*And if you have painted, mitered doors, I'd love to know how they're holding up! Thanks

Mine held up fine, but our climate isn't very interesting. This can happen with all painted doors, not just mitered. Is your husband suggesting that there be no painted surfaces anywhere in the house? That would be a solution.

If it's a big concern (some of us think it's part of the charm of paint), you will have less cracking with an MDF door. Most people can't tell the difference when painted.

I'm in the process of remodeling my kitchen & I've chosen a mitered painted door. I can't give you my experience yet but all the reading I've done on GW and elsewhere suggests a lacquered MDF product. The high end cabinets are using this product and I picked out a similar product. Its very nice and doesn't look cheap at all. This may give you the option you are looking for. I have friends w/ painted doors in their kitchens and yes, the paint does crack. BTW, I'm in Florida so the humidity may be a factor w/ paint cracking.

This post was edited by kgolby on Tue, Feb 12, 13 at 19:27

You either buy into the whole "patina is charming" bit, or you don't. If you don't, and you think that signs of age and use is kinda horrifying, then a white kitchen isn't for you. If you like the look that age gives painted wood, and YES, that does mean that the joins will telegraph or crack through the paint, along with the occasional chip and wearthrough, then you'll probably be OK with that. And yes, mitered doors are worse in that regard rather than stick and cope.

The problems arise when you have a couple with mixed feelings about patina. When you have to satisfy two diametrically opposed viewpoints, neither ends up happy. You each have to have something that is wholly "yours", like choosing two different finishes. Or else you have to switch to something that neither of you loves, but are both OK with, like a medium stained maple for instance.

Interesting... Now I'm walking through my house looking noticing the "patina" of all my furniture and antiques!

As noted both cope and stickn and nitered will show cracks. I think it may have been my post that got your husband worried.
To me the hairline cracks in cope and stick look like they belong (and I'm a wood not painted guy) they have existed on cabinets for centuriesn they're familiar.

Wood moves proportionally, greater over its width than length. Because of the angle a mitered door will have an gradually greater amount of material that goes across the grain hence an uneven amount of movement. The cracks will taper to the point.

I've had one person do them and they are still happy with them. In that case it was at the insistance of an interior designer. I simply don't encourage painted miters. At the least making sure people know what will happen so they can decide for themselves as green suggests.

I've had my painted mitered doors for about a year. There are hairline cracks where some of the joints are. From a distance, I cannot see them, nor do I notice them when I'm standing close, but I do know they are there, and I knew that they would happen. We have no humidity control in our house, dry in the winter, humid in the summer, so I'm sure the effects happened sooner. I will try to find a picture to post.

Edited to add picture

This post was edited by mrsmortarmixer on Tue, Feb 12, 13 at 22:56

Mrsmortarmixer, thanks for posting a photo for me! I appreciate you taking the time to do so.

I have Omega white painted cabinet, and the mitered corner does show crack after 3 years. I am in Seattle. Our heater runs pretty much all year long, that maybe contribute to the crack.

Glad I could help. That is the biggest the crack has gotten, and the furnace has been going since October, so I don't see the wood shrinking much more, if at all. I only have 3 doors that have the crack, but expect the others to eventually.