# Hollow core cabinet doors?



## sfpcservice (Feb 20, 2010)

Hi Folks,

I'm currently in the middle of a travel trailer rebuild and I'm at the point of rebuilding the cabinet doors. The doors I pulled out were a hollow core design (as are the cabinet doors in my house) with a 1/8th ply backing the full hight and width of the rear of the door and then on the front is what appears to be a cove cut exposed wood frame and then a top 1/8th ply face. I can't find anything on the web about how to build these or what tools are needed. Does anyone know what this type of construction is called and where I can find an article that talks about how to do it?

I want to use this method because the doors are nice and light and look good, as opposed to using cabinet grade thick plywood.


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## ~WoodChuck~ (Jan 17, 2009)

I'm not sure about making those in question but i have made some with using a single 1/4" mdf core dadoed into a 3/4" frame and they were very light and easy to make doors.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

This link might help you.


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## The Wizard (Aug 21, 2013)

These doors are generally made with a 3/4" x 1 1/2" solid wood frame with either mitered or butt corners. They don't have to be very secure but they do have to be tight. 1/8" ply is then contact cemented to both sides of the frame usually about an 1/8" short of the edge all the way around depending on door edge detail. 
After the ply is in place the door is trimmed to final dimension and the edge is run through a shaper or router with the desired edge detail.

I just noticed that post is from 2009. You think he's still waiting for an answer?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The doors would have to be made individually by the cabinet shop that did it. All it would be is a wooden frame made out of 1/2" solid stock and laminated on both sides with 1/8" plywood. I've seen the center done with cardboard tubing cut into 1/2" pieces and I've seen 1/2"x1/2" strips for ribbing to fill the center. Not only the doors, the sides and shelving for the cabinets too were done in that manor. I've never seen any new cabinets done that way. It was only cabinets done in the 1960's and early 1970's.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I don't know why you couldn't make a frame, and laminate on thin plywood...using edge banding and then finish. You'd have a hollow light door...and it shouldn't look too bad.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

ryan50hrl said:


> I don't know why you couldn't make a frame, and laminate on thin plywood...using edge banding and then finish. You'd have a hollow light door...and it shouldn't look too bad.


1/8" plywood is very flemsy and fragile. If you didn't put some material in the center filling the void the plywood would wrinkle when you finish it and could easily have a hole knocked in it if it were struck by something. You know it immediately when you take down one of these cabinets built in this manor. They weight almost nothing. It's hard to believe they acutally work but do very well.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

It's not a common fabrication, as there has to be some interior structuring to keep the faces flat. The frame of the door can be made as the drawing below in the form of a "T". The ½" center can be wide enough to carry euro hinges if necessary, i.e., 2"-2¼". The 1/8" face cladding (plywood) would finish flush to the trim edge left on the frame.
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