What is everyones opionions on gluing vs floating mdf panels. We have been gluing 1/2 mdf panels for 5 piece doors for years and havent run into problems, but it seems most people do not.

Custom shaper profile that leaves tiny gap for paint bridging is way to go.
Caulking works or not is a kind of gamble.
No need to gamble either wood or painters. Lesson learned long time ago.

We've been gluing mdf/plywood panels into 5 piece cabinet doors for 35 years. It makes better doors. The movement is what causes the cracking. We get zero cracking when we glue. It's really that simple. People like to argue about expansion. They do not know what they are talking about. Wood panels need to move. mdf/ply do not.

I glue my MDF panels. I have not had any problems with it.

Adam, you’re talking about gluing MDF panels into MDF frames, right? Or have you been gluing MDF panels into wood frames as well? I’ve always wondered if I could do that, it would really solve some problems for me.

Jesse,

mdf or cabinet ply glued into wood stiles/rails. 35 years. The best 5 piece paint grade raised panel door would be a double refined 5/8" mdf, raise, preprimed on the raised section only. Glued into soft maple or maple stiles rails. No caulk is required. This is just with regular off the shelf Freeborn stile/rail/raised panel cutters. Only use Titebond1. You get no telegraphing or creep at the stile/rail joint. You do not need a ton of glue on the panel. Just a fine bead.

Am I the only one left that does hardwood panels for painted cabinets?

I glue MDF panels into Maple frames for painted doors without issue.

Karl,

If you consider that I trained under an ornery old master carpenter kinda guy back in early 90's. He had already had the epiphany that a bonded mdf panel is better than a solid wood door. We were a do anything high end Arch millwork shop. Custom solid historically wood interior/exterior m/t pinned(not glued) doors were one of our specialities. But for paint grade cabinet doors or wainscotting. It was bond in mdf. I know just saying mdf leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. You get over it quickly, when you see zero cracking & it saves a ton of time making/finishing panels.

We've likewise made a boatload of shaker style cabinet doors with rather expensive 1/2" veneer plywood in the last three decades that are bonded. You put the glue on the rebated back of the panel. We still do our raised panel clear/stain grade doors with solid wood.

Karl, no we still do hardwood raised panel doors we are are in Texas, We do some low budget jobs using mdf panel's actually looks better after its painted Imo , but that the first thing everyone says.. I don't want any of that cheap wood mdf or pb , about 90 percent of the door's we do now are either shaker or flat panel door's, we use a mdf core flat panel with a maple veneer I probably wouldn't recommend gluing the panels in the door frames, I know mdf Is supposed to be more stable. But with that said we use 3/4 mdf core maple for cabinet's with slab doors and have had some problems with warpage on larger doors, maybe its the Texas climate and humidity Idk.

I've had bigger slab doors twist up on me too. Mdf core, veneer both faces, .5mm banding.

I do agree that mdf can paint up better, but it still moves. Some of it might be ego too, or a selling scheme that we do hardwood on PG raised panels. I like doing them from wood too.

Anybody cutting the profile and the parts free on the cnc? That could be a nice use of time being it'd be a longish program to run.

I use ply MDF. MDF is too clinical the plys have some pores depending and look more like wood not so MDF flat perfect. Depends on final finish and what it is.