Glueing breadboard ends

[thomashenry]

In most breadboard end tutorials I see, the breadboard end is glued to the board on the middle tenon only, leaving the other tenons unglued and therefore able to accomodate expansion and contraction. I get this.

But if you are making a piece of furnitre that will be pushed up to a wall, isn't it best to glue at the front of the board, fixing the alignement of the board and the end at the place where it's visible, and then allowing any seasonal misalignment to be kept to the back of the furniture?

 

[dzj]

Yes that is how I do it.
Particularly when there are mitered corners, like on this sacristy credenza top I made
some time ago.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Fixing to the middle tenon means any movement is spread equally from front to back so it will be less noticeable.

 

[thomashenry]

But if the furniture is pushed up to a wall, you don't see any movement at the back, you are only concerned about the front. For a table it makes sense, but I'm making a Welsh dresser, so wouldn't it be best to fix at the front?

 

[Myfordman]

This is where man made veneered boards are ideal. lip or frame with matching hardwood, mitred or in the style of bread board ends but with no movement issues to fret about.

 

[MikeG.]

You can design the movement to be where you like. If it suits you to glue the front and let the back get out of line, then fine, that works. But bear in mind that there will be twice the movement at the back compared with gluing in the middle, because all the movement will be concentrated on the one edge rather than two.