Types of Wood Joints
1. Square-Ended
Basic Butt Joint
2. Edge-to-Edge
Butt Joint
3. Mitered
Butt Joint
4. Tongue-and
Groove Joint
5. Right
Angle Dowel Frame Joint
6. Edge-to-Edge
Dowel Joint
7. Box
Joint
8. Mortise
and Tenon Joint
9. Biscuit
Joint
10. Corner
Bridle Joint
11. Mitered
Bridle Joint
12. Half
Lap Joint
13. Box
Joint
14. Dovetail
Joint
15. Sliding
Dovetail Joint
16. Half
Blind Dovetail Joint
\
17. Dado Joint
18. Finger
Joint / Comb Joint
19. Rabbet
Joint
1. Square-Ended Basic Butt Joint
This
is a simple way of making 90-degree wood joints, But it's not always the most
powerful or best choice for every project.
In
a square-ended basic butt joint, one piece of wood butts up opposed another,
most frequently perpendicularly at a right angle.
Since
glue alone is not typically strong enough to make a strong butt join, it is
usually necessary to hold the pieces together with screws, fine nails, or other
types of fasteners to make the joint strong.to make the joint powerful.
2. Edge-to-Edge Butt Joint
This
is a simple way of making 90-degree wood joints, But it's not always the most
powerful or best choice for every project.
In
a square-ended basic butt joint, one piece of wood butts up opposed another,
most frequently perpendicularly at a right angle.
Since
glue alone is not typically strong enough to make a strong butt join, it is
usually necessary to hold the pieces together with screws, fine nails, or other
types of fasteners to make the joint strong.
3. Mitered Butt Joint
Mitered
Butt joints can be used to make a neat right-angle corner without any visible
wood particles. While mitered butt joints typically look The cleanest, they are
not always the most powerful or most durable – so this kind of joint is usually
reserved for light-duty projects such as photo frames.
To make a mitered butt joint, cut the edges of the wood at a 45-degree angle. To fasten the two pieces together, add glue and hold until the glue dries.
4. Tongue-and Groove Joint
A
tongue and grooved wood joint are often used instead of edge-to-edge butt
joints and it easily allows for one piece of wood to slide into another. Tongue
and Grooved joints are the most powerful and can typically be seen in petitions
such as flooring.
To
cut a tongue-and-groove joint by hand, it is usually necessary to have
tongue-and-groove router bits. One bit is used to shape the tongue on one piece
of wood and the other is used to make the groove. Cut the tongue first, then
changed the bit and make the matching groove.
Tongue
and groove router bits come in a wide variety of different sizes make sure you
order the right size which will fit your project.
5. Right Angle Dowel Frame Joints
Dowel
frame joints can be a lot more powerful than you might think. Many furniture
builders have used dowel frame joints for a variety of different types from
chairs to dresser drawers and etc.
Note
that grooved or spiral-cut dowels are best as this gives additional hold
compared to smooth dowels. Most hardwood stores sell packages of pre-cut wood
dowels specifically for wood joinery which you can use.
To
make the dowel frame joint, drill two holes that compare up with each other in
2 pieces of wood. Insert the dowels with some wood glue in one piece of wood,
and then add glue and attached the second piece of wood so the dowels slide in
the holes you drilled.
In
most cases, two dowels per joint are enough. Be sure they are at least a
minimum of ¼ inch from both edges of the rail. For longer pieces of wood, you
may want to use 3 or 4 dowels.
The
advantage of this method is that it can be simpler than box joints or dovetail
joints and requires no special tools – just a drill.
6. Edge to Edge Dowel Joints
An
edge-to-edge dowel joint is made very much like a square-ended dowel joint,
except in this case you can be joined two pieces of wood side by side instead
of perpendicularly at a 90-degree angle.
Depending
on the length of your project and desired strength, you can place dowels every
6, 9, or 12 inches separately. More dowels = more strength, so consider the
types for which you are using the dowel joint for.
7. Biscuit Joints
Biscuit
joints are comparable to dowel joints, except instead of dowels one uses
"biscuits" which are small, flat oval-shaped pieces of wood.
Biscuit
joints are generally not as strong as dowel joints, but most hardwood stores
stock wood biscuits. One disadvantage of making biscuit joints is that they
usually require a special tool called a biscuit plate joiner.
To
make biscuit joints, a plate joiner is used to make slots where the biscuits
will fit inside. You then glue the biscuit into the slot with an adjacent piece
of wood.
8. Mortise and Tenon Joint
Mortise
and tenon joints are one of the strongest types of wood joints and are used for
many different types of woodworking projects and even large construction
projects such as barns and sheds.
A
mortise is a hole and a tenon is a "tongue" that fits into the hole.
One
of the challenges in making mortise and tenon joints is making sure the tongue
and mortise fit together. When making these joints, it makes sense to always
cut the mortises first. This way you will have an easier time fitting the Tenon
perfectly. Fortunately, one can usually do this job with basic tools like a
saw!
Once
the mortise and tenons are cut, you can join the two pieces together with wood
glue.
9.
Corner Bridle Joint
Like
a mortise and tenor joint or a tongue and groove joint, with a corner joint, you
are making a slot in one piece of wood and cutting another piece of wood to fit
the slot.
Many people often choose to add two dowels to the sides of the joint after the glue has been set to improve the strength of the joint.
10.
Mitered Bridle Joint
A
Mitered bridle is cut like a traditional corner bridle joint, but is a more
attractive alternative, especially for applications such as picture frames.
To
make a mitered bridle joint, you will cut the pieces of wood at a 45-degree
angle, but allow the tongue/groove part of the joint to be square..
12. Half Lap Joint
A
basic half-lap joint is slightly stronger than a normal butt joint but can
present a somewhat cleaner appearance that hides most of the end grain.
Lap joints are sometimes used to attach drawer fronts to the sides of a drawer or can be used when making a simple box.
In
a lap joint, pieces of wood are usually cut or scored in half and the two
pieces are joined by overlapping one piece with the other.
13. Box Joints
Box
joints are an easy way to join pieces of wood together when making a box. They
are square and the square grooves are cut alternately on the two edges of the
wood so that when you fit them together the squares line up to make a clean
edge.
They can often be cut by hand with a saw, although of course there are router accessories sold that can make cutting them an easier task.
14.
Dovetail Joint
Dovetail
joints are probably one of the strongest types of wood joints and can also look
good on a finished edge. Dovetail joints are often seen in box construction and
drawer construction.
Dovetails
are similar to box joints, but the "tail" is cut at an angle to
provide extra strength.
Dovetail
joints can be cut by hand using a saw or you can use a router. Cutting a
dovetail joint on a router is very easy when you use a dovetail joint jig and
template. Most router manufacturers sell it as an accessory.
15.
Half Blind Dovetail Joint
A
half-blind dovetail joint makes sense when you want to join two pieces of wood
together for a box, but don't want the dovetails visible from either side.
Half-blind
dovetails are made in much the same way as normal dovetail joints, except they
are cut halfway through the corner, leaving a clean edge on the outside of the
wood. It is a popular choice for drawer makers.
16.
Sliding Dovetail Joints
A
half-blind dovetail joint makes sense when you want to join two pieces of wood
together for a box, but don't want the dovetails visible from either side.
The
sliding dovetail joint is another popular option with many uses. In this type
of joint, instead of cutting individual dovetails, the entire length of one
plank is cut into a dovetail shape, while another piece of wood has a long
groove.
Once
the cut is made, it's as easy as applying a little wood glue and sliding the
wood pieces into place.
While
it is certainly possible to cut sliding dovetails by hand, they are easily made
on a router with the appropriate attachments and accessories.
17. Finger Joint / Comb Joint
Finger
joints are very partial to dovetail joints, but the edges are usually cut in
a saw blade or comb-like pattern.
Finger
joints can be very strong, but some people don't like to use them because the
zigzag comb pattern isn't something they want to see on the outside of their
project. Of course, sometimes the design of this joint can be beautiful and add
character to a piece.
For
finger jointing, it is usually best to use a special finger/comb router bit to
ensure that the two edges meet together. Once the pieces are cut, just apply
glue and let them dry.
18.
Dado Joint
Dado's
joints are most commonly used to join pieces of wood in a T-shape, such as
making dividers in boxes or drawers.
This
is a very easy joint to make, where you cut a slot or groove for the other
piece to line up. Then they can be attached with wood glue.
19.
Rabbet Joint
Rabbet
joints are very similar to half-lap joints and dado joints, where half of each
end is cut to fit together.
They are relatively easy to make as it is a straight cut on each board. They are then glued together.
Rabbet
joints are not the strongest, but are a wood joining technique often used for
cabinet making and shelving and drawer backs.
What type of wood joint should I use for my project?
For
many people, the type of wood joint you use is usually a matter of personal
preference. However, it is important to consider the use of the item you are
making, as not all joints are created equal! Here are some things to consider:
How
much power do you need?
If
you are building something that is subject to everyday use, it makes sense to
use one of the stronger types of joints, such as dovetails or box joints.
For
example, these two types of joints are often used to make drawers, which makes
a lot of sense if you consider that they are likely to hold heavy items and if
not more, at least one or two a day are opened twice.
Photo
frames, on the other hand, are items that are rarely touched and handled after
the artwork or photo is placed and hung on the wall. In this case, it makes
sense that a simple meter-bit joint would do.
What
Tools Do You Have?
Another
thing to consider is what tools you have available. While there are many
excellent router bits and accessories that can cut sophisticated joints with
ease, not everyone has the budget to own a router, let alone all the bits and
templates.
If
the budget is tight, dowel joints are a great choice - all you need are wooden
dowels, usually sold in packages at hardwood stores, and a drill and some wood
glue.
If
you're on a budget, box joints, dado joints, half-lap joints, and rabbet joints
are also good choices because you can usually make them easily with just one
saw.
Do you want to be able to view the joint?
There
are arguments from both sides on whether or not the joint should be visible.
Some people who make decorative boxes, for example, may argue that a dovetail
or finger joint adds to the overall design.
On
the other hand, one may not like the way the joint looks and instead opt for
"invisible" joints, such as a half-blind dovetail joint, biscuit
joint, or dowel joint.
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