I’m in process on a commission piece — a cabinet to sit in a corner between two sofas and house computer equipment. The bottom will be open and the top side panels will be lattice or some type of wicker-like material to allow air to circulate out. Material is honduras mahogany.
So, now the question: On the bottom sections of the sides, what direction would you run the grain? If the side panels were solid all the way to the top, grain should be vertical. In this case, the long dimension is horizontal, so I’m thinking the grain should follow the long dimension and be horizontal. What would you do?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Bill Arnold – Custom Woodcrafting
Mensa Member
Click Here if you’re interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Mensa Member
Click Here if you’re interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Replies
Bill,
Either way would work, and either would look good. I don't think there is any right or wrong in this case.
Running the grain horizontal would mean less dimensional change in the panel when the moisture content changes. If you are using plywood for the panels then, of course, this wouldn't be relevant.
Whichever orientation you choose, it would typically be followed on all visible sides for consistency.
John W.
"... If you are using plywood for the panels then, of course, this wouldn't be relevant. ..."
John,
I should have mentioned I plan to use solid, 1/2" thick panels. They will be 15" wide by 10.5" high.
Regards,
Bill Arnold - Custom WoodcraftingMensa Member Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
BArnold,
The obvious solution is to cut up that solid panel into a checker board pattern...that matches the weave above...just kidding. My corner piece that houses the puter is quite large..comes out from the wall about 48" on each side and does look a bit squatish. He used flatsawn oak ply vertically, I wish he had used quatersawn or rift sawn ply to play down the grain a bit because of its size.
"The obvious solution is to cut up that solid panel into a checker board pattern...that matches the weave above... "
BG,
I'll go you one better than that! How about a four-corner starburst like in the attached pic so the panels would match the top?! :-)
Bill Arnold - Custom WoodcraftingMensa Member Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Barnold,
Wow !! with a thin strip of brass between the panels..yum. lol
"Wow !! with a thin strip of brass between the panels..yum. lol..."
...and on that note, I think I need a drink! It's gotta be 5:00 somewhere!!!
Bill Arnold - Custom WoodcraftingMensa Member Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Bill
FWIW my opinion is that regardless of horizontal dominance the grain should run vertically on doors unless you use the sunburst. I can be occassionally swayed to go horizontal on raised panel drawer fronts, but only occassionally :-).
Don
Don,
Drawer fronts kinda lead one to horizontal grain because of the dimensional ratio. That's why I was trending that direction on these panels. One reason is that I've got a piece of 8/4 Honduras mahogany with a sweeping grain pattern. I could resaw it into book-matched pairs, placing the first piece of each book-match on the doors and sweep around the sides. On the other hand, I have another board that has cathedrals down the center, so it would lend itself to milling for book-matched vertical panels.
By this time next week, I hope to have the thing built. I'll post photos of it and see what you guys think.
Regards,
Bill Arnold - Custom WoodcraftingMensa Member Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Bill
In my opinion, and if you ask my wife i am wrong half the time, the eye moves from top to bottom so i would run all the panels that way. The wicker slats are in a different plane than the wood.
Just my $.02.
David
http://WWW.darbynwoods.com
Darby,
I agree with your assessment. The thing that started me thinking horizontal is the dimension of the panel. It might be a good thing to provide a contrast by having the solid bottom panel grain running vertical while the overall feel of the top panel will trend toward horizontal.
Regards,
Bill Arnold - Custom WoodcraftingMensa Member Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Bill,
I would opt for running the grain in the panel horizontally. In this case, it appears that the overall width dimension is greater than the height dimension. Of the whole piece, I mean. To me it would flow a lot better this way. As John stated, keeping the panels oriented consistently around the entire piece is the more important factor.
- Paul
Bill, I almost always run any side or back panels vertical. Carries your eye from bottom to the top.
I'd go with the traditional vertical. It might look a bit squat otherwise.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
You have said that this piece is intended to fit a specific situation. Yet you have provided few details about the site, all of which can have a tremendous impact on the piece. For example: suppose there is a strong vertical paneling behind the piece or maybe one of the sofas has a strong horizontal stripping in the upholstery. All the advice given thus far has taken the piece out of this context and therefore is really simply conjecture. You are the one who is there, only you can make informed decisions.
Whatever you think. In my opinion, a piece should be made to stand alone. While it might be used in a given situation now, it could be moved to a different location in a few months or a few years.
In this particular case, the two doctors whose home this will go into have an eclectic selection of furniture. My cabinet will sit next to upholstered sofas on which the only wood is very dark mahogany and a sofa table with cabriole legs made decades ago with maple. They want this cabinet made from mahogany with a dye to keep it from being too red.
Regards,
Bill Arnold - Custom WoodcraftingMensa Member Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Bill,
The current trend in cabinets shown in magazine seem to have the grain run horizontally. So I would say you should take cues from the the style of the house and room. If this is modern, then horizontal for sure. If it is traditional then run if vertically.
Peter
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled