Magnetic catches for wardrobe doors - What pull strength do I need?

[Rick Sanchez]

Hi

I am building built in wardrobes, and I want to use magnetic catches to hold the doors flush with the unit.

How much pull strength do I need to go with?

Each wardrobe as two doors, 42cm x 260cm, and about 15 mm thick, solid pine. They're not particularly heavy, but I would like the magnets to sit at three points on each door, top middle and bottom. I want the doors to hold flush but open easily when the handle is pulled.

I haven't been able to find a satisfactory answer by Googling so I'm hoping someone will have some experience in this area.

Thanks in advance

 

[Notch7]

I think you might find 3 magnetic catches irritating.

If your doors arent dead flat not all of the catches will contact when closing.

When you open the doors, I guess with a handle about middle, the centre mag will come off first, then the door will bow a bit until the force overcomes the magnets and the release of the door will go suddenly.

If you want to go ahead, Id say 2kgs. Or maybe 2kg middle and 4kg top and bot. If the force is too much, cover with some insulation tape or similar.

 

[foxhole]

Standard magnetic catches are all you should need, if doors are square and level then very little force is required to keep them shut.
If you used self closing door hinges then no catches at all are required.

 

[Rick Sanchez]

Thanks for the advice. I was more concerned with the force being too strong rather than too week.

Mine is an old house, and things move quite a bit throughout the year, I am hoping that three magnets will keep things nice and flush. Maybe I will go with two to start with and see how it works.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks for the advice. I was more concerned with the force being too strong rather than too week.

Mine is an old house, and things move quite a bit throughout the year, I am hoping that three magnets will keep things nice and flush. Maybe I will go with two to start with and see how it works.

One in the middle set a fraction back, with plain stops top and bottom should be enough. the door will hit the plain stops first, then click tight against the centre magnet with a click.

 

[big-all]

ok my thought
i used to use hundreds off magnetic catches over the years on pine doors all made by me with say 21x44mm frames and say 9mm[ now 7mm txg cladding as infills] i now use roller catches as cheap magnetic catches have no float in them now
95-99% off my doors are face fitted so holding to a flat surface frame
in general you only need a well gripping point off contact at one point but multiple points can both help and frustrate
sometimes you can hold movement in check with several holding points till the wood settles down
other times you can have endless weeks off adjusting extra catches just to make the catch work even though you only need a single point off contact

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have just been reminded where I used a magnet for a cupboard door. Our airing cupboard lower door...

It originally had a mechanical catch on it at the mid point. It developed a slight bow out, at the halfway point. You would push the door to, it would click and as you walked away - click, it would spring back open. I tried lots of mechanical catches, but none proved adequate. I settled upon removing a very strong magnet from an old hard disk, 1x1x 1/4" and making up two steel plates with screw hole fixings, one for cupboard, one for the door. Magnet just sticks itself to the cupboard steel, but I had to add tape to the door steel to reduce the ability to stick to that. Works a treat and stays shut now