Woodharbor Doors & Cabinetry is a registered provider with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to CES Records for AIA members Certification of Completion for non-AIA members available on request.

- This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As, such it does not include content that may be deed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material or construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

Thank you.

Stile & Rail Doors

Construction Quality & Design Options

Learning Objectives:• Identify the characteristics in a true stile

and rail door. • To recognize the construction differences

that go into a stile and rail door. • Recognize the increased design options

available with custom stile and rail doors.

Key Terms:

• Stile – Vertical Outside members of the door

• Rail – Top and Bottom members of the door

• Mullions – Members between panels – Vertical or Horizontal – often called “intermediate” stile or rail.

• Panel – products that fill the frame of the stile, rail and mullions

• Muntins/Bars – Members between glass panels. Usually smaller in width – also called “Mullion”

• Profile – The decorative cut used on the sticking and all panel edges.

• Joinery – construction method used connect stile and rails.

Stile & Rail Construction Detail- Most stile and rail doors consist of a

core material with solid wood sticking for the inside and outside edge, and a solid wood veneer glued to the face of the stile and rail.

Stile & Rail Construction DetailCommon Core Materials

- Lumber core – Low density staved. Usually pine, labeled “Solid Wood”

- Composite Core – Medium Density Particle Board

- Medium Density Fiberboard core (MDF)

- Two piece laminated – usually solid wood or MDF.

Stile & Rail Construction DetailLumber core – Low density staved.

- Pine lumber core engineered for stability

- Cut into shorter staves

- Finger-jointed then glued together

- Sticking is solid wood – same as wood specie for veneer.

Stile & Rail Construction DetailComposite Core - Medium Density Particleboard

- Wood particles of various sizes that are bonded together with a synthetic resin or binder under heat and

pressure.

MDF – Medium Density Fiberboard.- Wood particles reduced to fibers in a moderate pressure hot press, combined with a resin and bonded

together under heat and pressure.

- Slightly better visual edge quality than composite core.

- Smoother than composite core.

Stile & Rail Construction DetailCommon Core Materials

- Two piece laminated- Either MDF or Solid Wood faced glued to achieve thickness.

- Two piece solid wood is designed to add stability.

- Two piece MDF is a manufacturing choice but has no impact on stability.

Stile & Rail Construction Detail

Joinery Options

- Cope & Sticking with Dowel

- Mortise & Tenon Joint

- Cope & Sticking – detail from Trustile

Inside the Stile & Rail

Lock Rail – Middle rail, usually larger for lock set and machining.

Mullions – inside sections to hold panels

Panels

- Raised Panel

- Flat Panel

Inside the Stile & RailRaised Panels • Nominal ¾ inch or 1 1/8th inch

• Most common are:- Solid Wood staved panels

- Rim raised veneer

- “Pressed” Particle Board/Veneer

Inside the Stile & Rail

Solid Wood staved panels• Natural look of solid wood • More detail in the profile• Staves control warping, bending, cupping• Hand sorting staves controls color variation. • Sanding for smooth finish• More lines from staved panels

Inside the Stile & Rail

“Pressed” Particle Board/Veneer • Wider veneers have less color variation

• No issues with warping or cupping

• Doesn’t expand/contract as dramatically as solid wood due to shifts in humidity

• Panel profile exhibits less detail

Rim Raised Panel

• Panel is fabricated with a Particle Board core picture framed with solid wood sticking and veneered on both faces• Wider veneers have less color variation

• No issues with warping or cupping

• Minimal expansion & contraction

• Good panel profile detail capability

Inside the Stile & Rail

Flat (Recessed) Panels- Usually 3/8”, ½”, or ¾” composite core or

MDF core plywood, or MDF for painting

Inside the Stile & Rail

Panel Retention - Doors are engineered to allow panel(s) to expand or

contract in reaction to changes in humidity

- Flexible cushions in the panel groove allow panels to “float” allowing expansion and contraction yet secure panel from shifting or settling.

Inside the Stile & Rail

French DoorsKey Terms:

- Mutins – Center member (a thin mullion)

- Lites – a pane of glass

- Glass Stop molding – applied molding piece that holds in the glass.

- True Divided lite – when each “lite” is individual pane of glass

- Compression fit – built into the door and secured within the panel groove secured with an applied glass stop molding on one side.

Custom Design Options

• Stile & rail doors open up the design options to any panel configuration that will work structurally inside the stile and rail. • Including wood raised or flat panel and glass lite combinations

• Solid wood core/veneer engineering allows for numerous wood species.

• Solid wood and MDF allow numerous options for profiles and applied moldings.

• Pre-finishing allows interior doors to match all solid woodwork throughout the home or office.

Custom Design Options

Panel Configurations

Custom Design Options

Wood Species More standard: Popular Design Choice

- Cherry - Mahogany

- Maple - Character Cherry/Oak

- Poplar - Brazilian Cherry

- Fir - Walnut

- Alder – Select/Knotty

- Red Oak

Custom Design Options

Profile and Applied Moldings

• The “profile” allows for additional design touches to make the door unique.

• Applied Moldings are separate molding piece applied near or over the sticking profiles for additional decorative design.

Custom Design Options Profile and Applied Moldings

• Profile options

• Applied Molding Options

Custom Design Options

Pre-Finished Doors – differences

• Provides factory quality finish

• Allows for more “cabinet quality” design options with distressing, glazes, etc.

• Allows for custom match to other interior woods for new construction or remodel

• Time and cost savings in the field.

Stile & Rail DoorsSummary of Learning Objectives:- Identify stile and rail door?

- Stile and rail in separate pieces joined together

- Interior panel configuration – many custom options

- Construction differences- Joinery options to improved quality

- Veneer applied over core material to engineer quality

- Solid wood allows for sanding, and profiles for improved quality.

- Design options - Custom panel configuations

- Unique species

- Profile and finish design options to work with style of project.

Stile & Rail Doors

Questions?

Thank you for your time!

Woodharbor Doors & Cabinetry is a registered provider with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to CES Records for AIA members Certification of Completion for non-AIA members available on request.

- This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material or construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

Thank you.