Door top rail width

[RogerS]

I'm mulling over making some internal doors. CDA (Chief Design Authority) would like this design.



I will be using off-the-shelf PAR. The two outer stiles will be 121mm, centre stile 95mm, bottom rail 146mm. I can't decide on the width for the top rail.

What do you guys think ?

95mm or 121 mm ?

 

[JamesHow]

121mm

 

[Setch]

I tend to think making ther top rail narrower than the stiles makes it look like someone trimmed the wrong end of the door.

So another vote for 121.

 

[HOJ]

I would use 95mm for stiles, top rail and mullion/muntin, with the 146mm bottom rail.

 

[RogerS]

I would use 95mm for stiles, top rail and mullion/muntin, with the 146mm bottom rail.

Mmmm….I agree that perhaps 121mm on what will be relatively small doors (approx 80 cm wide by 190cm high) is a bit heavy.

 

[Windows]

The door I can currently see has stiles the same size as the top rail. It’s attractive/unremarkable. I’m very used to the bottom rail being significantly taller than top. So I agree with HOJ, 146 bottom and 95 for everything else. (Assuming 146, 121, and 95 are the only choices).

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes to 121, I think the reason for having the rails wider than the stiles is that over the years it was learned that wider rails gives a wider shoulder and therefore less likely to come unglued and the door to sag. Plus personally it just looks better.

 

[Mike G]

I'm with Ian on this. Think about your joints, and a haunched m&t for the top joints doesn't give a huge shoulder. I'd go wider rather than narrower.

 

[Malc2098]

Would this link be of any help?

 

[RogerS]

I'm with Ian on this. Think about your joints, and a haunched m&t for the top joints doesn't give a huge shoulder. I'd gho wider rather than narrower.

Really sorry to disappoint you, Mike, but not having a bench and also an aversion to hand tools of any sort, I will be using meaty Domino's for the joints. They will outlast us.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Are youhavng any sort of moulding around the insides? If so, that will make the flat area narrower, visually. Whatever you choose, the stiles and the top rail should be the same.
The reason that bottom rails are so much deeper is twofold:
1) it makes for a much stronger joint with bigger tenons, and
2) because we look down on the bottom rail it is visually foreshortened. Some of the doors in this house are like that and they look ridiculous.
S

 

[RogerS]

Are youhavng any sort of moulding around the insides? If so, that will make the flat area narrower, visually. Whatever you choose, the stiles and the top rail should be the same.
The reason that bottom rails are so much deeper is twofold:
1) it makes for a much stronger joint with bigger tenons, and
2) because we look down on the bottom rail it is visually foreshortened. Some of the doors in this house are like that and they look ridiculous.
S

No mouldings. KISS rules.

 

[Spectric]

KISS works and gives a nice clean look, unfortunately no one told the dust so it can accumulate.

 

[Steve Maskery]

What are the panels going to be , Roger, wood or glass? How do you plan to fix them in? What finish do you plan to have?
S

 

[RogerS]

KISS works and gives a nice clean look, unfortunately no one told the dust so it can accumulate.

That's OK as we don't bother about housework .

 

[RogerS]

What are the panels going to be , Roger, wood or glass? How do you plan to fix them in? What finish do you plan to have?
S

I have some free Primed Melamine 10mm chipboard. Glue. Paint