I’m working on a built-in desk unit for a nook in my basement and glued-up a 2′ x 6′ table top out of 1″ white oak. I’m planning to scribe it to one corner to the back and side walls (the other corner will be covered by a cabinet) and am wondering whether I’m asking for trouble–I’m hoping that by leaving the side covered by the cabinet a little shy of the wall, there’ll be room for the top to move.
Also, I was planning to attach the top to the unit using pocket screws from the inside–would I be better off using clips?
Hoping that the white oak (some pieces are quarter sawn) will be stable enough to not have to worry too much.
Thanks for any tips.
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Perhaps a hybrid approach?
Since wood expands/contracts across the grain, perhaps you could screw in at the back corners/sides (scribed part, if I understand correctly) to secure it and benefit from the clean scribed fit, and use clips in front to allow it to move forward if it needs to while keeping it flat.
soj
Sounds like a good option. I just did a little more research and am thinking I'll use the pocket screws to attach the back, use clips on the sides and front.
Thanks!
Sure thing. Sounds like a nice project.soj
When building oak builtins with solid tops I plan on movement of 1/16" per foot of table top. This is not set in stone, but easy to remember and reasonable for the rocky mountain region given our small humidity changes between seasons. You may need to allow for more movement.
Since the top will expand evenly, if you pin it at the rear all the expansion will be towards the front. I typically attach a top solidly in the middle so the expansion at the table edges is half the overall. That also is often enough to support the top with no additional clips needed.
If clips are needed it's often easy to simply oval out (in the correct direction) the holes of a simple metal clip.
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