Question on sizing cabinet doors to stand...

[lunarlanderboy]

I'm in the design phases in Sketchup with my all-plywood stand that I've patterned after several others from this forum. I really want to have a big opening with clearance for the sump at the bottom (left side) like others on reefcentral. However, I can't break the bank on $80ish worth of custom cabinet doors. I found some cheap ones at doorandpulls but their largest doors are 22" square. I may be asking the impossible but is there anyway I can have a large opening like the one shown on the left but still use these smaller cabinet doors? One idea I was thinking of would be to use the smaller doors but then have the entire front face (gray panel) removable along with the doors if I wanted to do maintenance. Any tips or tricks? I'm totally new at this so I might not be doing things the right way. Thanks in advance.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XbLHITsbkr2OPFueQJqOw8kgwMKE2enxZXAKSAMhcxs?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-U3gNPUs8xGc/UQr75QmkuxI/AAAAAAAADzk/RhQlZ4aRlzw/s800/SanFran%2520Aquarium%2520Stand%2520Design2.jpg" height="386" width="800" /></a>

 

[rwb500]

you cant have the whole front face come off because it is necessary for the structure of an all-plywood stand. are you staining or painting the stand? if you're painting it, you could make doors out of plywood. use a router on the edges and fill in any nicks or rough spots with drywall putty or wood filler. sand it and then just paint over it.

 

[lunarlanderboy]

you cant have the whole front face come off because it is necessary for the structure of an all-plywood stand. a

oh- good point... Thanks for saving my floor :spin3:

I am painting it. I like the idea of just being able to make my own doors. I was worried about them looking like garbage though, since I don't have the skills to do the whole rabbet and panel thing. Maybe I should do it like you say and use it as an excuse to buy a router...

In the plan you mentioned, what exactly do you mean by using a router on the edges? For style?

Do you know any good links of someone making doors like this- I've read through a lot of build threads but they all incorporated standard cabinet style doors.