couldn't explain it to the guy and not sound like a idiot.

LOL
 
#14 ·
Apologize for stealing this thread, but the very same topic. My kitchen has painted doors. One, tall door about 36 inches, glass center, is warped. I am going to make a new one, just don't know what the most stable wood would be. I was thinking denser than poplar. Maple maybe? I guess I could laminate thinner stock.
 
#16 ·
These people say

Image result for most stable wood
Douglas fir
Wood shrinks and swells at a cellular level until it reaches equilibrium; this is known as "seasoning." Douglas fir, or simply "fir" as it is typically referred to, is the most stable wood on a cellular level because once it is seasoned, it virtually stops shrinking or warping.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/stable-wood-against-warping-shrinking-99470.html

https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/ten-best-woods-youve-never-heard/
 
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