What's inside
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A small raised-panel door is a useful hand-tool project: it needs careful layout and fitting, but not a router table or cabinetmaking machinery. This method uses a grooving plane for the frame and a hand plane for the panel’s bevel. It suits a door roughly 12 to 18 inches wide and 18 to 30 inches tall. Allow a weekend, including glue-up and finishing time.
Contents
Plan the door and choose the wood
Measure the cabinet opening in at least three places. For a single overlay door, make the finished door about 1/2 inch wider and taller than the opening if you want a 1/4-inch reveal on each side. For an inset door, make it about 1/8 inch smaller in both dimensions, then fine-tune the clearance to match the cabinet and hinges.
For a first door, use straight-grained, dry hardwood such as poplar, cherry, or maple. Avoid boards with knots near the joints. The frame parts should finish around 3/4 inch thick; make the panel from stock about 1/2 inch thick. A floating panel moves across its grain as humidity changes, so do not glue it into the frame.
Tools and materials
You need a backsaw or tenon saw, chisels, a square, marking gauge, mallet, hand plane, clamps, and a grooving plane or a chisel-guided method for cutting grooves. A hand grooving plane makes consistent grooves, but it is a specialized purchase. For one door, you can cut the grooves with a backsaw and chisel, checking depth often.
Use a sharp plane and a fine-tooth saw; sharp edges matter more than premium brands. A marking gauge helps keep the shoulders and grooves consistent. You will also need wood glue for the frame joints, scrap wood for clamping pads, and a finish suited to the cabinet.
Size the frame parts
For a 14-by-20-inch finished door with 2-inch-wide rails and stiles, cut the two stiles to 20 inches and the rails to 10 inches. That rail length assumes a 1/2-inch-deep groove on each side: 14 inches minus two 2-inch stiles, plus two 1/2-inch tenons, equals 11 inches, not 10. In practice, calculate from the actual joint layout: rail length equals door width minus twice the stile width, plus both tenon lengths. With 1/2-inch tenons, this example’s rails should be 11 inches.
Make the parts slightly oversize in length and plane them to final size after cutting the joints. Mark the inside face and top of every piece. This simple reference prevents a rail or stile from being reversed during assembly.
Cut the grooves and tenons
Set the groove about 1/4 inch from the inside face, 1/4 inch wide, and 3/8 inch deep. Test the setting on offcuts from the same stock. The panel edge should slide into the groove without force, but it should not rattle excessively. A groove that is too shallow weakens the joint; one that is too tight can split the stile during assembly.
Cut grooves in the inside edges of both stiles and both rails. Saw the tenons on the rail ends to fit those grooves, leaving a shoulder that closes neatly against the stile. Pare gradually with a chisel and test-fit often. Aim for a snug joint that seats with light taps, not a fit that needs heavy hammering. Check each corner for square before proceeding.
Shape the raised panel
Cut the panel blank about 1/2 inch larger in width and height than the opening between the frame members. Plane it flat, then bevel all four edges on the back so the panel’s front face remains raised. Leave a flat center about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick; taper the edges to fit the frame grooves. A hand plane gives control, though it takes longer than a powered cutter.
Test the panel in the dry-assembled frame. It should fit into the grooves with room to expand, while covering the groove bottoms. Leave roughly 1/16 inch of movement at each edge rather than forcing the panel tight. If the panel sticks, pare the bevel; if daylight shows at the frame, correct the bevel before glue-up.
Choose a practical cutting method
| Method | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Grooving plane and hand plane | Repeatable grooves and a traditional hand-tool build | Specialty plane costs more; panel bevel takes patience |
| Backsaw and chisel | One door or occasional repairs | Slower, with more frequent depth checks |
| Router with suitable bits | Several doors or a shop already equipped for routing | Requires careful setup and dust control; not necessary for one small door |
If you plan to make several doors, a raised-panel router bit set can speed the panel work, but check that the bit profile and shank suit your router. For a single small door, hand shaping is usually cheaper than buying bits and a larger router setup.
Glue and square the frame
Dry-assemble the door first and mark the joint order. Apply glue to the tenons and mortises only; keep glue out of the panel grooves. Slide in the panel, then assemble the frame. Tighten clamps in pairs, using pads to protect the faces. Measure both diagonals: they should match within about 1/16 inch. If not, adjust the clamps before the glue sets.
Wipe away squeeze-out with a lightly damp cloth, taking care not to spread glue across the panel. A glue spot can prevent stain from soaking in evenly. Leave the door clamped for the glue maker’s stated time, commonly at least 30 to 60 minutes, then allow it to cure before heavy planing.
Fit, finish, and avoid common failures
Plane the edges square and bring the door to its final dimensions. Test the hinge locations on the cabinet, then drill pilot holes before driving screws; small stiles split easily near an edge. Sand through 120 and 180 grit, easing sharp edges lightly without rounding the panel profile. Apply finish to the panel and frame, including the panel edges, but avoid creating a thick film inside the grooves.
The most common problems are a door that racks out of square, a panel glued solid by mistake, and joints that are too tight to assemble. Check the diagonals during clamping, keep glue off the panel, and test every joint before spreading glue. If seasonal movement matters, particularly in a heated or humid room, keep the panel floating and leave the small expansion clearance described above.