Hi
I am building a bookcase and went to my favorite big box retailer to get some wood. After a conversation, the salesperson recommended using 2X12 Douglas fur pieces for each column. To make it look nice I then glued 1/2″ plywood strips to each piece. Each column is 22″ wide, and the 3/4″ plywood bookcase shelves are suppoorted by oak strips which are screwed into each column using 2″ screws. I also will have a 1/2″ pywood for the back. The overall height is 46″.
The problem is after I bought the pieces I was reading about how green douglas fur wood is. So my concern is that when I bring the wood into the house, the douglad fur columns will then begin to shrink away from the plywood, causing weakness and lack of support.
Was wondering if this bookcase is doomed to future failure.
Replies
photo, please?
I'm not sure that I'm following your description of the design correctly. Perhaps a photo or two would help.
: |
. . . sigh
You're likely headed for trouble in several ways, starting with but not limited to asking an HD associate for cabinetry advice.. Pics would help. Most likely you'd be more successful building the whole thing out of 3/4" finish ply.
You're likely headed for trouble in several ways, starting with but not limited to asking an HD associate for cabinetry advice.. Pics would help. Most likely you'd be more successful building the whole thing out of 3/4" finish ply.
Drawing
Here is a drawing not to scale
Paraphrasing
To paraphrase Meredith Wilson, "Well ya got trouble my friend. Right here, I say, right here in bookcase city."
The 1/2" oak plywood is stable, size-wise, and won't expand or contract with changes in moisture content. (Big Box plywood is notorious for warping, however.) The Douglas Fir 2x12s, however, will expand and contract, meaning the bond between the two will certainly fail. The rule of thumb for veneers is that anything thicker than 1/8" will behave like a separate piece of wood, expanding and contracting as one should expect.
If you want thicker vertical sections in the case, you could glue two pieces of ply together, and then add a facing strip along the exposed edge.
What about if I use the
Unfortunately I already glued the pieces together. So my plan is to take these pieces inside and let them settle over the next few weeks to see what might happen. Since it's kiln dried perhaps it might be ok (although I know that kiln dry is not the same as reclaimed aged wood.)
Good luck. Kiln-dried wood still expands and contracts, even after finishing. It's just less likely to shrink dramatically and warp as it comes to equilibrium, since it's already near that point.
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