Replies

1. 
   lat_axe | Jan 15, 2022 11:46am | #1

   The "free floating" slats are actually pinned or screwed, at top and bottom of the slat, to the rebated carcase. If they weren't, they'd fall out your know! :-)

   Any screws should be teeny-weeny ones. (I like very skinny 1" long brass 'uns with a 5mm diameter flat slotted head myself).

   The trick is to leave a small gap between all the adjacent slats. How much of a gap? I've always found 1/16" (1.6mm) more than enough. You might prefer a bit less, say 1/32". Whatever doesn't offend your eye. The gaps should all be the same and even up & down the slats.

   The small gaps allow the slats to expand a little with humidity changes. Those small gaps should be more than big enough to accommodate the expansion of 3 - 5" wide slats.

   Lataxe

1. 
   weymouth2 | Jan 15, 2022 01:28pm | #3

   Thanks Lataxe

   The slats are fully captured by grooves (two-walled) in the top rail and bottom, so there is no danger of them falling out.

   US pennies are 1/16th thick, so those are my spacers :) The gaps might be a little fat for my taste, but I won’t really know until I see it.

2. 
   cl810 | Jan 15, 2022 11:58am | #2

   I built the wall cabinet in Mike's first book and it had a shiplap back as well. I'm not sure if it was in the book or not, but I hit each board with a brad nail once against the shelf and bottom.

   Since the slats in your project have tabs that fit into a groove, the only reason I can think of to do it in your project is to keep the slats consistently spaced. If you glue them in place I would just put a drop in one spot of each slat's top and bottom tab. That would allow for wood movement.

1. 
   weymouth2 | Jan 15, 2022 01:34pm | #4

   Thanks cl. I think that’s my solution- a brad nail at the shelf and bottom (no glue). Keeping the spacing even and preventing any “rattling” are what I was thinking as reasons for doing it. And I don’t see much harm.

1. 
   _mj_ | Jan 15, 2022 04:36pm | #6

   If you put your brads close to the edge of each overlapping board, they will hold your spacing AND keep the joints close.

   
1. 
   Deleted | Jan 15, 2022 05:41pm | #7

   “[Deleted]”

3. 
   pantalones868 | Jan 15, 2022 03:19pm | #5

   If the 4 sides are housed there should be no way that the boards can fall out and no fasteners should be necessary. It potential rattling is a concern you could put rubber spacers in the side grooves that will keep enough pressure on the panel to keep it from rattling and allow for expansion. If for some reason I would be concerned I might put a fastener in the center board only.