A "wood movement" question

[John]

I am building a cabinet for a cabin that has neither heat nor A/C, so wood movement will be a serious issue.

The body is entirely frame and plywood panel construction, so it should not change much at all. The top is solid ash (22" by 22") so it should move quite a bit.

I have nailed the rear of the top securely to the back panel and the first inch of the sides. I have secured the rest to the sides with these little offset brackets sold for table tops,

left the top completely free from the front panel. Presumably the brackets will simply slide in the groves cut in the side panels.

Will this work; or am I overlooking something fundamental? (I have them pretty tight, but not impossibly so) Had I made the top out of plywood, could I have ignored the problem?

[Mike G]

Should work.

[George]

Make sure to finish top and bottom equally, and you're good to go. Otherwise, it'll curl up in the front.

Had you made the top of plywood, it wouldn't have moved as much, but you'd have had to edge it.

[Alan Bierbaum]

Should work fine