Mitred Kitchen Cabinet doors not as strong?

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 12:53 am

Has anyone heard, or experienced firsthand, that mitred door styles are less long lasting (more likely to come apart)?

Im quoting from a discussion on gardenweb.com, where many say mitred is much weaker:

"I have heard that mitred joints are not as strong as mortise and tenon joints and may be more likely separate with changes in humidity etc.. The attached piece indicates that mitred joints are only used when the stiles have fancy details otherwise they may suggest cheap craftsmanship as mitre joints are easier to fabricate than mortise and tenon joints."

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forum......html

See photo of both:

Mitred edge doors have diagonal stripe at edge, frame is joined joined diagonally:

Mortise and tenon joints have straight lines, horizontal piece meets vertical piece of wood, at a right angle, not diagonally:

MagentaYenta

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 1:27 am

That article is somewhat correct but the second photo is misleading. Yes the white cabinet show's it's mitered. Without seeing the back of the cabinet front in the second photo there is no way to tell that it is actually a joined cabinet face. I would suggest it is if there are no fasteners showing on the back. The panel that is inset into the face frame of the bottom cabinet would likely be tongue in groove joinery.

When buying case goods and furniture, the strongest drawer construction is made from dove tailed joints and the bottoms would also be joined without fasteners. (I apologize for forgetting the name of the joint used in this process.)

I hope this helps.

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 1:42 am

MagentaYenta wrote:

Thanks for responding. Im about to place an order and almost chose mitred doors, until I read the gardenweb.com discussion.

Would you say the gardenweb discussion isnt accurate?

No one brought up anything about looking further than the door front, to judge whether the door construction is mitred or mortise and tenon joint. From the discussion there, I gathered that its easily distinguished by the front of the cabinet- the giveaway diagonal lines or straight lines in the cabinet door frame outer edge, where the vertical piece of wood in the frame meets the horizontal (on outer corner of door).

Rubber Ducky

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 9:13 am

Are you using a good quality cabinet line? And are the cabinets painted or stained?

Cracks will show more in painted cabinets than stained ones (it's part of the charm of painted cabinets, really) and wood expansion/contraction with seasonal humidity fluctuations is normal. My opinion is that if you're using a good cabinet line as opposed to contractor grade cabinets, you'll be fine.

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 9:31 am

Rubber Ducky wrote:

Are you using a good quality cabinet line? And are the cabinets painted or stained?

Good quality and stained.

Rubber Ducky wrote:

Cracks will show more in painted cabinets than stained ones (it's part of the charm of painted cabinets, really) and wood expansion/contraction with seasonal humidity fluctuations is normal. My opinion is that if you're using a good cabinet line as opposed to contractor grade cabinets, you'll be fine.

I am quoting from the thread mentioned above:

"I have heard that mitred joints are not as strong as mortise and tenon joints and may be more likely separate with changes in humidity etc.."

When doing a kitchen once in twenty or so years, even though I like the look of the mitred edge, if theres any chance that its more problematic, I think Id stay away from them, and be grateful that I found this thread. I asked the dealer and Im waiting for an answer.

Heres another thread on another website, with discussion of the connection of mitred edges and "door warp".

http://forums.finewoodworking......-warp

TIA

Rubber Ducky

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 10:42 am

That thread form Fine Woodworking doesn't point to mitered construction as the cause of the door warpage, but rather the moisture content of the wood.

I really don't think you're likely to have problems with well-constructed, stained mitered cabinet doors. Joint expansion does occur much more in mitered than cope and stick construction, but that doesn't mean your door will fall apart! If you are extremely exacting, can't stand the idea of seeing small cracks at the joints, or you're paranoid and second guess all your decisions in general Very Happy

, find a style you like that's not mitered.

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 10:47 am

Rubber Ducky wrote:

, find a style you like that's not mitered.

The way I see it, the less aggravation, the better.

I always thought the mitred look, where you can get a rounded edge on the cabinet door, is so much prettier, and wondered why most dont get that style. I think Im figuring out why. Thank G-d, early enough.

amother

Tue, Jan 20 2015, 12:26 am

I dropped into the showroom of Clive Christian kitchens in Manhattan, probably the most expensive kitchens in the world, going up to the hundreds of thousands per kitchen. Interestingly they dont do mitred doors.

I think its for 2 reasons-

1- because their ceiling etc. moldings are so ornate, they choose to use simpler door styles

2- the strength issue.