10-14-2007, 05:58 AM
The door problem mentioned is probably limited mainly to "raised-panel" doors which have a solid wood panel in a wood frame. The center panel is cut smaller than the outer frame in order to permit some expansion without stressing or breaking the corner joints of the frame, but still small enough that the edges of the panel won't be exposed as the panel shrinks during dry periods. The tolerances often aren't sufficient to provide for the swelling of the center panel that occurs when doors manufactured in relatively dry environments are installed in humid areas here in the islands. I usually recommend "Shaker" style doors to potential buyers of manufactured cabinets. They are generally built with a 1/4" veneered plywood panel instead of the solid wood raised panel (which expands across the grain with stupendous force), and flat panel doors seem to do better in the Hawaiian humidity. I also find the appearance of the simple flat panel preferable to the fussier raised panel door.