Hey guys, how do you hide your seams where the back of your bookcase uppers contact the countertop? I would like avoid any mouldings but the seam rarely looks bulletproof. We typically use 1/4” birch ply backs. Is using 1/2” ply the answer or some sort of cleat at the bottom?

We always try to drop them behind the top if at all possible.

I'm assuming you are building a classic 3 piece hutch(lower,countertop,upper).

I was taught to put the lower together like a desk. Countertop fastened to the lower in the shop and sprayed as a unit. Upper is attached in the field. Screwing thru the counter into the legs of the upper. This was always kinda dodgy. On a couple of jobs I saw somebody miss the leg and go right through the countertop.

When I went out on my own, I started fastening the countertop to the upper in the shop. Much easier to layout and fasten. We always use 1/2" backs so those are stapled to the countertop as if its the bot of the upperbox.

I run the counter top edging so it covers the lower. There is a 1/16" of slop so it will slide on top after the lower is fixed to the wall.

This also helps with shipping. The upper is nice and solid because its built like a regular cabinet.

I do one or more of these in everyone of the big houses. Often in libraries or studies, where its all buit in furniture.

I do mine like Adam

After trying every way I could imagine, I settled on the way Adam described a few years ago.