Board width when doing panel glue ups

I don’t have a single rule. I base it all on panel appearance, as well as reading the board ends. I have used different width boards, but I try to balance the panel and make it look “on purpose”. For instance, a 6” center board, two 8” and two 7” = a 36” top. If the boards are decently matched, no problem at all.

Reading the end is important as the boards get wider and wider. If a board is as flat sawn as flat sawn can be, I know deep down that it may not stay flat. Quarter and rift sawn stock gives me much less concern, and I’ll leave the board as wide as possible.

-- - Real men read directions

A friend operates a very high-end cabinet shop – all output is veneered surfaces. He limits the width to 5”.
The wider the board, the greater the grain variance in that board working from flat grain in the middel to vertical grain which gets narrower as it appraiches quarter sawn. At the edges of wider boards you will probably have a change in color to sap wood too. The appearance of the boards in the panel will dictate the width of those wider boards that you actually want to use. I always like to remind people who have wide boards that grain selection is key and they don’t have to have an immediate use for the cut-offs but they will come in handy in time.

-- Phil in British Columbia

Normally the lumber that I use is 6”-9” wide, so that pretty much sets the limit. Sometimes it’s personal preference. I had a client that ordered a dinning room table 38” wide and didn’t want any two boards the same width. (?) So I made the top with boards from 3”-8” wide. It looked nice and the customer was happy. Personally, I like to keep them in the 5”-7” range.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

I use the with of my jointer to set the maximum which is 6 inches

-- Glenn, New Mexico