1. Butt Joint
The Butt Joint is an easy woodworking joint. It joins two pieces of wood by merely butting them together. The butt joint is the simplest joint to make. It is also the weakest wood joint if you use some reinforcement. It depends upon glue alone to hold it together. Because of the orientations of the pieces, you have an end-grain to long-grain gluing surface. The resulting wood joint is inherently weak. Glue provides little lateral strength. You can break this woodworking joint with your bare hands.
Related Video: Butt Joint Table-Top Frame
2. Biscuit Joint
A biscuit joint is nothing more than a reinforced Butt joint. The biscuit is an oval-shaped piece. Typically, a biscuit is made of dried and compressed wood, such as beech. You install it in matching mortises in both pieces of the wood joint. Most people use a biscuit joiner to make the mortises. Accuracy is less crucial for mortises. You design the biscuit joint to allow flexibility in glue-up.
However, you must locate the mortise at the correct distance from the face of the woodworking joint in both pieces. The width of the mortise is not critical. Since the biscuit is thin, you can move the alignment around.
I’m not too fond of this joint. It needs to be in perfect alignment. In addition, you spend your money on the Biscuit Joiner and a lot of time cutting the mortises in each piece of stock.
3. Bridle Joint
A bridle joint is a woodworking joint similar to a mortise and tenon. You cut a tenon on the end of one piece and a mortise into the other to accept it. You cut the tenon and the mortise to the full width of the tenon piece. This is the distinguishing feature of this joint. Therefore, there are only three gluing surfaces.
The corner bridle joint joins two pieces at their ends, forming a corner. You use this joint to house a rail in uprights, such as legs. It provides good strength in compression and is moderately resistant to racking. A mechanical fastener or pin is required. You use corner bridles to join frame pieces when the frame is shaped. After assembly, you can remove material from the joined pieces without sacrificing joint integrity. A variation of the bridle joint is the T-bridle, which joins the end of one piece to the middle of another.
Related video: Finishing a Bridle Joint on a Bandsaw
4. Dado (joinery)
A dado is a slot cut into the surface of a piece of wood. When viewed in cross-section, a dado has three sides. You cut a dado perpendicular to the grain. It differs from a groove, which you cut parallel to the grain.
A through dado passes through the surface, and its ends are open. A stopped dado has one or both ends stop before the dado meets the edge of the surface. You use dadoes to attach shelves to a bookcase carcass. You rabbet the shelves to fit the dado, which makes the rabbet and dado joint. It is good to use for woodworking joints.
Related videos: Making Dadoes on a Miter Saw and Table Saw Dado Cuts Create Lock Joints
5. Dovetail Wood Joint
The dovetail joint, or simply dovetail, is a strong woodworking joint. It is great for tensile strength (resistance from pulling apart). You use the dovetail joint to connect the sides of a drawer to the front. A series of pins cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of tails cut into the end of another. The pins and tails have a trapezoidal shape. Once glued, the joint is permanent and requires no mechanical fasteners. Some people use a dovetailed dado because of its tensile strength.
Related videos: Dovetail Joinery: The Parts of a Dovetail, How to Make Dovetail Joints and Fit Them Accurately, Cutting Dovetails on a Bandsaw
6. Finger Joint
A finger joint or box joint is one of the popular woodworking joints. You use it to join two pieces of wood at right angles. It is much like a dovetail joint except that the pins are square and not angled.
The joint relies on glue to hold it together. It does not have the mechanical strength of a dovetail. The woodworking joint is relatively easy to make if you know how to use a table saw or a wood router with a simple jig.
7. Lap Wood Joint
A half-lap joint is a frequently used woodworking joint. In a half-lap joint, you remove material from each piece so that the resulting joint is the thickness of the thickest piece. Most frequently, the pieces are of the same thickness in half-lap joints. You remove half the thickness of each. This joint is good for making workshop storage items.
8. Mortise and Tenon Woodworking Joints
One of the strongest woodworking joints is the mortise and tenon joint. This joint is simple and strong. Woodworkers have used it for many years. Normally you use it to join two pieces of wood at 90 degrees. You insert one end of a piece into a hole in the other piece. You call the end of the first piece a tenon. You call the hole in the second piece a mortise.
Normally, you use glue to make this joint. You may pin or wedge it to lock it in place. A quality mortise and tenon joint gives perfect registration of the two pieces. This is important when building heirloom pieces. A mortise is a cavity cut into a piece of wood to receive a tenon. A tenon is a projection on the end of a piece of wood to insert into a mortise.
Usually, the tenon is taller than it is wide. Generally, the size of the mortise and tenon relates to the thickness of the pieces. It is good practice to make the tenon about 1/3 the thickness of the piece.
Related videos: Rules for Mortise and Tenon Joinery, Making Mortises on the Drill Press, Cutting Mortises on a Router Table, Fitting Mortise and Tenon Joints
9. Pocket-Hole Joinery
One of the more popular woodworking joints is the Pocket-Hole Joint. It is nothing more than a Butt joint with Pocket Hole Screws. The pocket holes require two drilling operations. The first is to counterbore the pocket hole, which takes the screw head contained by the piece. The second step is to drill a pilot hole whose centerline is the same as the pocket hole. The pilot hole allows the screw to pass through one piece and into the adjoining piece. You use two different-sized drill bits for this operation. Alternatively, you may find special stepped bits to perform this operation in a single pass.
Most people use a pocket-hole jig, such as the Kreg Jig. This jig allows you to drill pocket holes at the correct angle and depth. It would be best if you used glue to strengthen the joint. Of course, the Kreg Jig costs from $40 to $140. That is a lot of money when you can make the mortise & tenon jigs for a fraction of that price. Moreover, the mortise and tenon joint is much stronger.
Related video: Pocket Hole Joinery: Beyond Face Frames
10. Rabbet Woodworking Joints
A rabbet is a recess cut into the edge of a piece of wood. When viewed in cross-section, a rabbet is two-sided and open to the end of the surface. An example of a rabbet is in the back edge of a cabinet. The rabbet allows the back to fit flush with the sides. Another example is inserting a glass pane using a rabbet around the edge of the frame.
Related videos: Cutting Rabbets on a Table Saw and Created Rabbets on a Jointer
11. Tongue and Groove Woodworking Joints
One of the more popular woodworking joints is the edge-to-edge joint, called tongue and groove. One piece has a slot (groove) cut all along one edge. The other piece has a tongue cut on the mating edge.
As a result, two or more pieces fit together closely. You can use it to make wide tabletops out of solid wood. Some other uses are wood flooring, parquetry, paneling, etc. You can cut the tongue and groove in several ways using a router table.
Expanisve tests done over the years show that that the Mortise and Tenon joint is superior to other joints.
This article was contributed by Jim McCleary.
Just joined a joinery class abd looking for tips that would help
This guy: ” Of course, the Kreg Jig costs from $40 up to $140. To me, that is a lot of money”
Also, this guy: “here’s how to make a joint on a table saw or a router table”
A Kreg jig cost is a toss in the bucket compared to the majority of tools in any workshop. Woodpeckers rulers are almost 2x that amount.
do you have a jigsaw puzzle joint
thanks
veronica
Hi Veronica. You can cut those on a scroll saw based on the pattern that you use. There are many different ones available on the internet.
Paul
Woodworkers Guild of America
I am a beginner and I would like see articles on house furniture makings or timber house structural framing details.
Hi Guy!
Thank you for your feedback. I have forwarded your comment to the proper department. We value your opinion and it will help with the development of our online streaming community. We will continue to listen and work hard for your complete satisfaction.
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Terri
Woodworkers Guild of America Video Membership
I have to say I am really disappointed in this review. Tt is not a review of the pros and cons of various joints and when to use them. Instead it is a opinion paper by one wood worker. When the comment “Why bother” is included – well… that kind of says it all. Why bother (for biscuit joints)? – Even though I am a newbie and really don’t know much about which joint to choose, biscuit joints are faster, they are more forgiving with positioning and they work well to joint to pieces of wood edge to edge. It would be really nice to have an actual review of the different joints, when to use which ones, and tricks for getting them correct.
Hello Chris,
Thank you for your feedback. I have forwarded your comment to the proper department. We value your opinion, and it will help with the development of our online streaming community. We will continue to listen and work hard for your complete satisfaction.
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Danesha
Wood Workers Guild of America Video Membership
I’m new to woodworking and I need something to show me the different kinds of joints, and other kinds of Routing bits, and what they are used for. Anything you could reccomend would be great.
Hello Jeffery,
Thanks for your question. Regarding joinery, here’s a great place to start:
https://www.wwgoa.com/article/woodworking-joints-which-ones-should-you-use/
If you search for ‘router bits’ using the search box on WWGOA.com, you’ll find a lot of content that you can peruse on those. Another good place to do some research is on this router bit site: https://www.mlcswoodworking.com/. They provide a long list of router applications that you can click on and see the bits that are associated with each one.
Hope this helps.
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Lindsay
Woodworkers Guild of America Video Membership
Are you missing dowel joinery in this article? I would like to see some editorial on this type as well.
Hello Erwin,
Than you for contacting us. Here is what I heard back:
Thanks for your feedback. We’ll keep dowel joinery in mind for some future coverage with our content.
Cheers,
Paul
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Joan
Woodworkers Guild of America Video Membership
What kind of joints can be used for iphone docking stations.
Hello Paul!
That’s a great question and we’d love to help!
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I’m about to conduct my research form my timber HSC and this article was very helpful, though I am sure there are lots of other joins that could be listed. Good Job!
I am building a desk (hopefully heirloom) for my son using solid acacia butcher block. I am making it L-shape and was initially going to do a reinforced butt joint as I am a novice. I don’t have the tools or know how to do the more intricate joints. Is there anything I can do to make sure this joint will be strong enough to last for generations?
Hello. I would think about using countertop installation hardware such as this: https://amzn.to/32xlSIg
Thanks
Paul-Woodworkers Guild of America
hi I need help with my homework please help me what joints do I use for a bathroom cabinet xx
Hi Jana. Cabinet construction typically consists of dados, biscuits, rabbets, and pocket hole joinery.
You’ll find tons of content to help you prepare for this project here: https://www.wwgoa.com/content/how-to-build-cabinets/
Thanks
Paul-Woodworkers Guild of America
Hi Hayley. Did you have a specific question you needed help with?
Thanks
Jean-Woodworkers Guild of America Video Membership
this is cool my only issue is I wanted pros and cons for each of the joints, was kind of helpful (might be a little outdated). thank you for your help.
Thanks for helping me learn more about different woodworking joints. I didn’t know that a bridle joint gives good strength in compression and is resistant to racking. I’m kind of interested to learn of situations where this joint should be ideally used, like for smaller wood pieces.
I am building a planter box that will need to hold 8 cubic feet of soil. Will the Mortise and Tenon joint hold up to that (the soil would weigh about 850 pounds)?
Hi Jack. There are lots of variable here, but if you mill everything properly and get a good glue bond, I would think that it would hold.
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
Joints are joints and each generally speaking has an appropriate place in the woodworking industry and craft, with respect to time and budget available for the task. I therefore think some of the descriptions ought to be rewritten without the editor’s bias. Especially with regard to the extensively used biscuit joint. The editor would be well minded to appreciate the strength a biscuit joint leaves in the material around it through, depending on material thickness, not cutting out too much material in the weaker outer edges. There is a valid place in the industry and craft for the biscuit joint and we should bother.
Have watched a woodworking channel on TV here inn PHP, and they show a man standing on a pocket-hole joint made with the KREG jig. The joint did not break, crack or fail. I will pay for and take the KREG any time over ‘home-made’ jigs of this type,.
what are the classification of timber joints?
Hi Zacharia. Here is an article that provides an overview of many popular woodworking joints:
https://www.wwgoa.com/article/woodworking-joints-which-ones-should-you-use/
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
I am putting an gold cedar chest back together. At each corner then pieces join with a self locking routed joint. Now nails or glue was used when the chest was built. I have never seen this joint before. Any idea when and where such a joint was used?
best joint to make a bench ?
What is the best joint to use when building a boardroom table?
I made a chair utilizing a half lap joint on the chair rails and front legs and used 3/8 doweling through the half lap joint to join the front seat support. Since the stock was 3/4 there was very few options. I used through mortise and tenon on the back seat support where there was more surface area for 3/4 thick tenons. Using 3/4 stock to construct dining chairs forces you to use multiple joinery methods for strength.
I bought a wardrobe that is too big to get up the stairs, i have tried everything door off etc. The only thing I can think of is to release the frame from the doors. The frame has dovetail joints can they be released in any way. I will be supremely grateful for any advice kindest regards, Anne
Hello Anne,
You can try applying some steam to the dovetails. If the piece is old enough and uses hide glue rather than modern woodworking glues it might come apart with steam. If it is a modern piece that does not use hide glue you will have a hard time getting those dovetails apart.
Thanks,
Paul WWGOA Video Membership
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I would like to join a 3/4″ Bamboo Plywood to legs I made using Poplar. I glued two 3/4″ 1×3 together to give me 1 1/2″ x 3 and added two more short pieces at the bottom to create a foot. Actual Measurements are 3 1/2″ wide x 1 1/2″, Base is 3 1/8″ x 3 1/2″, 4 legs 35″ high to match the cross cut sled of my contractor table saw. add the 3/4 bamboo plywood top and I can use this work table/router table, as an Out feed table. I was considering using Dovetails Two Large pins in the legs and the top will be my tail board ? Any Help would be appreciated.
I forgot to mention I have two 3/4″ x 6′ x 6″ boards for side rails for added support, and two sets of blocks, ( scrap ) to use for adding shelves, I had these from cutting the legs to length. 4 – 1 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ x 4″ and 4 – 1 1/2″ x 3″ x 8″
This approach (joining a plywood top to table legs using dovetail joinery should be ok, although I’ve never seen it done before. You will need to lower your side rails by at least 3/4″ to provide room for the top to slide into the pins.
We’d like to see a picture of this when you’re done!
Check this link. It suggests that your conclusions may not be correct. http://www.finewoodworking.com/2009/02/25/joint-strength-test – While mortise and tenon joints have an almost religious following among woodworkers they are not as strong and lap or bridle joints. Mortise and tenons joints fail when the cross-grain side of the joint splits at the depth of the tenon. Lap joints are stronger since they are held by the full width of both pieces.
The FWW analysis makes sense. However, for me, there’s just something very special about a mortise and tenon.
This guide on wood joinery is very helpful and I was glad to see it. Thanx for your publications.
Can dovetail joints be used for anything other than making drawers?
Hi Dave. Yes, there are many applications for dovetail joints. They can be used any time that end grain is joined to end grain. I use commonly dovetails for blanket chests, magazine racks, boxes, etc.
Dovetail joints used strategically Ina timber frame helps lock the frame together
I read that article and if I remember correctly the box joint (not finger joint) exceeded them all in strength.
regards Paul
With all the new style joinery bits now coming out on the market, I would like to see an article involving their use and or practicality.
Otherwise, very good article. Thanks.
With all the new style joinery bits now coming out on the market, I would like to see an article involving their use and or practicality.
Otherwise, very good article. Thanks.