Maximum Cabinet Door Width
Other Versions
Spanish
The industry standard is 24 inches, but cabinetmakers have reason to prefer even narrower doors. February 9, 2006
Question
At what point or dimension do you switch from a single door on a width opening to using two doors?
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor A:
It depends on the overall design and appearance of the cabinets but I generally do not like building doors wider than 23" unless they are full height pantry doors, in which case I might go as wide as 25". When door widths are questionable, I always try to get the customer’s input. To make things really simple I try to design cabinets less than 22" or wider than 26", and avoid the widths in between if possible.
From contributor B:
I let the consumer make the final decision whether they want one or two doors. It does relate to the design in some respects, but I haven't seen a company that will guarantee a door over 24" wide. With that in mind, I tell the customer that 24" is the maximum to be guaranteed, and that 26" is the maximum that I will build. You may be able to guarantee an MDF door but probably not the hinges. Be careful with your decisions. The type of door is a huge factor in this, with warping, etc., and the overall look of the project is huge as well. A 25" door may look better than two 12-7/16" doors, however, two 14.5" doors may look better then a 28" door. Again, it's up to the homeowner ultimately, whether or not they will mind if it warps or sags later on.
From contributor C:
If it can be done you can make the doors wider but put in a center rail to split the cabinet door panel. You won't have any trouble with this method.
From contributor D:
If I am doing the designing, the 24" that fits in the drum sander is the controlling issue.
From contributor E:
My advice is to stay 20" or less in width when possible. Center panels over 17" width can expand over 1/4" which will be greater than the spacing for space balls. This can cause the side rails to start to separate from the cross rails. Also the wider panels are much more likely to warp or split. From a design standpoint, wider doors swinging into a room can become service problems because of people leaning on the wide doors and damaging the hinges.
From contributor F:
I strongly agree with contributor E. I have only been manufacturing doors since 1987, and currently produce about 2000-3000 per week. The narrower, the better.
