The Wonderful World of Joints

Photo Courtesy of Iowa Public Television

Woodworking continues to be a big hobby for many people all across the world. Whether that’s using handcraft or power tools, many woodworkers enjoy creating and finishing projects that they can use at home or elsewhere.

There is new interest in the woodworking world and many new faces are now joining the scene. Many are learning as much as they can about the hobby and learning about woodworking joints is one of the most basic things a woodworker needs to know.

The Toolbarn Web staff has put together a list of joints aspiring woodworkers should know before undertaking their projects.

The Butt Joint

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The butt joint is the most common joint in woodworking. A butt joint is simply two pieces of wood joined perpendicularly together, often using external objects to attach the material. This can be screws, plugs or even glue. While it can be a strong joint, it has no structural integrity of its own. The butt joint is a timesaver, but make sure it’s strong enough for your project.

The Pocket Joint

Photo Courtesy of Craftsman Space

The pocket joint is a very strong joint that is mostly used in furniture making. It’s very good for attaching wood of different grains. A good example is attaching table legs to table aprons. It can also reinforce a butt joint as well as be hidden. A woodworker usually needs a pocket hole jig, which provides two guide holes, to help drill the holes at an angle.  After that’s done, a special type of screw called a pocket screw is needed to join the wood together. Simply, screw the pocket screws into the holes and you’re all set.

The Miter Joint

Photo courtesy of Trent’s Mini Design Blog

The miter joint is two pieces of wood cut at 45 degrees and are joined together to create a 90 degree angle. It’s a very simple joint to create, but is also very weak. A woodworker can use glue to hold the two pieces together, but many people either add splines or hammer nails in to reinforce it.

 The Biscuit Joint

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The biscuit joint is a wood joint held together by small circular wooden discs that are used to keep boards together. A woodworker takes one board and while measuring the thickness of the board, marks areas where the biscuits will fit. Once the holes are cut, the biscuits are inserted and glued in. After that, the boards slide together. Biscuit joints are very good for casework and also used when working with plywood. It’s quick, easy and can easily be hidden from view.

The Box Joint

Photo Courtesy of Start Woodworking

The box joint (otherwise known as a finger joint) is a wood joint in which rectangular cuts are made into to two pieces of wood, complimenting one another. A jig should be created with a notch and a pin. This helps make accurate cuts.

Photo courtesy of Wood Working Talk

This means that the rectangles should go into the matching holes and vice versa. It should look something like this.

Photo Courtesy of Instructables

The Dado and Rabbet Joint

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The Dado Joint is when two pieces of wood are joined by an interlocking groove. This means one of the wood pieces has a channel or trench across the grain, allowing the other piece to fit in snugly. The rabbet joint is the same as a dado joint, except it’s on the end of the board. When the cuts are made, simply glue or nail them in place.

Photo Courtesy of Basic Carpentry Techniques

The Tongue and Groove Joint

Photo Courtesy of Start Woodworking

The tongue and groove joint is used to keep two pieces of wood together while keeping the pieces aligned. The other benefit is it allows the wood to naturally expand and contract. The “tongue” is the protruding part of the wood and is fitted to the groove to create a tight fit, while also being aesthetically pleasing. Once the tongue and groove are cut, glue them together and it’s a joint that should hold together for a long time.

The Mortise and Tenon Joint

Photo Courtesy of Craftsman Space

The mortise and tenon joint has been used for centuries and is one of the strongest joints in wood working. The mortise and tenon joint is simply a protruding piece of wood that fits into a socket. The protruding piece is the tenon and the mortise is the socket piece. This joint is used in table and cabinet making as well as door or window framing.