Different Types and Functions of Wood Joints
Plain joint. This joint when properly made and glued is stronger than the wood that surrounds it. The edges to be joined are plain straight and glue is placed on these edges and then clamped until the glue settles. It is used for joining pieces of wood without tenon, groove or spline, and dowel, hence, the name plain.
Tongue and Groove. This is made with one side of the wood having the tongue and the other side having the groove. The groove has to be deeper than the tongue to ensure a close joint. They are commonly used on flooring. When used for top of tables, glue should be applied to ensure a tight joint.
Spline joint. This is made by making a groove on both edges of the joint and a piece of wood on the groove to let the two pieces of wood join together. It is used for joining top of tables.
Butt joint. This is the most common method of joining pieces of wood. In butt joint, woods are fastened by the use of nails, dowels, or corrugated fasteners. Butt joint is used in joining boxes, table legs and others where fineness is not required.
Miter joint. This is made with the use of a miter box to be accurate. It can be made a plain miter joint, glue is used to make it more secured. In a plain miter joint, the two pieces of wood besides being glued together are also fastened by the use of finishing nail. It is common used for picture frames and corners of cabinets where fineness and beauty are needed.
Half-Lap joint. Several types of this joint are commonly used in woodwork and carpentry works such as cross lap, end lap, and corner end lap. They are used in furniture making where two members cross each other, such as partitions in drawers and trays, and in carpentry, in sills and plates of buildings.
Rabbet joint. A rabbet is a recess cut out of the edge of a board. The rabbet is usually cut at right angles to the surface, and may be used in all sorts of woodwork, such as drawers, corners of chests, door and window frames.
Dado and Butt joint. A plain dado is a groove cut across the grain of a piece of stock and extending throughout its entire width. A similar cut in the direction or along the grain of the wood is called a “groove”. When another piece of wood is inserted in a dado cut, it forms a dado and butt joint or house dado joint. Dado joints are used extensively in the legs of step ladders, backs of drawers, ends of bookcases.
Rabbet and Dado joint. This is made by inserting the tongue of a rabbeted piece into a dado cut. The rabbet and dado joint is principally used for corner construction that gives additional strength. It is also used at the corners of boxes, drawer fronts and backs.
Mortise and Tenon joint. This is one in which the rectangular end (the tenon) of one piece fits into a rectangular hole (the mortise) of the same size in the other piece. They are made in a number of different types.
1. Blind mortise and tenon joint is the most common and is used extensively in cabinet making, for joining rails as legs or stiles, and in many constructions as well.
2. Through mortise and tenon joint is similar to the blind, except that the mortise is extended through all the way to the other side of the piece of stock. It is often used in door and window frames.
3. Open mortise and tenon joint is very similar to the through mortise and tenon, except that the mortise is cut at the end of the piece. This joint is used successfully on the corners of frames.
4. Haunched mortise and tenon joint has a haunch on the part of the tenon with a corresponding groove on the mortise. It is used where a project is panelled, or where rail is at the end of a leg as in a table, like a panelled door or panelled doors of cabinets.
Tongue and Groove. This is made with one side of the wood having the tongue and the other side having the groove. The groove has to be deeper than the tongue to ensure a close joint. They are commonly used on flooring. When used for top of tables, glue should be applied to ensure a tight joint.
Spline joint. This is made by making a groove on both edges of the joint and a piece of wood on the groove to let the two pieces of wood join together. It is used for joining top of tables.
Butt joint. This is the most common method of joining pieces of wood. In butt joint, woods are fastened by the use of nails, dowels, or corrugated fasteners. Butt joint is used in joining boxes, table legs and others where fineness is not required.
Miter joint. This is made with the use of a miter box to be accurate. It can be made a plain miter joint, glue is used to make it more secured. In a plain miter joint, the two pieces of wood besides being glued together are also fastened by the use of finishing nail. It is common used for picture frames and corners of cabinets where fineness and beauty are needed.
Half-Lap joint. Several types of this joint are commonly used in woodwork and carpentry works such as cross lap, end lap, and corner end lap. They are used in furniture making where two members cross each other, such as partitions in drawers and trays, and in carpentry, in sills and plates of buildings.
Rabbet joint. A rabbet is a recess cut out of the edge of a board. The rabbet is usually cut at right angles to the surface, and may be used in all sorts of woodwork, such as drawers, corners of chests, door and window frames.
Dado and Butt joint. A plain dado is a groove cut across the grain of a piece of stock and extending throughout its entire width. A similar cut in the direction or along the grain of the wood is called a “groove”. When another piece of wood is inserted in a dado cut, it forms a dado and butt joint or house dado joint. Dado joints are used extensively in the legs of step ladders, backs of drawers, ends of bookcases.
Rabbet and Dado joint. This is made by inserting the tongue of a rabbeted piece into a dado cut. The rabbet and dado joint is principally used for corner construction that gives additional strength. It is also used at the corners of boxes, drawer fronts and backs.
Mortise and Tenon joint. This is one in which the rectangular end (the tenon) of one piece fits into a rectangular hole (the mortise) of the same size in the other piece. They are made in a number of different types.
1. Blind mortise and tenon joint is the most common and is used extensively in cabinet making, for joining rails as legs or stiles, and in many constructions as well.
2. Through mortise and tenon joint is similar to the blind, except that the mortise is extended through all the way to the other side of the piece of stock. It is often used in door and window frames.
3. Open mortise and tenon joint is very similar to the through mortise and tenon, except that the mortise is cut at the end of the piece. This joint is used successfully on the corners of frames.
4. Haunched mortise and tenon joint has a haunch on the part of the tenon with a corresponding groove on the mortise. It is used where a project is panelled, or where rail is at the end of a leg as in a table, like a panelled door or panelled doors of cabinets.