Foot board panel glue up to the post and a top rail

[Brian Runau]

I plan to use 3 large domino tenons on the sides of the panel to attached to the posts. Queen size bed and panel is 12" high.

1. l was planning on gluing it along the full 12" height even though there is 3-1/2" of end grain on either end where it attaches to the panel. Is this going to be a problem with cross grain movement over time?

2. Planning to add a top piece that sits on top of the posts and runs across the width of the posts with a little over hang. This will sit right on top of the panel. I wanted to use 3 or 4 dominos to help locate this piece and keep it tight against this top piece. I was planning on gluing the panel to the top piece since the grain runs in the same direction. Is this OK?

Thanks for your help.

Brian

foot board.jpg

[William Young]

1. Use 4 dominoes, two in the center vertical grain portion. Glue these to both panel and leg. The other two dominoes would be glued to the panel end grain, but float (not glued) in slightly longer mortises in the leg.
2. OK. Glue to the panel all the way. However, If you plan to use dominoes into the end grain and into the leg, allow one end of the domino to float. It would be better to have an intentional gap between the top rail and panel and have glued in dominoes at both ends.