Grain direction for box

[russell...@yahoo.com]

Question about how to orient the grain direction for a box/case I am building. Plan to put two boxes under the workbench and put drawers in the boxes. The two boxes will be about 1.0 feet tall and 2 feet wide and 1.5 feet deep, each. Two boxes will be side by side, between the legs and above the stretcher. Solid red oak 3/4" for all parts. Will use biscuits to glue everything together. See picture below to see how boards will be assembled. Top and bottom, the red oak grain will go left-right. Two sides, the grain will go up-down. All four sides will have the grain running end to end in a circle and all expansion will be to the front and back for the sides and top/bottom.

How to orient the BACK panel? Do I put the boards so the grain runs up and down? Or do I put the boards so the grain runs left-right? If the grain is up-down, then the back expansion will push the sides out. If the grain is left-right, then the expansion will push the top and bottom apart. The way I am doing the biscuits, with the top and bottom ends being exposed and the ends of the sides covered, I think the boards with grain up and down will be better. The biscuits will keep the sides from being pushed out and the legs of the bench will keep the boxes compressed and not allowed to expand out. ??????


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[Ed Pawlowski]

I don't think I've ever seen a box or crate where the grain did not go
left to right. You may be over thinking this.

Alternate method: Make the back from MDF or plywood and have no
grain.

[Leon]

Typically with the opening on the front the grain runs left to right on
the top and bottom and up/down on the sides .

Basically the end grain does not face the viewable side/open side.

Solid wood back, grain is parallel to the longest measurement. Plywood
back, grain does not matter mechanically.

[DerbyDad03]

How about a plywood back with a red oak veneer?

The grain orientation won't matter and you can do whatever pleases you
aesthetically.

[John Grossbohlin]

wrote in message
news:2a0189e1-1953-43ed...@googlegroups.com...

The short answer with solid wood is that you should not constrain the
back... either the back needs to be a floating panel in a frame; or the back
should be individuals boards either ship lapped, or loose tongue and groove,
that are either nailed or screwed (with slotted holes) to the surrounding
rebated frame. Generally the grain of the back runs with the long dimension
of the case.... but not always! Alternatively, use sheet goods for the
back.

[russell...@yahoo.com]

Thanks everyone. Plywood for the back is probably the wise choice. I was fixated on using solid red oak for everything, forgot about oak plywood. Orienting the solid wood back in the longest direction is also good for other projects.