Plywood thickness for shaker style cabinet doors?

[MrDavidRoberts]

Good evening, I wanted to make some kitchen cabinet doors, however got a bit confused about what kind of plywood thickness to use as I haven't made any in past.
For stiles I have 20mm thick & 95mm wide pine , and I was planing to use 5.5mm plywood as I have 6mm router cutter and the store nearby has 5.5mm ply in stock, I haven't bought the plywood yet but was planing to do that today however I found a scrap piece 6mm plywood I had and it seems rather thin for doors? Don't really have enough of it to make a door and see how it looks so not really sure how the end result would look like.

I could go to shop and get another router bit to fit 9mm plywood as well if that would be a better choice, however not really sure what kind of size i need..

Anyway what's the standard plywood size that's used for shaker style doors?
also would a groove that is cut out with 3/8inch router bit would fit 9mm plywood? 3/8inch is about 9.5mm however when you mix inches with mm together sometimes things just doesn't work out...
Thanks.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

Don't think the Shakers used plywood, so there is no such think as standard size of plywood for shaker doors! :lol:

I think 3/8 router bit is too big for 9mm ply, especially if you use lower grade ply, that tends to be a bit thinner yet. You should be able to get 9mm router bits, though. I would use a grooving bit on an arbour, rather than a straight bit. And I agree, 6mm is too thin, though would actually work, it just seems a bit light weight.

Mike

A slightly undersize slot bit, used in 2 passes to get the right width will account for undersized ply and will get the groove bang on centre, if that is what you want. Just a bit if trial and error to get the right fit.

 

[Mike Jordan]

If you want to use 9,mm ply you could cut a 6mm groove 4mm in from the rear face and then rebate the back edges of the ply to fit your grooves. Sizing ply and cutters doesn't always work well.

 

[doctor Bob]

Why don't you ask Derek Cohan (perth, OZ) how he made his?

 

[woodbrains]

Why don't you ask Derek Cohan (perth, OZ) how he made his?

(hammer) (hammer) (hammer)

Mike.

 

[pcb1962]

Why don't you ask Derek Cohan (perth, OZ) how he made his?

Derek's look a bit cheap, plywood will be much more tasteful

 

[RobinBHM]

probably 6mm is fine for 20mm thick stiles, unless you want to rebate the panel

9mm is ideal for 22mm to 25mm doors

MR mdf is the most common material

 

[Stormer1940]

I've recently used 6mm veneers to create these 22mm doors. They have held out fine. If the doors are any wider you'd probably want to thicker.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

I've recently used 6mm veneers to create these 22mm doors. They have held out fine. If the doors are any wider you'd probably want to thicker.

Those are some very nice doors! =D>
How rigid do they feel with the 6mm?

 

[Woodmonkey]

Why don't you ask Derek Cohan (perth, OZ) how he made his?

Derek's look a bit cheap, plywood will be much more tasteful

Come on guys don't be mean, 6mm will be fine mrdavidroberts, the stuff from B and Q looks really classy in a pine frame

 

[Robbo3]

Or Peter Millard. Although he uses MDF the thickness would be the same presumably.
Shaker style MDF - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px3D7wqycUc
Raised Panel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkop4wwYxoU

 

[sunnybob]

just for clarity, 9 mm = .0354" (or possibly 0.355 depending on rounding up or down)
3/8" = 0.375"

 

[Roughcut]

I've made 6mm plywood doors using 20mm Redwood rails and stiles before.
They were only for a storage cupboard and 800mm wide, but in all honesty as acceptable as they were, they did feel light.
So if I were to make doors for a kitchen I would seriously consider a 9mm panel to give a more substantial feel.
Also I assume you are planning to slot the rails and stiles on a router table?
I would recommend a bearing guided slotting router cutter or even better a cabinet door router set.

 

[doctor Bob]

Why don't you ask Derek Cohan (perth, OZ) how he made his?

Derek's look a bit cheap, plywood will be much more tasteful

Come on guys don't be mean, 6mm will be fine mrdavidroberts, the stuff from B and Q looks really classy in a pine frame

I'm sure we'll be blown away when we see the pictures.

 

[Stormer1940]

I've recently used 6mm veneers to create these 22mm doors. They have held out fine. If the doors are any wider you'd probably want to thicker.

Those are some very nice doors! =D>
How rigid do they feel with the 6mm?

Pretty rigid, I was surprised myself. I would have used 10mm but the suppliers I use were struggling with the order as apparently there isn't a demand on sapele veneers