Dining Table Apron?

[Matt Meiser]

I'm about to get started on a cherry dining table for my parents but I'm wondering about fastening aprons. On our Amish-made oak dining table, the aprons are solid wood which I'm assuming was steam bent. There are two kerfs on the back, at about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way around each half that look like they were added after bending because the kerf sides are parallel. I'm speculating these allow for some wood movement? Other than possibly those kerfs, there is no allowance for movement. The aprons are fastened with screws through the bottom of the apron into the table top. There doesn't appear to be any method of allowing for movement at the screws other than possibly slightly oversized holes. We've had it 10 years, so I don't think its a problem. Is this the normal method for attaching a curved apron on a dining table? The leaves are the same and measure 12" wide.

I'm planning to do these as laminations since I won't have to build a steam box.

[Jeff Monson]

The aprons on dining tables I have paid attention to, were all drilled through the center of the apron, and countersunk as you described Matt. I'd assume this is the most durable way to fasten it. Being you are going to use a bent lamination for the apron, I would not think movement would be a huge factor.

[Matt Meiser]

I was thinking more about top movement than the aprons--sorry I didn't make that clear.

[John TenEyck]

If your table top will be made of solid wood it's going to move, so you need to accommodate it, regardless of what was done with that oak table. Often table tops are attached with a single screw through each end apron on the C/L of the top. All other points of attachment use table clips, buttons, or elongated holes in the approns. A recent FWW article by Christian Becksvoort shows a good method using bottons, but the concepts are the same regardless.