raised panel question

[Kurt Loup]

I have a 16' x 21" wide 5/4 mahogany board that I want to use for raised panels in the headboard and footboard of a bed I plan to build. I want to utilize the board so as to minimize waste and save as much as I can for other projects. I'm still in the planning phase, but the design I have in mind will use two 18-24" high x 21" wide panels in the headboard and two 12" x 21" wide panels in the footboard. Cutting the panels this way will use about 6' of the board. If I cut the panels the same size so that the grain runs horizontal, I'll use about 8 feet of the board. Any problems I should be aware of due to expansion and contraction of panels this large? Should I run the grain vertically or horizontally? Thanks.

Kurt

[Tom Hintz]

Unless it is to be painted I would run the grain vertically. I personally think it looks goofy in the horizontal orientation. But that's just me.
Expansion and contraction are going to happen regardless of the direction and it sounds as though the overall size (longest run) isn't changing all that much anyway so orientation isn't likely to be a bigger problem either way.
I know someone can relate expansion percentages so read on!

[Chris Padilla]

Kurt,

First thing, make sure the board is well acclimated to your climate. At 5/4, it shouldn't take long.

As you know most movement is across the grain so keep that in mind when building. I think you can run the grain however you like but just build with movement in mind.

It is a bit more wasteful but it might even be interesting to run the grain on a diagnol and kinda sorta bookmatch it in the middle. Maybe you could expand the wood and resaw it for a real bookmatch? You'd need to find a shop that has such a rewsaw capacity, however, so that is probably out for you. 5/4 doesn't give you much room anyway but if you made up your own "plywood" panels, you would have less movement issues to worry about with thinner stock.

[Kurt Loup]

Guys,

Thanks for the ideas. I spent the afternoon drawing full size sketches of the footboard and headboard. If I don't run the panels horizontally, I will have to cut them up to make it work with the wood I have on hand. I really don't want to cut the panels smaller. The grain will be continuous if I run the panels horizontally though. I'll post a picture when completed, but it will be a while.

Kurt