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Thread: Need help fixing a mistake

  1. #1
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    Need help fixing a mistake

    I just finished making a set of raised panel inset doors for a bedroom armoire. The opening for the doors is 38 1/2" X 40". I wanted to end up with a full unobstructed opening, so there is no stile in the center between the two doors (I plan to install magnetic catches to close the doors against). So what I have is a pair of raised panel doors, that meet in the center of the opening, with full inset hinges left and right. My problem is that I erred on the door width and ended up with a 5/16th inch gap in the center between the two doors (with 1/16" gap on each of the hinge sides). Essentially I need to widen the doors. Which of course is not possible at this point. So I need some suggestions on how to "fix" or compensate for my mistake. I thought about gluing thin strips to the hinge side of each door but am afraid it will not look right. I know you guys will have some great ideas
    Last edited by Maurice Arney; 11-13-2014 at 6:47 AM.

  2. #2
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    Any pictures?
    I am never wrong.

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  3. #3
    Pictures would help indeed. Depending on the style, you could put a strip on one door that laps over the other. This is a traditional feature of paired doors without a center stile. An alternative might be to trim the outer edges off all four sides of the doors and apply a new piece all the way around. Put a profile on the outer edges. This would be similar to a cockbead although it wouldn't have to be raised above the surface of the door frame. Doing that could make it look like an intentional design feature.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Harold Burrell View Post
    Any pictures?
    No sorry. I thought I did a pretty good job of describing it though Actually, there is nothing to take pictures of anyway. The doors are not installed yet. I just know from measuring that I will have a 5/16th" gap in the center. I'm holding off installing them until I come up with an acceptable solution to the center gap issue.
    Last edited by Maurice Arney; 11-13-2014 at 7:40 AM.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richards View Post
    Pictures would help indeed. Depending on the style, you could put a strip on one door that laps over the other. This is a traditional feature of paired doors without a center stile. An alternative might be to trim the outer edges off all four sides of the doors and apply a new piece all the way around. Put a profile on the outer edges. This would be similar to a cockbead although it wouldn't have to be raised above the surface of the door frame. Doing that could make it look like an intentional design feature.
    Yes I thought of the "lap" approach. I guess I would need to do some research on what would look nice. The cockbead sounds interesting. I just googled images and it looks like a miniature bullnose. I could put one along the edge of one of the doors where they meet. This would definitely close the gap!

  6. #6
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    Instead of remaking the doors, can you remake, add a face frame or add a thin piece to the face frame of the cabinet to added the needed width on the cabinet instead of the doors?
    Lee Schierer
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Schierer View Post
    Instead of remaking the doors, can you remake, add a face frame or add a thin piece to the face frame of the cabinet to added the needed width on the cabinet instead of the doors?
    Yes, I thought of that too. I would just need to figure out how to do it so it looks like a "feature" and not a "repair."

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Maurice Arney View Post
    Yes I thought of the "lap" approach. I guess I would need to do some research on what would look nice. The cockbead sounds interesting. I just googled images and it looks like a miniature bullnose. I could put one along the edge of one of the doors where they meet. This would definitely close the gap!
    Yes, you could just add a thin piece to one door and put a little bull nose on it. Again, make it a design feature.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richards View Post
    Yes, you could just add a thin piece to one door and put a little bull nose on it. Again, make it a design feature.
    Yes! I like this idea! Good thing I bought my "GRRR-RIPPER" push block. Should make it easy to rip out some cockbead on my table saw! Thanks for the idea!

  10. #10
    I hope it looks nice when you are finished.

    Of course the picture police will say it never happened if you don't share some pictures. Before and after would be cool.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Schierer View Post
    Instead of remaking the doors, can you remake, add a face frame or add a thin piece to the face frame of the cabinet to added the needed width on the cabinet instead of the doors?
    Quote Originally Posted by Maurice Arney View Post
    Yes, I thought of that too. I would just need to figure out how to do it so it looks like a "feature" and not a "repair."
    Making the addition decorative will solve the "looks like a fix" problem. The challenge is that cockbeads and such generally appear all around doors (although I have seen other examples) which could cause you height problems. The walnut trim echoing the hinge profiles (not shown in these pics) in this piece might give you an idea of a feature that doesn't look like a fix. At least I hope not because it was in the original design .

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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richards View Post
    I hope it looks nice when you are finished.

    Of course the picture police will say it never happened if you don't share some pictures. Before and after would be cool.
    I will definitely post photos... If possible, I will do "before and after."

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    Making the addition decorative will solve the "looks like a fix" problem. The challenge is that cockbeads and such generally appear all around doors (although I have seen other examples) which could cause you height problems. The walnut trim echoing the hinge profiles (not shown in these pics) in this piece might give you an idea of a feature that doesn't look like a fix. At least I hope not because it was in the original design .
    Yes, that looks really nice! I'll think on this more and post pictures of what I come up with.

  14. #14
    Instead of cockbeading to draw attention to the edge, after you glue up, you can just chamfer that up to the seam. The change in direction will likely hide the seam.

    Alternatively, you could just shim behind each of the hinges so that the gap is evenly dispersed between the three gaps.

  15. #15
    What kind of hinges? If you are using full inset euro style hinges you could simply adjust to 3 equal 1/8" gaps.

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