# mortise / tenon thickness for 2" exterior door



## MarkShultz (Nov 9, 2011)

I'm building 2" thick exterior door with shaker panels (e.g. square profile, flat front - not a raised panel). Using the 1/3 rule for mortise thickness, then the panel is 2/3", and the reveal would be also 2/3" on each side. this seems too much of a reveal. Any concerns with a mortise / tenon up to 1.25" on a 2" thick piece?


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

If the mortise is 1/3 of the 2" door thickness, it is 11/16" thick, not 1.25". What wood is being used?


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> If the mortise is 1/3 of the 2" door thickness, it is 11/16" thick, not 1.25". What wood is being used?
> 
> - Phil32


He didn't say that 1/3 of the 2" thickness was 1 1/4", he said that using the thinner panel would leave a reveal he felt was unattractive.

Regarding the OP's question, no, there's nothing wrong with using the thicker panel if that's the look you're going for.


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

Panel thickness doesn't necessarily have to equal tenon thickness. 3/8 to 1/2 tenons 2.5" in length are normal on passage doors.

A 1.25" thick tenon on a 2" thick door is a odd thing.


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## MarkShultz (Nov 9, 2011)

thanks guys. its a stave core construction with a veneer on top. i didn't know if the expansion/contraction would be a problem.


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## MarkShultz (Nov 9, 2011)

Jared, i agree they don't have to be equal.

But making a perfect fit with a floating panel without visually showing the step up from a narrower tenon to the thicker part of the panel would be a whole lot more difficult (for me anyway) than just using a more thick tenon.



> Panel thickness doesn t necessarily have to equal tenon thickness. 3/8 to 1/2 tenons 2.5" in length are normal on passage doors.
> 
> A 1.25" thick tenon on a 2" thick door is a odd thing.
> 
> - Jared_S


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

3/8" seems a bit shallow. .

5/8" is std for exterior 9/16 for interior. I would be slightly concerned that the stiles would be weakened with only 3/8 wall thickness, but in reality it should be fine.

Square edge exterior sticking is interesting, what is the design of the door (2 panel, 5 panel?)


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## MarkShultz (Nov 9, 2011)

Jared, you think 5/8" is a standard recess for an exterior door / shaker design, or are you referring to the mortise wall?


> 3/8" seems a bit shallow. .
> 
> 5/8" is std for exterior 9/16 for interior. I would be slightly concerned that the stiles would be weakened with only 3/8 wall thickness, but in reality it should be fine.
> 
> ...


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> Jared, you think 5/8" is a standard recess for an exterior door / shaker design, or are you referring to the mortise wall?
> 
> 3/8" seems a bit shallow. .
> 
> ...


5/8 is a industry std recess on 1&3/4 exterior doors, shaker or otherwise


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## MarkShultz (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks Jared, i was referring to the reveal, not recess. this is good info though.


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> Thanks Jared, i was referring to the reveal, not recess. this is good info though.
> 
> - Mark Shultz


What you are calling reveal is what I call recess or profile depth. Its the depth from the face of the stile to the panel groove.

These are for cabinet doors, but the same size profile depth as a std exterior door.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> Thanks Jared, i was referring to the reveal, not recess. this is good info though.
> 
> - Mark Shultz
> 
> ...


We had another thread recently where someone was using bow instead of crook for a bent board and said that's their term for it. You can't make up your own vocabulary and expect anyone to know what you're referring to.

Regarding your cabinet door specs, do the math and you'll see that your sketch is way off. That door frame would have to be 1 1/8" thick (5/8" + 1/4" + 1/4"). That's way off for a cabinet door which is typically 3/4" thick.


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> Thanks Jared, i was referring to the reveal, not recess. this is good info though.
> 
> - Mark Shultz
> 
> ...


I'll stand by by recess/profile depth.

I've never heard anyone say reveal in reference to door profiles. Though I will concede cabinet terms are regional. I think calling box sides/end panels "gables" is really odd as well, but it's common in some areas.

As for the sketch it is correct.. it's for 1.125" doors. 1" is std thick, 1.25 is extra thick. 1.125 is nice middle ground. 

















My point was 5/8 is a std depth/recess (reveal if that makes you happy) for exterior door profile profiles.

In cabinets and carpentry (locally at least) this is the reveal


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## MarkShultz (Nov 9, 2011)

Thanks Jared. All true. We are talking exterior entry door.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I'll stick with my post #2. There is nothing wrong with your dimensions you posted originally.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

> Though I will concede *cabinet terms are regional*.
> 
> 1" is std thick, 1.25 is extra thick. 1.125 is nice middle ground.
> 
> - Jared_S


Off topic as it may be,
Standard cabinet doors (TO ME) have always been 3/4". 
1" would be an upgrade 
and 1 1/4", maybe custom for an armoire, or a custom piece of furniture, I've never seen that as a standard.
(No offense, just my opinion.)


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> Though I will concede *cabinet terms are regional*.
> 
> 1" is std thick, 1.25 is extra thick. 1.125 is nice middle ground.
> 
> ...


Down the rabbit hole.. but.

Big Box store standard is 3/4 to 13/16.

Go to a cabinet showroom and they will offer semi custom cabinets with a thick door option that "standard" thick door is 1" usually. All the big name producers offer a thick door with 1" as the standard thick door.

Go to most custom shops and their thick doors are anything, but typically 1.25 and and up to 1.375.

I actually just noticed the other day waltzcraft offers a line of thick doors with 1" thickness as the minimum:
"WalzCraft offers Old World profiles for both Mortise & Tenon and Mitered Door Styles. Standard Stiles & Rails are 3" wide and can be manufactured in 1", 1 1/8" and 1 ¼" thicknesses."


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

So Jared, you're admitting that 3/4" is standard, and 1" is standard thick?

No argument from me.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

Why, it was just the other day I walked into a kitchen that had 1 3/8 thick doors….lol

I guess we just have different standards
cheers


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> So Jared, you re admitting that 3/4" is standard, and 1" is standard thick?
> 
> No argument from me.
> 
> - Rich


Read my original response to you again and look for the comma placement. I never said 3/4 wasn't a std cab door thickness. I did say you were incorrect about the "sketch" measurements though.


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> Thanks Jared. All true. We are talking exterior entry door.
> 
> - Mark Shultz


Mark my apologies. The intent of showing the dimentioned cabinet profile was it's the same profile as one side of a exterior door and I had it on my phone.

Its your door, make it how you want. The 1.25 thick tenon will be fine.


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## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> Why, it was just the other day I walked into a kitchen that had 1 3/8 thick doors….lol
> 
> I guess we just have different standards
> cheers
> ...


I agree 1&3/8 is odd (though not odd enough that salice thick door hinges dont work) and 3/4" doors are standard. Was just trying to say 1" is the common size for a thick door option / upgrade


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