Accounting for wood movement in a headboard?

[gearhound]

I'm starting to plan out my 1st bed build similar to this one in the photo. I'm trying to determine the best way to attach a walnut panel to the posts that allows for seasonal expansion?

Also curious what a good angle would be to slant it back at?

Thanks for any suggestions! [attachimg=1]

 

[stickman]

Build the headboard and insert it as a floating panel. Use Space Balls in the gap to eliminate rattling. For instance, cut the panel 3/8" wider than the gap between the posts and cut a 1/2" dado into the posts in which the panel can be inserted. Do not glue it; let it float.

 

[Sanderxpander]

I'm just a hobbyist/home remodeler but my headboard is mounted against the wall and not attached to the bed at all. Of course this only works if the bed is fairly heavy and against the wall to begin with.

 

[duburban]

Build the headboard and insert it as a floating panel. Use Space Balls in the gap to eliminate rattling. For instance, cut the panel 3/8" wider than the gap between the posts and cut a 1/2" dado into the posts in which the panel can be inserted. Do not glue it; let if float.

This addresses one dimension but I'd be more concerned about the other. To address the other I'd cut a shoulder in my panel and let it expand from the top down so all expansion/slop happens below the pillows.

Man... there should really be a sketch pad feature on here.

 

[Dongar]

The last bed I built with a large solid wood panel I used a blind sliding dovetail slid in from the bottom and pined on the top so the movement was all on the bottom.

 

[duburban]

The last bed I built with a large solid wood panel I used a blind sliding dovetail slid in from the bottom and pined on the top so the movement was all on the bottom.

Whoa...

 

[James Carriere]

A tapered dovetail is a good method to attach the headboard panel to the corner posts and is not that difficult in practice.  There are some Youtube videos which show the process as well as a great article published in Fine Woodworking authored by Tim Rousseau which you can look for on the subject.    Alternatively you could over-cut the dado length in the posts and pin the top to set the height and control the direction of the wood movement from the top towards the bottom.  There are several online calculators to help you determine how much the wood might move based on the species and dimensions.  However, with that said, it is really the width (cross-grain) of the headboard you need to be concerned with. The length of the wood (long-grain) really won't change so there is not a need to use space balls between the headboard panel and the depth of the dadoes in the corner posts but rather the clearance should be between the width of the headboard and the length of the dadoes.  i.e. If you cut your dadoes to a length of 10 inches, you might cut your tenon length to 9.70 inches to allow for seasonal movement.  Use the online calculators to help determine the actual estimated amount of recommended under-cut for the tenons.  If you pin one end in place, (I'd do the top) the space balls will not be needed although there is not an issue with putting them in there if you prefer.  The pin will ensure there is not a rattle.  A rattle is typically more associated with a fully floating panel which this would not be.

Try some angles on paper, but 5 degrees would be a good place to start for the angle of the headboard.

Good luck and show us what you come up with!

 

[gearhound]

Finally getting around to starting on this project. Just made a jig to route the mortises for the rockler knockdown hardware and am making a rough mockup out of construction grade timber to test the angles.

Ive been trying to find more info on how others do headboard panels and it seems to me like most just domino/dowel them in with no regard for movement? I've never cut a sliding dovetail and don't really want my 1st attempt to be on a project this size with 8/4 walnut.

What do you guys think about basically using the breadboard technique with cutting loose/wide setting mortises on the bed posts and tight/glued-in dominos on the panel and then pinning the center domino with a dowel? Seems like it should work in theory....also wondering if I could use the same technique but skip pinning it with the dowel and just let gravity do the work of the panel sitting in the bottom of the wide/loose cut mortises while giving it room to expand vertically?

Thanks for any tips!

 

[nvalinski]

I'd go the breadboard route, though admittedly I built one nearly identical to the one pictured (15 degree back slope, if you were curious) without any account for wood movement, just one long glued mortise and tenon and it has been fine three years later.

 

[Birdhunter]

I built a King Sized bed out of quarter sawn white oak. The headboard pieces were joined with Dominos. The headboard was edged with a strip of white oak. See 1st picture. The second picture shows an intermediate step to accommodate wood movement. Obviously, the protruding pieces are flush trimmed.

 

[gearhound]

Just finished building a full scale mockup of my bed design in construction grade timber to test the angles. About to start on the actual build with walnut later this week.

I'm thinking of attaching the headboard with dominos in this style. Curious what you guys think about using this technique? Would love to skip the whole breadboard dowel thing if this will be enough to allow for movement.

[attachimg=1]

 

[gearhound]

Finally got around to finishing the walnut king-size bed. Attached the headboard just like in the sketchup model, but used two floating dominos in oversized mortises on the top and bottom. It'll be interesting to see how much movement I get in the panel throughout the seasons.

Here's some pics:
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2][attachimg=3][attachimg=4][attachimg=5]

 

[Stone Message]

Hi [member=62622]gearhound[/member]

This will be a lovely project when complete.

The wood will move most across the grain and so up or down if your original picture matches the grain direction of your design. You can have a glued joint at the centre of the cross grain board on either side and then the movement will be a dash up and a dash down. If you do not want any evidence of movement then your glued joint could be at the top with an allowance for expansion at the bottom behind the pillows.

You can use dominos on the narrow setting and glued in for the fixed joints (one left and one right) and then floating dominos one side glued in and done with the narrow setting and the other side of the joint dry in a wider slot.

Peter

 

[VirTERM]

The last bed I built with a large solid wood panel I used a blind sliding dovetail slid in from the bottom and pined on the top so the movement was all on the bottom.

incredible, I love it

 

[gearhound]

Hi [member=62622]gearhound[/member]

This will be a lovely project when complete.

The wood will move most across the grain and so up or down if your original picture matches the grain direction of your design. You can have a glued joint at the centre of the cross grain board on either side and then the movement will be a dash up and a dash down. If you do not want any evidence of movement then your glued joint could be at the top with an allowance for expansion at the bottom behind the pillows.

You can use dominos on the narrow setting and glued in for the fixed joints (one left and one right) and then floating dominos one side glued in and done with the narrow setting and the other side of the joint dry in a wider slot.

Peter

Thanks Peter! The bed is complete, just need to order some new sheets to get some glamour shots of it!

I joined the headboard with the exact domino technique you recommend with the glued joint in the center of the panel...I could've done it at the top of the panel, but clamping this up was quite the feat with it being 80inches wide and felt it would be easier to do in the center.

Here's a photo of the mortises in the head post:

[attachimg=1]

 

[thender]

Finally got around to finishing the walnut king-size bed. Attached the headboard just like in the sketchup model, but used two floating dominos in oversized mortises on the top and bottom. It'll be interesting to see how much movement I get in the panel throughout the seasons.

Here's some pics:
[attachimg=1]

Awesome!  I love the design, and your execution is superb.

I may be picking your brain about this in the not-so-distant future...  a bed like that has been on my radar for quite a while.

 

[Mtpisgah]

That is fabulous. I am getting ready to start a headboard project and am trying to decide on how to do the frame, build one like you did or just use a metal frame. My wife is not big on footboards, though what you did does not really count towards that. She wants me to reuse the existing wood frame that does not match the lignum I plan to use for the headboard. I need to build while she is out of town.

 

[JimD]

That is a beautiful bed.  Nicely done.  I think glueing in the middle was right so that you get half as much wood movement as you would if you glued either the top or the bottom. 

 

[stangz]

Hi [member=62622]gearhound[/member]

This will be a lovely project when complete.

The wood will move most across the grain and so up or down if your original picture matches the grain direction of your design. You can have a glued joint at the centre of the cross grain board on either side and then the movement will be a dash up and a dash down. If you do not want any evidence of movement then your glued joint could be at the top with an allowance for expansion at the bottom behind the pillows.

You can use dominos on the narrow setting and glued in for the fixed joints (one left and one right) and then floating dominos one side glued in and done with the narrow setting and the other side of the joint dry in a wider slot.

Peter

Thanks Peter! The bed is complete, just need to order some new sheets to get some glamour shots of it!

I joined the headboard with the exact domino technique you recommend with the glued joint in the center of the panel...I could've done it at the top of the panel, but clamping this up was quite the feat with it being 80inches wide and felt it would be easier to do in the center.

Here's a photo of the mortises in the head post:

[attachimg=1]

I know this is an old post but I am doing something similar and had a question.

I wanted to know for the dominos you didn't glue did you peg or draw bore them to provide additional support from pulling out? Such as this:=-m_SEhNw1BFFQ6fT&t=578

 

[gearhound]

Hi [member=62622]gearhound[/member]

This will be a lovely project when complete.

The wood will move most across the grain and so up or down if your original picture matches the grain direction of your design. You can have a glued joint at the centre of the cross grain board on either side and then the movement will be a dash up and a dash down. If you do not want any evidence of movement then your glued joint could be at the top with an allowance for expansion at the bottom behind the pillows.

You can use dominos on the narrow setting and glued in for the fixed joints (one left and one right) and then floating dominos one side glued in and done with the narrow setting and the other side of the joint dry in a wider slot.

Peter

Thanks Peter! The bed is complete, just need to order some new sheets to get some glamour shots of it!

I joined the headboard with the exact domino technique you recommend with the glued joint in the center of the panel...I could've done it at the top of the panel, but clamping this up was quite the feat with it being 80inches wide and felt it would be easier to do in the center.

Here's a photo of the mortises in the head post:

[attachimg=1]

I know this is an old post but I am doing something similar and had a question.

I wanted to know for the dominos you didn't glue did you peg or draw bore them to provide additional support from pulling out? Such as this:=-m_SEhNw1BFFQ6fT&t=578

Sorry for the delay in seeing this, haven't been on here much. I cut the wider mortises so the dominos were centered during glue-up and they've just floated in there without a peg or draw bore. Haven't even noticed seasonal movement at all so it's working well. 5 years since I built it and it's still as rigid as the day I finished it!