# Gluing hard and soft woods together



## popeyekris (Jan 25, 2012)

Does anyone have any reservations in gluing up Hard and Soft woods together? If so, WHY?


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

For me the issue is not hard versus soft, it is glueing two species of wood together. A problem can arise if the different species expand and contract differently in response to changes in moisture content.

Google "wood moisture expansion" or " wood moisture expansion table" and you will find links to a lot of information on the differential expansion for different species of wood. You can find tables to see just how sensitive the two woods you are planning to use are to moisture.

That said, we all make end grain cutting boards in fancy patterns out of a blend of various species and they seem to do just fine in normal use. Then again, you can find (on this forum, for example) instances where someone on got one of these boards too wet and it fractured.


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## ThomasChippendale (Nov 6, 2015)

Most of the cabinet making I have done involved different species of woods for the contrasts it provides and it has never been an issue , I have pieces I made in 1984 with Teak/Ebony/Rosewood all in the same chair and table set with not even a hairline between them after all the cycles. I lined red cedar shelves with a white Oak border to protect it from dings in the cold room, I lined red cedar planks with teak on the boat for the same reason while saving the weight of a teak solid piece. No Problems in the worst conditions.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

I have a bowl that I band sawed into an elongated "S" and carved out the interior, made from mahogany and white pine, made in 1965. It has held up fine, but is a display more than functional.


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## popeyekris (Jan 25, 2012)

Thans for your quick responses. I really appreciate your inputs. Thank you, again.


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## ThomasChippendale (Nov 6, 2015)

Westminster SC, I worked at the meter factory from 1987 to 1993!


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