# Solid Shelf Joinery in a Cabinet



## Nugs (Apr 5, 2013)

Hello All,

I built a stereo stand last year and my wife liked it so much she wants me to build an end table quite similar. On the previous one I used plywood for the shelves, but this time around I would like to use solid wood if possible. I'm having trouble to figure out how to join the bottom shelf to the frame without causing wood movement issues. The plywood is dowelled to the front and back stretcher in this piece.

Do you guys have any suggestions? Here's the pic of the first one, the bottom shelf is what is causing me a headache.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

What I would do is put the shelf in a rabbet front and sides/anchor to front.
You'll have to install a rail on the sides to accomodate.
Leave 1/8 - 5/32" gap at the back for movement.
Keep the long grain running side to side like a drawer.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Use cleats with slotted holes.


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## BadJoints (Jun 3, 2015)

+1 to rwe2156, I would drop it into a rabbet and only fix it to the front, so it's free to expand at the back. Just make sure you orient the grain of the board correctly. On the other hand, you could do something really cool with the front edge, like a box joint or dovetails where the shelf and front rail meet.

I really like the grain in the panels of that piece. What species and finish did you use?


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## Nugs (Apr 5, 2013)

> What I would do is put the shelf in a rabbet front and sides/anchor to front.
> You ll have to install a rail on the sides to accomodate.
> Leave 1/8 - 5/32" gap at the back for movement.
> Keep the long grain running side to side like a drawer.
> ...


Thanks, that makes sense and should work well in this application, I'll have side rails for the bottom shelf so that should be no problem. I've decided to build a drawer to go where the top shelf is so I shouldn't have any issues there.

Badjoints, the door panels are spalted birch. The rest is cherry (with oak ply), it's all finished with a wiping varnish (Minwax Tung Oil).


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