We have been doing shaker doors for so long now using a 1/4'' mdf center panel that its been so long since being asked to build raised panel doors. Any of you finishers had any issues with your pigmented cv where the raised panel planks are joined together? Im thinking of using 5/8'' mdf for this but just incase the client insists on using solid maple.

My $.2 cents An Mdf raised center panel out of medex will yield a better finished product for paint... no telegraphing from solid glue up and it's going to move a lot less with temp/humidity changes.... Cut your centers to size and prime them very well first to seal the panels edges. you can even tint your primer close to the final color will help if the panel shifts a bit later. build your stiles and rails and sand your doors flat.... Reprime the whole door to prep for topcoat... bam.... sand that bad boy and bondo/spot fill imperfections and hang them for topcoat... Perfection. Only trouble spot is the groove for the panel is the only spot not sealed but most don't dig that far into quality. but if all areas were sealed with a catalyzed primer it would be darn near perfect moisture barrier.

thanks shane, so your suggestion would be center panel mdf but stiles/rails solid wood correct?

I've done finish work for a cabinet shop that used MDF raised panels. They primered the cove detail etc where it exposed the more porous interior. Then sent it through their wide belt to clean up the face before gluing up and then delivered to me for finishing.

We've built a couple of thousand raised panel cabinet doors. We have been using mdf panels exclusively since the early 1990's. They make better doors.

The trick to finishing mdf is to use ultra refined(less porosity). Sand the raised edge to 240. Use a brush to spot prime the edge with a sealing primer. BIN shellac works well in most cases. It drys in 15 minutes. Some people use cat. primer to spot under cat primer. Let the edge cure. Sand it smooth with 320. Spray the whole panel or door with primer.

We use soft maple for stile/rails 5/8" ultra refined mdf for panels.

Not sure if they have them in your area, but we get two piece mdf doors here, and even for shaker they can do a 5/8" thick center panel if you want that solid/heavy feel to the door.

However, the frame is one piece (but inside corners are square), which means there will never be any joint movement/hairline cracks, and the center panel gets glued from behind and creates a tight seal to the frame. beautiful doors, and we are here in Canada where humidity goes from 10-90% and no issues

We do it like Shane, done a bunch today matter of fact. Stiles and rails are soft maple, 5/8 mdf for the panel. Get a good door quality mdf, the porous stuff is crap. Raised panels are taken straight from the shaper and get a coat of primer on the profile. Then scuffed with 220. We use space balls in all our doors.

thanks shane do you use medex mdf or another type of water resistant one?

sorry my last msg was for mike, i see shane uses medex but was also curious if mike does.

To be honest I don't know what it's called. I can tell you that the porous mdf is dark brown and the good door quality stuff that I use is light brown.