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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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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.