What’s the best way to secure a tabletop to its legs and apron?
John Brock: If the top is made of solid planks, you must allow for wood movement. I secure the center and then use figure eight fasteners moving out to the edges perpendicular to the grain. If the tabletop has a plywood core, I attach it rigidly, typically using cleats on all sides.
Richard Jones: There are several, including buttons, expansion plates, figure eight fasteners and generous hole size pocket screws. These methods are all recommended for attaching a solid wood top where you need to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood. This requirement doesn’t matter if you’re holding down a man-made board top, and various methods, from screwing through the rail up into the top, to simple L brackets, to screw blocks, all work fine.
