Cabinet Doors

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I am ready to replace the doors on my aquarium cabinet and canopy. I went to HD today to get some wood and could not find one straight piece of wood. I looked at the poplar plywood and the poplar 1/2 x 3 boards for the door trim and couldn't find anything that was remotely straight.

So I went to Lowes and got some nice pre-cut oak plywood and trim. I also picked up some of those Euro style hidden hinges. The oak plywood is not completely straight but much better than the poplar at HD. Also the trim was precut as well so I will not have to lots of cuts.

[Loverotties]

Home cheepo always has warp wood.Great for making a fun house tho!

[ceige]

did you ever look into getting the doors online? I think I will go this route for my tank (when I get around to doing it..)

[Casey]

I got 2 nice unstained doors with those hinges off of ebay for $20.

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Wow, nice find!

Originally Posted by Casey

I got 2 nice unstained doors with those hinges off of ebay for $20.

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Are there cabinet makers online that will build custome doors?
If so, that would be great!

Originally Posted by ceige

did you ever look into getting the doors online? I think I will go this route for my tank (when I get around to doing it..)

[ceige]

check these guys out...https://securewsch01.websitecomplete...p/showDept.asp

my brother has used them for a few small jobs and he said they were good doors

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Thanks CJ, I'll take a look.

Originally Posted by ceige

check these guys out...https://securewsch01.websitecomplete...p/showDept.asp

my brother has used them for a few small jobs and he said they were good doors

[mg]

Originally Posted by ceige

check these guys out...https://securewsch01.websitecomplete...p/showDept.asp

my brother has used them for a few small jobs and he said they were good doors

I tried using them and all the doors I wanted they stopped making. They were very limited on the sizes available, of the 10 or so sizes listed on the site for that style they were only still making 1 or 2 sizes. This is fine if you know the sizes available before starting the project, but wouldn't work for me since the openings were already cut.

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Yeah, once you go over a width of around 21", you have to order custom and the price goes up. But the doors online are much nicer than anything I could build. I like the rasied panel doors....I think I'll look around a little more and it I find something. I'll have to return all the wood I bought at Lowes. It cost me around $200.00 for 4 doors, or $50 per door including hinges and nice handles. I wouldn't mind paying that or more for nice premade ones. I need wide ones on the top....around 45" wide for each door. Or I could do 4 doors on the top with widths of around 27 - 28".
The building is not the part that is hard for me....it's the staining and varnishing...I hate finish work! If I bought premade doors they would have to be unfinished so I could acurately match the stain on my cabinet.
So it would not reduce the work too much for me. The wood I bought was precut to 48" W x 24" H so I only need to trim the doors a little to fit and then put on the 3 inch borders. I bought solid oak for the borders and oak plywood for the doors.

I'm thinking of having the top doors open vertically, like a piano top, if I can find the right hinges...I think they are called swing door hinges. Maybe I can get some piano hinges online somewhere.

Originally Posted by mg

I tried using them and all the doors I wanted they stopped making. They were very limited on the sizes available, of the 10 or so sizes listed on the site for that style they were only still making 1 or 2 sizes. This is fine if you know the sizes available before starting the project, but wouldn't work for me since the openings were already cut.

[mg]

I got my piano hinges at lowes. I ave seen them at HD as well. They came in 1, 2, 3, and 4 feet at lowes I believe.

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I'm looking for a hinge that will allow the door to stay open...any ideas?

Originally Posted by mg

I got my piano hinges at lowes. I ave seen them at HD as well. They came in 1, 2, 3, and 4 feet at lowes I believe.

[mg]

Yes, I used a piano hinge that ran the length of the front panel to distribute the weight. I then used saftey hinges which I got at lowes, they didn't have the right ones at HD. I will see if I can dig up a pic since I don't have my canopy any more.

[mg]

Here ya go Chuck. The hinges that are on the ends. They bend in the center to colapse. They are sold specifically for left or right side applications.

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Whoa, Mike, that is EXACTLY what I want to do!!!!!!
Looks like another trip to Lowes tonight. Thanks for the picture!