Hasta La Ideas

This is the sixth post of an ongoing series about wood. Understanding its nature, the way it moves and changes, and the implications for designers. Check back every Wednesday for the next installment.

The previous posts are here:
» How Logs Are Turned Into Boards, Part 1: Plainsawn
» How Logs Are Turned Into Boards, Part 2: Quartersawn
» How Logs Are Turned Into Boards, Part 3: Riftsawn
» Why Does Wood Move?
» Controlling Wood Movement: The Drying Process

We are all familiar with this type of design for a door, also known as panel door. This one has four panels, but you’ll often see them with six, and occasionally with more. And as you’ve probably guessed by reading through this series, those panels were traditionally not placed there for aesthetics, but for functionality. This is a time-tested, very clear-cut example of how you use design to cope with wood movement.

First off, let’s get some basic terminology down by looking at a smaller version of the same concept: A cabinet door.

(more…)