Joinery for solid wood hutch?

[Lester Sak]

I recently finished a pedestal desk for a friend and am now starting on the hutch. The desk is frame and panel construction using african sapele and sapele veneered plywood. I just made the sides for the hutch by gluing up sapele boards, but now I'm wondering if they should have been frame and panel as well to control any wood movement.

Are there any suggestions for joining the horizontal center portion of the hutch to the 2 solid wood sides? The horizontal section will have a small cabinet on each end. I've included a rough drawing.

1492036284323-0c2304d8-d8d1-48dc-a7e7-e03554b4dba4_.jpg

Thanks for the help!

Les

[Rod Sheridan]

Lester, if you make the top and any other object that's attached to the sides out of the same solid wood, there won't be any issue with movement as it will be uniform. (Assuming you orient the grain in the same direction)......Rod.

[Lester Sak]

Lester, if you make the top and any other object that's attached to the sides out of the same solid wood, there won't be any issue with movement as it will be uniform. (Assuming you orient the grain in the same direction)......Rod.

Thanks Rod. I gave this more thought after posting it and came to the same conclusion. I would just need to use thin ply for the back so I don't run into problems.

Thanks again!