Making a cupboard door

[PAJ]

I need to make a cupboard door. Size is 990mm x 915mm with a maximum thick ness of 37mm. It will be to replace two existing hollow doors on a large b edroom cupboard. The idea in having a single door is so that a TV can be m ounted on it. The door fits into a conventional door frame as installed by the builders s o is flush with the front of the frame.

Initially I thought about making a hollow door with lap joints at the corne rs and a vertical rib to take the TV mount and then cover it with MDF which will be painted. Then I wondered if I was over complicating things and I should just use a sheet of 18mm MDF. MDF would be about 12Kg and the TV ab out 5Kg so heavy but not massively so. The problem with this solution woul d be the hinges - I don't like the idea of screwing into the edge of the MD F. Googling shows that other people either do it without a problem or set dowels into the edge and then screw into these. So anyone have any thought s?

Peter.

[Jeremy Nicoll - news posts]

Are you sure about those weights? I've never measured MDF weight, but a 12 KG door seems heavy to me, especially if the TV is going to be less than half the weight...

If you make the door with an outer frame, but no diagonal bracing bar mightn't the thing tend to skew into a trapezoidal shape? The (presumably) thin MDF you think of covering it with would need to be strong enough to resist that.

Still, if you're planning to hinge it only on one side I'd think it might put quite a strain on the hinges and frame on one side - is the door frame strong enough for that?

If it were me I think I might abandon the idea of a hinged door and instead plan to lift the TV and door into place, and lift it out when not required. But that would only work if you planned to keep nothing you wanted access to often in the space behind it.

Or, I might use an articulated TV wall bracket to support the weight of the TV and make a very lightweight fill-in panel to cover the void behind it and allow the arm out of it.

[meow2222]

8><

ckness of 37mm.

and I should just use a sheet of 18mm MDF. MDF would be about 12Kg and th e TV about 5Kg so heavy but not massively so. The problem with this soluti on would be the hinges - I don't like the idea of screwing into the edge of the MDF.

I dont like the idea of mdf sheet a bit, but if you do it you can get very long hinges, historic style.

NT

[Brian Gaff]

If you hang things on the mdf door, sooner or later it will twist and close at the bottom, but not at the top.

Not sure if any door will be imune to lop sided weight in the way you describe. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Or over sized piano type hinges of course. I've done this on a kitchen cabinet door with a waste bin on the back side which completely knackered the original hinges and ther mounting. Brian

[stuart noble]

+1

[Lee]

I'd stick with the "hollow" door, but I'd go for 3mm hardboard either side so the wooden frame can be thicker. Can always use a bit of foam or glued in cardboard if "bounce" is an issue. Don't make the mistake I made last time I was in a rush and pin the hardboard, rather than gluing it though - or the pins show through :)

[PAJ]

Thanks NT, your square inside a square is a great idea, I was thinking one diagonal from bottom left (hinge side) to top right like a gate.

and thanks Lee, I was thinking 6mm MDF only because I have a large piece le ft from a previous project but you are right 3mm hardboard would be better.

One of the reasons I was thinking about the solid MDF was because of proble ms getting wood that is the right size and also straight. I confirmed this problem in B&Q today, ideally I would want something about 30mm thick but it's all either 22 or 34 and all as bent as a banana. I will check the loc al timber yard tomorrow.

[newshound]

Me too. Since you have the room to make it "thick" you have plenty of meat to fit whatever type of hinges you choose. Hardboard or plywood or thin MDF would do for the facings, personally I would screw and glue and then you should have plenty of stiffness against "sag".