How can I straighten this?

[Timberwolf]

We have an old wooden medicine cabinet I want to mount inside a wall. The door is warped as you can see in this pic. Any ideas on how I could straighten it out?
Thanks,
Paul

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I think I would first try to "warp it back" into shape...Clamp three corners to a flat surface, then put enough weight on the "high" corner to force it back even with the other corners..You might even apply some heat from a heat gun to the corners while it it under pressure..

[Wild Turkey]

Can you press down on it and flatten it or is it firmly set in the warp?

If you can press it flat I'd cut a piece of 1/2" plywood oversize and dado the edges so it would fit in the frame, glue and brad or screw the ply to the door, then cover ply with mirror.

[EricU]

looks like the stile that's sitting flat on the counter has a twist. Take that one off and see what happens.

[2beast]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I think I would first try to "warp it back" into shape...Clamp three corners to a flat surface, then put enough weight on the "high" corner to force it back even with the other corners..You might even apply some heat from a heat gun to the corners while it it under pressure..

Pretty spot on.
I have done this with success.
It does take time to get it back into shape and hold it 

[AHill]

Disassemble - THEN steam the parts that are warped, bent, or cupped.  Looks to me like your rails and right stile are straight.  The left stile seems to be the culprit.  You may find other parts aren't straight when disassembled, due to lack of constraints of the fasteners.  I'm wondering if the frame itself is really screwed together.  That would be a very unconventional way to assemble a frame back in the day.

[GeorgeV]

Might not be all that hard.  Use the same or similar wood.  Dye and/or stain to get close.  Seal it.  Adjust the color if you need to with a gel stain.  Finish.  

John

IF YOU HAVE IT CLAMPED FLAT, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO INSERT A DOWEL THRU THE STILE INTO THE RAIL.

[Handplanesandmore]

This diagnosis of a twist by EricU is the most correct conclusion in my opinion. It is due to wood movement, and the twist is unlikely to be cured by steaming, clamping, doweling, gluing, etc., at least not permanently.

It should not be a joinery problem either because the twist was not there when the door was joined years ago.

Replacing the whole door as one of you has suggested is the only long-term solution, or just live with the twist.

Simon

[Eric Commarato]

I know this sounds crazy but I have actually hear of placing the warped piece on your front lawn on a warm humid day...I'd experiment on a scrap first an see if it works.

[Handplanesandmore]

I know this sounds crazy but I have actually hear of placing the warped piece on your front lawn on a warm humid day...I'd experiment on a scrap first an see if it works.

It isn't crazy at all, and it is a well documented technique to flatten cupped boards using steam (lawn: sun and moisture), but the problem with twisted boards is that after the twist is removed, it will come back if seasonal change is why it happened in the first place.

This is why cabinet doors made of mdf don't twist, and some use quartersawn wood to make stiles and rails.

Simon

[Arlin Eastman]

I have done that before.  What I did is place two 2x4s on the two opposite side legs and clamp them there.  Than I clamp the high end to a surface that is lower and slowly clamp the warped end lower and lower.  It may take a few days to get it to the bottom of the lower surface.  Make sure you check it everyday to see how bad the warp still is.