Should I expect my cabinet doors to expand or shrink when the humidity changes?

Yes, all wood products will slightly change dimensions with changes in relative humidity. Cabinet doors are no exception to this humidity change rule. Here is a brief summary of why wood changes, and what you should expect from your doors.. Any wood product, with a moisture content of about 7% (normal for wood products inside a home) will be at equilibrium (not take-on or give-off moisture) when the relative humidity is 30%. The change in door dimensions occur when the relative humidity varies from the average 30%. If the humidity goes down the dimensional change to the door will be minimal and most likely will go unnoticed. If the humidity increases up to 40% or even 50%, the change will also be minimal. When you experience humidity levels over 70% changes in door dimensions will occur and the extent of the changes will depend upon the length of time the humidity stays at the high levels. A properly finished cabinet door will react slowly to higher humidity, but within a few weeks of high humidity the door will stabilize at the higher humidity and it’s width expansion will be completed. The width of the fully humidity-expanded door (with slight differences between wood types) will be between 1/32-inch and 1/16-inch wider than the width at 30% relative humidity. Length expansion, because of wood grain structure, will not be noticeable.