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Shaker Cabinet Door Plans
A classic five-piece shaker door for any cabinet: two full-height stiles, two rails with stub tenons, and a flat panel that floats in a groove. Type the size of the door and the width of the frame; the rail length and the panel size include the tenons, the groove depth and room for the panel to move.
- Default size
- 500 × 700 × 57 mm
- Parts
- 5 pieces · 3 sizes
- Sheets (2440 × 1220 mm (4 × 8 ft))
- 1 door + 1 back
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Build time
- About 2 hours
- Edge band
- 0 m
Cut list (default size)
| Part | Qty | Length | Width | Thick. | Board | Edges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stile · grain | 2 | 700 | 57 | 18 | Door board 18 mm (wood look) | |
| Rail · grain | 2 | 406 | 57 | 18 | Door board 18 mm (wood look) | |
| Panel | 1 | 603 | 403 | 6 | Back panel 6 mm |
Sizes in millimetres; length runs along the grain. Edges: bold lines are banded.
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How it is built
- Rails are the door width minus two stiles plus a stub tenon at each end, as long as the groove is deep.
- The groove is cut along the inside edge of every stile and rail, centred, as wide as the panel.
- The panel is 1.5 mm smaller all round than the space in the grooves, so it can move; glue only the tenons.
- Check the diagonals when you clamp: a door out of square will never sit flat.
Common mistakes
- Cutting the rails to the space between the stiles: they need the tenons too.
- Gluing a solid wood panel: it splits when it moves with the seasons.
Tools you need
- Table saw
- Router with a slot cutter or a rail-and-stile bit set
- Clamps
- Sander
Frequently asked questions
What width should shaker stiles and rails be?
About 57 mm (2 1/4 in) for a classic look, 30–40 mm for a slim shaker and 75 mm for tall pantry doors.
What is the panel made of?
6 mm (1/4 in) MDF for painted doors or plywood for stained ones; it sits in a 6 mm groove 10 mm deep and is not glued.
How big should the door be?
For full-overlay frameless cabinets, the cabinet size minus 3 mm at each edge. See how to make cabinet doors.
Related guides
How to Make Cabinet DoorsHow to make cabinet doors: size them from the opening, build simple slab doors or five-piece shaker doors with stiles, rails and a panel, and hang them on hinges.How to Paint MDFHow to paint MDF for a smooth finish: seal the thirsty edges, use the right primer (not water-based on raw MDF), sand between coats and paint cabinets and furniture.How to Use a RouterHow to use a wood router: choosing bits, setting the depth, which way to feed, routing edges, dadoes and grooves with a guide, and using a router table safely.
