Breadboard

It's not the kind you prep toast on; breadboards in woodworking add strength and stability to heavy tabletops and more

Chris HillJanuary 1, 2000

Houzz Contributor. Chris Hill, of chiefs-shop.com, has been woodworking for more than 25 years and has family members who have been involved in nearly every aspect of home building. Chris also builds custom furniture and furnishings and restores and repairs pieces. You can find him on Houzz every week and at http://chiefs-shop.com.

A breadboard is attached to each end of a panel assembly made up of several joined boards; it adds rigidity to the assembly and limits the amount of movement that may occur at the boards' ends. It can be attached in many ways, but a popular method is via a tongue and groove joint.

Chris Hill

Here the breadboards have been milled with a tongue, while the mating boards have a groove cut into their ends.

Thick and heavy tabletops, especially those with pedestal legs, benefit from the reinforced strength of a breadboard.

D'apostrophe Design, Inc.

You’ll see breadboards primarily on large, rustic farmhouse-style tables, on antique tables or ones made from reclaimed lumber.

Tara Seawright Interior Design

Because of the change in grain direction, breadboards typically stand out, but with carefully finishing techniques they can be made to blend in with the rest of the table.

Browse photos of farmhouse dining rooms