A client in Portland asked for a built-in with no visible fasteners at all

They wanted the entire piece to look like it grew from the wall. I had to get creative with sliding dovetails and some serious glue-up planning. Has anyone pulled off something similar without any hardware?

3 comments

3 Comments

david_rivera49d ago

Trying to make a built-in with no fasteners is how I ended up with a bookshelf permanently attached to my shop ceiling... the wall part is still on the floor. Sliding dovetails sound way smarter than my glue and prayer method. That invisible look is a real puzzle, but getting it right must feel amazing.

martin.paige9d ago

Remember my buddy's "invisible" floating desk?

adam5179d ago

Hah, that's an amazing visual @david_rivera4. Honestly, my version of that was trying to make a floating shelf with just a crazy tight friction fit. I got it in there with a mallet and everything, felt like a genius for a whole week. Then summer humidity hit and the whole thing just slowly leaned forward and dumped all my stuff on the floor. Tbh, sometimes you just have to learn the hard way that a few hidden screws aren't cheating.