# Edging the front of a board



## oldaddy (Nov 3, 2013)

Hello all,
I am building a breakfast bench and I would like to edge the front of the 3/4" plywood seat panels with a nice piece of wood that I can round off so as not to cut into people's legs.

what type of wood will be best?; ......( it will be painted).
would adhering it with pocket screws ( and w/glue) be ok?

thanks.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

a table top can take a beating, so i would choose a hardwood to hold up. the pocket screws will likely work. most common method may be to route a groove along the edge, in the center. then machine a tongue on the mating surface of your edge piece to fit/glue into the groove. 

take care to align the top surface of the plywood with the top surface of the edge, as extensive sanding can lead to sanding through the top veneer layer of the plywood. easy to do, btdt (too many times)


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

oldaddy said:


> Hello all,
> I am building a breakfast bench and I would like to edge the front of the 3/4" plywood seat panels with a nice piece of wood that I can round off so as not to cut into people's legs.
> 
> what type of wood will be best?; ......( it will be painted).
> ...


For a paint project, poplar would be a reasonable choice of wood. Pocket screws and glue aren't my favorite choice of joinery but would work for your applications:smile:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Poplar would be a good choice. All you need is both edges to be flat, and then just glue and clamp. No need for pocket screws.








 







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## Woodartisan (Nov 5, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> Poplar would be a good choice. All you need is both edges to be flat, and then just glue and clamp. No need for pocket screws.



This would be my recommendation as well. Poplar is nice and smooth, great for painting and its fairly inexpensive still. Face grain gluing works well. I usually oversize the piece of edging and use a router with a trim bit to get it nice and flush for a beautiful edge, then you can round it over.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

If you have pocket screws and feel better using them go ahead, they won't do any harm and will be an invisible fastener while the glue dries.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

oldaddy said:


> would adhering it with pocket screws ( and w/glue) be ok?
> 
> thanks.


Just a suggestion. It's your bench, and you are doing the work. You have a few suggestions so far. You can use any method that would work...even hex head lag bolts through the front edge would work. There's nobody here that will be there when you actually do the work.

You could get by using pocket screws providing you have no problems. I have saved some links in a folder somewhere of some of the threads on this forum by members that have had problems with pocket screws. Some that ruined their work, wasted a lot of time and materials, having to redo the work, problems with screws breaking out, not holding properly, and in general asking for advice and help in how to fix the problems.

Conversely, I can't remember any threads by members that have just glued and clamped edging. No complaints that it didn't work, or that the edging fell off.


















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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

cabinetman said:


> Just a suggestion. It's your bench, and you are doing the work. You have a few suggestions so far. You can use any method that would work...even hex head lag bolts through the front edge would work. There's nobody here that will be there when you actually do the work.
> 
> You could get by using pocket screws providing you have no problems. I have saved some links in a folder somewhere of some of the threads on this forum by members that have had problems with pocket screws. Some that ruined their work, wasted a lot of time and materials, having to redo the work, problems with screws breaking out, not holding properly, and in general asking for advice and help in how to fix the problems.
> 
> ...


Using that logic woodworking in general should be discouraged, nothing like a bit of FUD to make a point.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

FrankC said:


> Using that logic woodworking in general should be discouraged, nothing like a bit of FUD to make a point.



The truth shall set you free. :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


















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## unclefester (Aug 23, 2013)

Now now, let's play nice.


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## LeeDavid (Dec 12, 2013)

I would use poplar also. If you glue it and add some biscuits then you wouldn't need pocket screws. It would also help with aligning the edges. Just my opinion. Good Luck!


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

LeeDavid said:


> I would use poplar also. If you glue it and add some biscuits then you wouldn't need pocket screws. It would also help with aligning the edges. Just my opinion. Good Luck!


Lee, I see you have only three posts so obviously you are not aware that biscuits are frowned upon just as much as pocket screws around here by the experts. :yes:

I still maintain that if you know what you are doing pocket screws and biscuits are just another way of fastening a couple pieces of wood together, unfortunately the ancient Egyptians did not have some members in this forum to advise them of the folly in their ways.


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## mikedam (Nov 15, 2013)

FrankC said:


> Lee, I see you have only three posts so obviously you are not aware that biscuits are frowned upon just as much as pocket screws around here by the experts. :yes:
> 
> I still maintain that if you know what you are doing pocket screws and biscuits are just another way of fastening a couple pieces of wood together, unfortunately the ancient Egyptians did not have some members in this forum to advise them of the folly in their ways.


Why are biscuits and pocket screws frowned upon?


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

mikedam said:


> Why are biscuits and pocket screws frowned upon?


Because certain individuals have decided to make it a point of contention, it is one of their means to increase their post count.

Had they been around in the square nail era they would have had the same attitude toward round nails.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

FrankC said:


> Because certain individuals have decided to make it a point of contention, it is one of their means to increase their post count.
> 
> Had they been around in the square nail era they would have had the same attitude toward round nails.


That's just the way you see it. As for making a point of contention, you have posted four times in this thread with the same opinion. You are entitled to your opinion and so are others. I don't see what post count or inordinate references has to do with anything other than a form of ridicule. It could be that my post count is what it is can be attributed to the six years as a member here.

A woodworking forum offering time proven methods can be as important to woodworkers as the "just to get by" methods, if that is what is desired to be used.


















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## Dandan111 (Oct 29, 2013)

Pretty sure I would use glue and a use few screws to help hold it but just glue should be fine I bet. I wouldn't go crazy with screws,more screws,more risk.


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## MNsawyergp (Jan 31, 2012)

I would suggest maple rather than poplar. It is harder and less likely to dent or scratch and will paint up nicely. Also, go with birch or maple plywood, not fir, since they are harder and will give a more durable surface.


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## Warped bored (Sep 21, 2013)

Seriously? We're talking about edging the front of a bench seat ( and not a piano seat either) and *paint* grade and you guys are bickering about biscuits and pocket screws- one guy thinks it's a tabletop- then*LAG BOLTS?*

I can go to Home Depot, pick up some pine half round, cut it , glue it with Titebond 3, shoot it on with a 16 guage nailer and be done before you quit bickering. Two days later you can take your biggest BFH and take your best shots. The bench will be destroyed before the edging comes off. It will also be there after you are all dead.


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