Wood Movement

Here is a great method that I use often… you dont see how the panel is held together from the front and it keeps the panel straight and allows for movement. This is VERY simplified sketch, and I use it often for doors, and such applications but works well for panels as well. It is simply a piece of wood that would go across the top and bottom of the panel on the end grain ends. It is a groove that is cut and a hard wood lat that is pinned in. To make sure that the size does not change from the over all. the pinns on the outside boards must be positioned closer to the outside that the wood can expand and contract from the inside. The pins can go through or just shy of the surface from the back so you do not see them from the front. The tounge should be cut wide enough so the cross piece of wood can be fit in and still not be seen from the front… well it does not have to be, but in my opinion it looks the best.

I hope this is clear discription. I have a few more versions when anyone has interest. You can cut any kind of profil for example wainscoat beading or something common in country style cupboards.

If this is too much effort, which i could understand for a rustical piece of furniture… you could just pin the boards in the middle with screws on the back of the cabinet, in the middle… it is important no matter the moisture content to allow for movement of the wood and that means generally when working with boards as a paneling to attach them in the middle in order to divide the movement in half, and not to use too large of boards because that just means more expansion.

Last but not least… sometimes hardwoods are more stable than softwoods, just depends on the wood. Sometimes hardwoods are worse. Beech for example moves quite a bit. Oak too is one that can move as well when the air moisture climbs. Cedar for example is relatively stable. It would probably do well to get a small reference book and you can look up when ever it is necessary how much a wood moves. More importantly you can check what wood moves in which direction. Keep in mind that wood expands in direction of the growth rings more than perpendicular to them and hardly at all in direction end grain to end grain

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

I’ve seen this done on country cupboards before …

... basically just ship-lap with a detail at the joint. Put a brad at the top center and bottom center of each board to attach it to the frame and still allow it to move.

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

Thank you Nicholas and Peter. Both suggestions are good and I will be incorporating them in future projects. I guess I just did not really respect wood movement.

-- Ron, Kutztown, PA "The reward is in the journey."

I’m no purist. For the back, I’d use beaded pine ply. There are profiles very similar to Peter O’s example.

-- Gene