Making a top look thicker - End Grain

[PeterTorresani]

I'm build the top to a cabinet and ran into something. I glued a strip to the front edge to make it look thicker, and realized that I won't like the look of the end if I do it the same way. Gluing a strip with the edge grain below the end grain doesn't look very good. I was thinking that I could glue the part I cut off underneath (sort of folded over), but I'm afraid that if is is only 5/8" deep (3/4" overhang) it may not be strong enough.

I'm sure this has been done countless times, so can anyone tell me the preferred technique for this?

Thanks

[Pat Barry]

Thats exactly what I did Pete and it turned out fine. I wasn't counting on it for strength though, just the appearance.

[glenn bradley]

A couple options.

[Sam Murdoch]

This is a situation that wood movement must be a consideration. Adding an applied end to obscure the end grain and to suggest a thicker top is OK if you do it in such a way that allows your top to expand and contract. Bread board ends properly built and applied will do the job nicely. I ran into a similar situation for a cabinet that I built. I wanted end grain to show but I didn't have 2" thick pine boards my solution was to glue 2 thickness together of equally wide boards (equal to the width of the board above) and with a similar end grain pattern. I then broke the seam visually with a saw kerf. No one has yet to notice that it is not just one thick top and wood movement is unrestricted. Here is a bad photo. It's a close up that was not intended to be a close up, but I think shows the end result pretty well.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Cut end off top, and fold it under. Grain will be almost a perfect match. Same thing applies to sides.

[PeterTorresani]

Thanks guys. I'm going to fold it over. I've done the kerf on joints, but at 13 ft long, it's more than I think i want to attempt

[Lee Schierer]

I made a dressing table for my DIL and I wanted a thicker looking top without the weight. I made the top a few inches longer than the final length after glue up. I cut the top to with 1/2" of finished length taking equal amount off each end and saving the cut offs. I wanted 3/4" finished over hangs on each end sou I reduced the width of the cut offs to 1". I applied the extra thickness strip along the front edge, trimmed off 3/4" from the "width of the end pieces so the glue joints would line up with those in the top and glued them on each end tight against the front strip. After the glue dried, I trimmed the top to the final dimension taking 1/4" off each end and ended up with book matched cross grain ends that appeared to be a full 1'1/2" thick. The sides and top front face frame were made 3/4" taller to fit up inside the glued on lip. The dresser has no seasonal expansion issues in the 2 years since it was built.

[Howard Acheson]

>>>> Gluing a strip with the edge grain below the end grain doesn't look very good.

Appearance is not the biggest issue with that plan. You can't glue a long grain board across the grain of another board or panel. Wool will want to expand and contract with seasonal changes in relative humidity. A board glued across the grain will try to prevent the wood from moving and something will have to give. You will end up with warping, splitting or some other damage.

There is no problem with gluing a "folded" board. As it is also going to have the wood grain running in the same direction as the main piece, it and the main piece will expand/contract is unison.