How to Make Raised Panel Doors on a Table Saw? 6 Easy Steps

When it comes to designing doors for kitchen cabinets, bathrooms, or any other place in your home, you may be wondering to do it with specific designs. The most asked question is how to make raised panel doors on a table saw.

In this blog, we are going to show you a step-by-step guide by reading through which you can learn this process. It will let you design the doors a special design to make the place more attractive and charming. By the end, you will be able to know all the complications of this process as well as why this process is a little bit more complex than the designing of a simple door.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

To make Raised Panel Doors on a Table Saw, follow these steps:

1. Take measurements of the space and choose suitable wood.
2. Groove the rails using a Dado head on the table saw.
3. Make tongues on the rails for assembly.
4. Raise the panel edges at a 15-degree angle.
5. Prepare the door by flattening the edges and adding finishing touches.
6. Fix the door in place using screws and a drill machine.

What is the difference between simple doors and raised panel doors?

Before you approach the process of making raised panel doors, you have to learn the core difference between simple and raised panel doors. There are not many differences but the only single difference between these types is the design.

Raised panel doors have a specific pattern on the surface like raised sticks attached to the upper layer of the door. On the other hand, a simple door may not have this type of raised part. So, you can say that the only difference between these types is related to designs.

Also, read about How to Sharpen a Table Saw Blade?

How to make raised panel doors on a table saw?

Now, we are going to show you how to make raised panel doors on a table saw. It has become common to use this equipment for this task because it is not expensive. Almost every woodworker and woodworking shop has a table saw that can be used to cut various objects or design a door.

Let’s have a look at the steps that you have to follow in this regard to design a beautiful door for your concerned space.

1. Take measurements

Whether you are designing a door for cabinets or a bathroom, the very first thing is to analyze the space. It can only be done by taking measurements including length and width. By doing this, you will be able to know what should be the required size of the panel to design a perfect door.

If you have a little bit of knowledge about the properties of wood and its interaction with the environment, you can also pick the best material to use in this process. In short, you need to measure the size as well as have a look at the wood qualities when looking for long-term results.

2. Groove the rails using a Dado head

Once you have done with the measurements, you can start with the design process. First of all, you should replace the blades of the table saw with a Dado headset. It is done to make the machine feasible to make the cuts of your desired length and width.

Normally, the width should be around 1/4 inch and the height must be around 3/8 inches. Now, you have to place the required piece of frame on the saw in such a way that the groove will be a central point. Keep focus while cutting because a minor mistake may cut the entire frame and it will not be more than a piece of waste wood.

Also, read How you can build a workstation for the table saw.

3. Make tongues on rails

When you are designing the door, you just need to be aware of how you will be going to assemble the different sections. When you are working on rails, you should make sure that you have designed tongues on one side.

It will help you to fix these rails on the door to make a perfect design to look at. For this task, you should use the steel washer along with the dado head. It will let you cut all the extra parts from the rails to your required length.

4. Raise the panel edges

In this section, you have to use the table saw for a bevel cut. To do this, you have to do some mathematics to get an idea about the bevel angle and length to which you have to make the cuts. In most cases, you have to cut it down at an angle of 15 degrees using the table saw.

Also, the length must be kept equal to the groove size. It is because you have to fix both of these parts to make the entire door perfect. You should make sure that the sections must be kept properly on the table saw to leave any unexpected conditions.

An important thing that you can do in this regard is by clamping the rails. It will help you to keep the rails and panel in position even when you are using the table saw for cutting. In turn, it will be easy for you to raise the panel edges to make them perfect.

5. Make the door ready to fix

Now, you have to analyze the final door frame to find out if anything is left or done wrong. You should also flatten the edges of your door to make it perfect and safe to use. If you have not done this, your hands may get hurt while using this door after a while.

Also, you should use some materials like sand to make the door ready to fix on your desired point. The new material is pretty sensitive and hard to lift. That is why we recommend you use the sand to make the doors perfect and safe to use.

6. Fix the doors

Lastly, you need to start fixing the door in the concerned space. For this task, you only need to keep a screwdriver and screws with you. Also, you can pick up the drill machine for smooth working. After having the door in place, you should mark the points where you need to use the screws and clips to fix the door.

Now, you need to use a drill machine and make holes to add the screws. Once you have done this, place the door and fix it using the screws. You should use the screwdriver to tighten the screws and let the door be fixed in position.

Final Wrapping

With the above guide, you have learned how to make raised panel doors on a table saw. If you want to experience better outcomes, you should keep following our guidelines strictly.