# glue thin boards to thick board?



## wangjue (Sep 7, 2010)

Hi,

I have some 3/4" thick black walnut boards, I want to make a night stand from them. can I just glue 2 boards together make it thicker to make to top and the leg? if it's ok to do that, is there any tips?

thanks
Jue


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

wangjue said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have some 3/4" thick black walnut boards, I want to make a night stand from them. can I just glue 2 boards together make it thicker to make to top and the leg? if it's ok to do that, is there any tips?
> 
> ...


You can glue two together. Realistically, a single thickness of ¾" walnut would be suitable for a top to a night stand. If both surfaces are flat and smooth and mate, use Titebond II or III in a light coat on each surface and clamp together. One piece should be the size you want to end up with, and the other slightly larger, like ¼" larger all around. When glue has cured, trim off the overhang with a router and a flush trim bit. Doing this will eliminate the need to have the two pieces perfectly aligned. When glued and clamped they may have the mind to slip and slide out of alignment.

Gluing two pieces will leave a horizontal seam line. If you are gluing two together just for the appearance of a thicker top, you could just machine a 45 degree chamfer on the edge of a single piece of ¾", and cut strips with a 45 degree chamfer that are ¾"x1½", glue to the edge, and there will be no seams. There are router bits that can make a joint for that if you're interested.

Or, you could use just the single piece of ¾", and edge glue a piece of 1½". Then you would have the look of thickness, and the seam would be visible from looking down on the top.

Or, you could glue ¾"x¾" to the bottom edge to get the visual look of thickness, which would give the same look of the seam as gluing two pieces of ¾" together.












 





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