Need some help! Q re: New Painted Wood Shaker Cab & Finish

13 years ago

Hi All,

I've been lurking for a few months and thoroughly enjoying the forums.

I am hoping to get some feedback from those of you who have experience with painted cabinets. After much deliberation, we finally decided to go with custom white painted shaker cabinets from a local cabinetmaker/woodworking shop.

Now, given that I have zero experience in this department, I am really not sure what I should be expecting with regards to whether there should be gaps between the "seams" and joinery in new cabinets. Part of the kitchen has been installed and they are returning tomorrow (I am now on vacation so will be here on site for this) so I am hoping to get some of your thoughts and feedback prior to my discussion with them. I don't recall seeing such on the demo doors we looked at but ?

Anyhow, I will attempt to attach a few images to provide some visual. I would be very appreciative of any suggestions and info provided.

I understand that there will likely be some fluctuations with cracking etc over time with painted wood, but as these are brand new, I was not expecting this at all.

There are a few corners that look like this (these are the 2 worst ones):

Gap between recessed panel and the "frames". Each door has this to some degree. Normal or ?

Am I being unreasonable to point these issues out? In retrospect, I should have asked specifically about what to expect but I'm just not happy with the results given the price we are paying for custom cabinetry. I do love the color though, so that's a positive.

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Comments (3)

CEFreeman
13 years ago
huh.
That would bug me.

My sister had a custom kitchen and the mitres were just not good. They remade all the doors.

I don't think your rails and stiles are joined properly. It looks like they hoped paint would fill it in. As for the panels, it looks like the same thing.

Many wood doors are configured so there's some tiny play between the frame of the door and the panel. To compensate for wood's expansion and contraction. When that small gap gets partially full of paint, I think it looks badly done.

I'd just tell them you're not happy with the joinery that just isn't. Let them talk and use the handiest tool of all: silence. Then repeat your statement and ask how they're going to fix them.

Custom cabinetry is crazy expensive. You shouldn't have anything like this to notice, IMHO.
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Northern_GSDs
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for your reply - it is so helpful to get feedback regarding whether this was "normal" looking or not (I suspected not but as I said I have nothing and no-one to compare to/with!).

It really is such a dissapointment and I am hopeful that they will be receptive to my concerns.
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Northern_GSDs
Original Author
13 years ago
So as an update:

I have been told the doors that are problematic can be refinished. Should I be more insistant on the ones with the large gaps in the corners where they don't join properly being remade or can the corner gaps can be filled in and then the door refinished?

Not really sure what to pursue in regards to the corner jointing gaps and the way in which the paint incompletely joins some areas of the panel along the rails and stiles and not other areas...
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