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+-- Thread: Painting panel doors (/showthread.php?tid=7329477)
Painting panel doors - iublue - 04-14-2017
I have been asked about making some cabinets. Panel doors and they want them painted.
I would guess everyone has seen painted panel doors that don't look so good after panel movement. Either the panels shrink and you see raw wood or the panel expands and the paint gets scraped off as the panel expands into the frame dado.
What is the work around? There surely must be one but since I almost never paint wood, I am not up on how to proceed.
Use MDF for the panels? Not my first choice.
Paint the panels before assembly and make the dado fairly loose?
What say you?
RE: Painting panel doors - barryvabeach - 04-14-2017
One option is to paint, or apply finish, to the panels before you assemble the frame. You can then size the slots that the panels slide in with enough clearance so the paint does not get scraped off as the panels expand. You can use space balls, or a DIY alternative to keep the panels from rattling. http://www.rockler.com/space-balls-raised-panel-door-spacers
RE: Painting panel doors - JGrout - 04-14-2017
At the very least I prime and add the first coat of paint before assembly. Then you can finish them off once assembled