# Do I have a wood movement problem?



## AnthonyPants (Mar 15, 2017)

Would it be a problem if I permanently attach the cross rail (for alack of a better term) that the arrow is pointing to in the picture or would that result in a restriction of the wood movement? In the long miter joint in the back I took precautions for wood movement, I have a long dado with a floating tennon and its clamped together with joint connectors, no glue at all.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

I think you're okay. Normally a really large miter like that is a problem, even if the two piece move the same. The reason is that they only expand in width and not length. So as they change, the angle doesn't remain at 45-degrees. The outside tends to open up if the wood expands. Or if it shrinks the inside of the corner wants to open.

Now, in your case, you have a large opening and a relatively small contact area where that cross piece attaches. I think this narrow area may flex enough. Of course any time there are stresses, there's a chance the wood will split rather than flex or give.

Also, your much larger contact area, to the outside, is not exactly small either. So you might still have problems. But I think the big cutout makes it more likely to work, not less.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I would glue that piece to the sides. The expansion will go toward the back which you've accounted for.

What you got going in the hole there? That could be an issue.


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