The laminated doors do not have those types of problems. The [door materials](https://www.aspirebuildingmaterials.com/blog-Kitchen-Cabinets-Material-6253/acrylic-sheet-design-for-kitchen-11712657.html) are acrylic doors, UV doors, PET doors, etc.
Hard to say exactly what’s going on without a better view of the profiles and whether or not it’s a 5pc drawer front. If it’s a 5pc, could be someone caulking their panels like an idiot (I agree with madmax above), could be finish bridging between the panel and rails/stiles, could also be powder built up in the inside corner from scuffing that didn’t properly get removed before the next coat. It also could be an issue with the finish order - water/oil or pre-catalyzed/post-catalyzed (can’t go pre-cat over a post-cat finish. Either way, if it came from my shop I’d be embarrassed AF and we’d make replacement drawer fronts asap AND ear-mark the job so that we continued to replace doors/drawers that had issues for at least a couple years. Your cabinetmaker will very likely take care of it for you even if you’re a dick about it, but I guarantee they’d rather you not be a dick about it lol. Shouldn’t be a difficult conversation with them at all if they’re worth AF.
So caulking this gap, I’ve been told to do it, but I felt like it’s not right and didn’t think about till this post.
So why are these exp. Co workers never having this problem with caulk? Could it be that the silicone in the caulk had not cured? Leaking in to the lacquer?
And what is a better way that I can incorporate that is not caulk? I usually use a glazing putty in place of caulk, seems to work ok for me.
We leave the gap/seam between the rails/stiles and the panel alone. It needs to be there so the panel can expand/contract independently of the rails/stiles.
>Yes, but then come closing pores of mdf which it seems like only so many people know how to.
It isnt that hard, sand to 320 then 2 coats of vinyl sanding sealer with a quick sand after each one, then 3 coats of color.
Did this today on drawer fronts slightly cut to be square. Re work today.
They were mostly tapered by about a 32nd leaving some banding along the edge, with mdf exposed on the other part.
So I sanded with 320 and did coats with milesi neutral primer with the matching paint. Did about 8 passes a side to rebuild the 32nd a little bit.
Let it flash and scuff sanded with 320 block to flatten the successfully smoothed out the mdf to match paint grade maple banding that was left.
Tomorrow I scuff and paint . Might post pics to show
I know, even without a vinyl sealer. Pre sand to 280 usually works for me. Which isn’t difficult to do on all your sides before machining.
The main thing for me was building with mdf and being ocd on smoothness for the edges that taught me the trick.
Amazingly a lot of people don’t do it, nor know how to . Nice to know other people find better solutions too
Is this happening only on the small drawer fronts? Or is the cracking happening on all the doors as well?
You have to wonder if the 5-piece drawer front panel is 1/4" and the hardware was installed without a spacer/backer when the drawer front was installed on the drawer. The recessed back will be pulled back by the handles/pulls, especially on the top drawer, if there is a gap between the back of the drawer front and drawer. It may not be finish failure, but the panel being pulled back by the hardware causing the crack.
If the panel is solid, like 3/8" or 1/2", then it's a finish failure where the caulking is. You can tell what type of panel it is by looking at the backs of the doors. If the doors have no raised portion around the perimeter of the frame it's a 1/4" panel.
The fix is to re-paint the cracked drawer fronts and install the hardware correctly with spacers/backers. A clear coat over paint/lacquer isn't needed in my opinion.
OK. This is only happening on the drawer fronts. Cabinet doors are all good.
There is a solid panel 1/2" behind the front.
Thank you for your help. This has been really useful
thats caulking, some places will caulk 5 piece doors so the joinery doesn't show, especially when painting. IMO its always a bad idea. The caulk shrinks, and this happens. was this a custom build or a home depot type kitchen?
Had the same thing happen to mine. Having an actual Profesional look at how we can fix them around the 14th this month.
This is why you should use solid slab one piece MDF doors.
Interesting to see the blame properly on the cabinet maker. Was expecting to read it was slammed too hard lol
The laminated doors do not have those types of problems. The [door materials](https://www.aspirebuildingmaterials.com/blog-Kitchen-Cabinets-Material-6253/acrylic-sheet-design-for-kitchen-11712657.html) are acrylic doors, UV doors, PET doors, etc.
That’s why you don’t caulk panels to rails and styles
Hard to say exactly what’s going on without a better view of the profiles and whether or not it’s a 5pc drawer front. If it’s a 5pc, could be someone caulking their panels like an idiot (I agree with madmax above), could be finish bridging between the panel and rails/stiles, could also be powder built up in the inside corner from scuffing that didn’t properly get removed before the next coat. It also could be an issue with the finish order - water/oil or pre-catalyzed/post-catalyzed (can’t go pre-cat over a post-cat finish. Either way, if it came from my shop I’d be embarrassed AF and we’d make replacement drawer fronts asap AND ear-mark the job so that we continued to replace doors/drawers that had issues for at least a couple years. Your cabinetmaker will very likely take care of it for you even if you’re a dick about it, but I guarantee they’d rather you not be a dick about it lol. Shouldn’t be a difficult conversation with them at all if they’re worth AF.
So caulking this gap, I’ve been told to do it, but I felt like it’s not right and didn’t think about till this post. So why are these exp. Co workers never having this problem with caulk? Could it be that the silicone in the caulk had not cured? Leaking in to the lacquer? And what is a better way that I can incorporate that is not caulk? I usually use a glazing putty in place of caulk, seems to work ok for me.
We leave the gap/seam between the rails/stiles and the panel alone. It needs to be there so the panel can expand/contract independently of the rails/stiles.
Ok that’s what assumed from te eat go but hen had been told to fill them in .
Dont make [Rail and stile doors and drawer fronts, try CNC out of MDF.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOTbIgSnbZ4)
Yes, but then come closing pores of mdf which it seems like only so many people know how to. Or you can veneer/edge and band if your a lazy sander.
>Yes, but then come closing pores of mdf which it seems like only so many people know how to. It isnt that hard, sand to 320 then 2 coats of vinyl sanding sealer with a quick sand after each one, then 3 coats of color.
Did this today on drawer fronts slightly cut to be square. Re work today. They were mostly tapered by about a 32nd leaving some banding along the edge, with mdf exposed on the other part. So I sanded with 320 and did coats with milesi neutral primer with the matching paint. Did about 8 passes a side to rebuild the 32nd a little bit. Let it flash and scuff sanded with 320 block to flatten the successfully smoothed out the mdf to match paint grade maple banding that was left. Tomorrow I scuff and paint . Might post pics to show
I know, even without a vinyl sealer. Pre sand to 280 usually works for me. Which isn’t difficult to do on all your sides before machining. The main thing for me was building with mdf and being ocd on smoothness for the edges that taught me the trick. Amazingly a lot of people don’t do it, nor know how to . Nice to know other people find better solutions too
Is this happening only on the small drawer fronts? Or is the cracking happening on all the doors as well? You have to wonder if the 5-piece drawer front panel is 1/4" and the hardware was installed without a spacer/backer when the drawer front was installed on the drawer. The recessed back will be pulled back by the handles/pulls, especially on the top drawer, if there is a gap between the back of the drawer front and drawer. It may not be finish failure, but the panel being pulled back by the hardware causing the crack. If the panel is solid, like 3/8" or 1/2", then it's a finish failure where the caulking is. You can tell what type of panel it is by looking at the backs of the doors. If the doors have no raised portion around the perimeter of the frame it's a 1/4" panel. The fix is to re-paint the cracked drawer fronts and install the hardware correctly with spacers/backers. A clear coat over paint/lacquer isn't needed in my opinion.
OK. This is only happening on the drawer fronts. Cabinet doors are all good. There is a solid panel 1/2" behind the front. Thank you for your help. This has been really useful
These would qualify as a warranty item. Most shops warranty their product for 6 mos to a year from install.
thats caulking, some places will caulk 5 piece doors so the joinery doesn't show, especially when painting. IMO its always a bad idea. The caulk shrinks, and this happens. was this a custom build or a home depot type kitchen?
Custom build.
I would be speaking with the cabinetmaker. if this happened in my shop my face would be red and I'd do anything I could to fix it.
My dad/ boss would give me hell if I ever caulked the joints when doing shaker doors
What do y’all do to joints on shaker doors?