Breadboard ends

[Wayne Lomman]

I'm interested to hear opinions as to why breadboard ends are necessary or desirable or otherwise? Cheers

[Bill Adamsen]

The ends keep the perpendicular (cross grained) boards straight. The long tenon in the mortise allows cross-grain expansion/contraction of seasonal wood movement without splitting the tabletop.

There are many ways to accomplish "the end" ... most folks "trough" the end mortise on a tablesaw and then dado the tenon on the tabletop using either a saw, router or even tenoner. I was taught to hide the end of the tenon so I use various methods to stop the mortise and cut the tenon with a haunch.

The breadboard in the last photo is large (can't remember the width) but it moves well over a half-inch from summer to winter.

[Wayne Lomman]

Bill, the reason for the query is that breadboard ends appear to be almost exclusively a North American design feature. In Australia they are almost never used. Timber is kept straight by any other means, none of which show the effect of seasonal movement. The disguising of seasonal movement is a priority to me. Cheers

[glenn bradley]

In my area, humidity swings are pretty narrow so they are a design element for me.

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[Bob Lang]

I think it is a matter of fashion. They weren't seen much in America until the last 10-15 years. The number of tops without them that stay flat argues against the necessity of breadboard ends and I think the theory that a thin piece that can easily be bowed in length will hold a wide piece flat doesn't make a lot of sense. But they do look cool.

Bob Lang

[Bill Adamsen]

I think it is a matter of fashion. They weren't seen much in America until the last 10-15 years.

Dealing with cross-grain construction in wood furniture building has been a constant for a very long time. The attached photo of the "Newport" style secretary (1750s) shows the front enclosure using ends to constrain the movement of the cross-grained wood. Cross-grain management is no doubt a reason doors are constructed with stile and rail. I don't think of this as being a recent innovation. I suspect it has roots going back thousands of years, and it certainly is illustrated visually if not descriptively in L'Art du Menuisier (see "assemblages)".

[Bill Adamsen]

Bill, the reason for the query is that breadboard ends appear to be almost exclusively a North American design feature. In Australia they are almost never used. Timber is kept straight by any other means, none of which show the effect of seasonal movement. The disguising of seasonal movement is a priority to me. Cheers

Northeast US has "seasons" with rather incredible swings in humidity. So these techniques would have been important for keeping solid wood projects from breaking apart. I would suspect the same was true of most of Europe. It is likely a great topic for some young PhD student in Curatorial or design work.

[Wayne Lomman]

Swings in humidity occur everywhere. Here in Tasmania yesterday it was 39%, today it is 94% for example. This is the rule in Australia, not the exception. I tend to agree that is is a cultural design quirk rather than a logical solution to a problem. I guess my point to all designers is that the breadboard end is a style not a necessity as there are plenty of other ways to solve structural concerns. Cheers