Comments on: Hiding Dados in a Solid Wood Bookcase

By: jHop

jHop — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:46:34 +0000

While there are plenty of options for joints, it seems to be commonly accepted that the stopped dado is the prime choice. (easy to do, quick, simple. I like simple.)

I’m not saying anything against the other styles; we all will experiment and use them sooner or later.

Ideas on how to not show the beauty of the stopped dado:
What about attaching fake tenons to the outside of the edge of the case? (doesn’t hide the joint, but can accent the piece)

If I understand the questioner’s post correctly, there’s a round over that thinned the front edge; what about adding a strip of moulding along the edge of the case to hide the joints? Even store-bought has a wide variety of options.

I like Marc’s suggestion of the decorative trim. You could trim the shelf slightly to make it blend in, or have it stand out and proud. (or is that proud and out?)

One last option (from my perch): decorative hardware. Furniture tacks, pyramid rivets, brass thumbtacks, whatever. You can use them to draw the eye to where the shelf meets the carcass, and still hide the joint. Without completely tearing apart your hard work, too.

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:49:21 +0000

You could insert small contrasting (or Matching) blocks flush with the cabinet face into each dado basicly turning the dados back into stop dados. Then notch each self as Mark pointed out. I would use a contrasting wood to give it a design element. Much less work than creating the sliding dove tail (which would look great) and add a intresting look.

By: Hoverman

Hoverman — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:17:52 +0000

This is the best site on the internet! :)

By: mikey

mikey — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:08:57 +0000

I have had this happen to me several time thru the years.what I Could suggest to you or any one is to mitter yourself a piece of molding of the design you like and add it to your front shelves or to the side panels.Stain the trim or do it in a natural finish.this will make your project stand out and take notice. A little extra work but the end results are worth it

By: Tom Buhl

Tom Buhl — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:03:31 +0000

I’d vote for leaving them show. Depending upon the style of the piece and your general style tastes perhaps that might not be to your liking. Going back in time the stopped dado is the default option. An exposed sliding dovetail is more interesting to show, but is more complex to setup than a dado. I go along with those nixing the edge banding. Oak seems like it can handle exposed joinery. IHO. Nice to have lots of folks share their thoughts. Have fun.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:35:09 +0000

Hm! Stopping a dado! Just getting started into this, it’s funny how the simplest things seem like such a novel idea. It had never even really crossed my mind, and yet it makes so much sense. This is why I’m glad this site is around.

By: WoodyWoodWrecker

WoodyWoodWrecker — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:46:10 +0000

I’m a novice at being a novice so what I’m about to suggest might not be worth the ink I’m wasting to type this.:) If the selves come out the same distance as the sides and he doesn’t want to add anything to the sides. A contrasting trim could be added to each shelf and the top & bottom overlapping the sides. I would round off the trim so that it is thick in the middle of the shelf and thins to whatever looks good on the edge. I don’t know how this would look or how difficult it would be having never done it myself but I thought you might give me your thoughts on it.

By: Claude Stewart

Claude Stewart — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:14:32 +0000

I would leave them. I like that look.

By: CharlesCulp

CharlesCulp — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:46:33 +0000

Norm did it for his bow front chest. He used homemade veneer, but it was mahogany.

http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?0711

It was just on last week. In that very refined piece of furniture I think it was very appropriate.

By: Dean

Dean — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:42:04 +0000

You might attach a piece of wood at the end of each shelf where it meets the front side, inline with the shelf. This would change the design of the shelf. You may have to do this to the very top as well to balance the design. Possibly a piece the same thickness as the shelf allowing it to stick out about 1/2 inch beyond the front edge. I would use a tight radius at the outside edge and maybe a slope starting a little way into the shelf front letting it blend with the shelf front.

I’m not sure how wide your bookcase is so the length of such a piece would be up to you. You could leave the edges squared or rounded, although rounded may require rounding the front edged of the shelves as well. You could also cut the end piece to wrap around the end a short distance from the front side. You could cut a couple of samples from scrap wood to hold up to the bookcase to see it is worth the effort.

You could stain it (not sure what finish you used), the same tone as the finished bookcase or a contrasting tone (lighter or darker).