Jim Kaczmark
01-22-2009, 8:29 AM
I'm planning for a large set of built in cabinets to go on each side of my fireplace. Even after breaking the whole cabinet on each side into smaller sub-parts (plywood boxes), I'll be left with pretty sizeable backs on them... largest back will be 52" wide by 41" tall. Question is two part:
1) In general is there a proper way to install real beadboard or tongue & groove in this situation?
2) Racking of the cabinet out of square is of concern to me given their size... would the beadboard / T&G somehow be stable enough given the answers to the first question to prevent racking?
Some additional notes: I say "real" beadboard because each board will be milled... will not be using simulated beadboard milled into a sheet of sheet stock. Same goes for the T&G. This is because I will be making it out of rustic knotty alder and milling a groove through a knot just wouldn't look right.
My current idea will be to dado a slot say one inch from the back of the cabinet into which I'll sit the ends of the beadboard / T&G. Then behind this, on the very back edge of the carcas sides, bottom & top mill a rabbit into which I'll glue & pin a 1/4" or 1/2" piece of sheetstock to keep things square. (Is 1/2" inch overkill in this situation?)
Now the "meat" of this posting: Installing the beadboard / T&G itself... correct methods? Should I simply, place board by board the beadboard / T&G into the dado's, then let the entire panel of boards freely float within the dado's? Should I pin one side of each board into the dado, then let the other side of the board float to accomodate envionment changes? On the back side of the cabinet, should I place a line of silicone seal along the entire edge where the T&G / beadboard enters the dado's to avoid any rattling... would the silicone seal be flexible enough to accomodate the wood changes? Other ideas / concerns / comments?
One section of the cabinet will contain a TV... below it in the base cabinet will be the electronics. A single speaker (sound bar) will be placed on the shelf above the TV, and a subwoofer will be placed in the base cabinet. To avoid vibrations, I will actually cut a hole in the bottom of one side of the base cabinet bottom so I can sit the subwoofer directly on the concrete below the cabinets.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
Jim
1) In general is there a proper way to install real beadboard or tongue & groove in this situation?
2) Racking of the cabinet out of square is of concern to me given their size... would the beadboard / T&G somehow be stable enough given the answers to the first question to prevent racking?
Some additional notes: I say "real" beadboard because each board will be milled... will not be using simulated beadboard milled into a sheet of sheet stock. Same goes for the T&G. This is because I will be making it out of rustic knotty alder and milling a groove through a knot just wouldn't look right.
My current idea will be to dado a slot say one inch from the back of the cabinet into which I'll sit the ends of the beadboard / T&G. Then behind this, on the very back edge of the carcas sides, bottom & top mill a rabbit into which I'll glue & pin a 1/4" or 1/2" piece of sheetstock to keep things square. (Is 1/2" inch overkill in this situation?)
Now the "meat" of this posting: Installing the beadboard / T&G itself... correct methods? Should I simply, place board by board the beadboard / T&G into the dado's, then let the entire panel of boards freely float within the dado's? Should I pin one side of each board into the dado, then let the other side of the board float to accomodate envionment changes? On the back side of the cabinet, should I place a line of silicone seal along the entire edge where the T&G / beadboard enters the dado's to avoid any rattling... would the silicone seal be flexible enough to accomodate the wood changes? Other ideas / concerns / comments?
One section of the cabinet will contain a TV... below it in the base cabinet will be the electronics. A single speaker (sound bar) will be placed on the shelf above the TV, and a subwoofer will be placed in the base cabinet. To avoid vibrations, I will actually cut a hole in the bottom of one side of the base cabinet bottom so I can sit the subwoofer directly on the concrete below the cabinets.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
Jim