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chantico_gw

Help! How to straighten warped cabinet door?

Chantico
18 years ago

Hi - I'm new to this forum, though I spend alot of time in kitchens and appliances. Hope there are some pros here who can help me out!

We have two cabinet doors that have warped. They are both from upper cabinets.

Doors: (22" X 33" - solid cherry, & 18'X 33" - cherry frame with glass insert.)

They have warped (along the side that closes, the top edge meets the cabinet, the bottom edge is about 1/8 - 1/4" away from the cabinet.)

1) Is there any way I can straighten these as a DIY?

2) If a cabinetmaker fixed them, what would be a reasonable cost?

3)Will it require re-finishing afterward?

Thanks for your advice!

Comments (5)

  • ericwi
    18 years ago

    Sorry, I can't think of any simple, effective way to straighten out a warped cabinet door. Wood is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water vapor from the air, and releases water vapor back into the air, when the humidity is low. Warping is caused by dimensional changes as the wood dries out, including twisting. There is a lot that can be done to prevent or limit warping. If the grain is twisted, it is possible to laminate a second piece of wood with opposing twist, so that the forces cancel out.

    Since your cabinet doors are solid cherry, and since they are all stained and finished to match, I would be inclined to live with the warped doors, as is.

  • sharon_sd
    18 years ago

    One simple thing you can do is use a strong clip type latch that really holds the bottom of the door in when you close it. If there is a backing that stops the top from going in any further than level with the cabinet, this should work. The door won't unwarp, but it will sit straight when it is closed.

  • Jon1270
    18 years ago

    Slight warpage is extremely common in solid wood doors. If you have concealed, european-style hinges you may be able to tweak the position of the hinges to hide it.

  • Chantico
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the responses! These are framed cabinets and I'll try Sharon sd's idea of an extra clip latch at the bottom,...or I'll just learn to love them as they are.

  • ericwi
    18 years ago

    We have one of those coffeemakers that sits on the kitchen counter, below the cabinets. It releases a bit of steam when it is in use, so I like to pull it out, away from the cabinets. So far, the cabinet doors look OK, but I wonder what they will look like in a few more years.