Furniture Design - JOINARIES

Joinery

The art of connecting two or more pieces of material (usually wood, MDF, or particleboard) together.

Traditional Joineries

Rely on wood-to-wood contact, glues, pegs, or wedges.

Mechanical/Modern Joineries

Use screws, dowels, connectors, etc.

Dado Joint

A groove (slot) cut across the grain of one board where another board fits snugly.

Butt Joint

The simplest form of joinery where two pieces of wood are joined by simply butting their ends together, usually glued or nailed.

Mortise and Tenon

A classic joint where a protruding 'tenon' fits into a corresponding hole 'mortise.' Usually used in furniture construction.

Rabbet Joint

A recess cut along the edge of a board, allowing another piece to fit into it.

Finger/Box Joint

A series of square 'fingers' cut into two boards that interlock at right angles.

Dovetail

The tenon expanding in width toward the tip resembling the fan-like form of a dove tail.

Biscuit Joint

Thin, football-shaped wooden 'biscuits' are glued into matching slots cut with a biscuit joiner.

Dowel Joint

Uses cylindrical wooden or metal pins (dowels) inserted into aligned holes on both pieces.

Half Blind Dovetail

A woodworking joint that connects two pieces of wood, most commonly a drawer front to a drawer side, so that the joint is only visible from one side.

Pocket Joint

The tenon expanding in width toward the tip resembling the fan-like form of a dove tail.

Lap Joint

Mating members that are cut in 1/2 in thickness at their ends. Stronger than Butt Joints.

Tongue and Groove

Joints made by fitting a raised area or tongue on the edge of one member into a corresponding groove in the edge of one member.

Half-Lap Joint

Same with full lap joint but both boards are notched.

Full Lap Joint

The overlapped board is notched deep enough to accept the entire thickness of the lapping board.

Spline Joint

A thin strip of material is inserted into the grooved edges of two members. Used for gluing plywood.

Mitered Joint

A joint used in chair framings, panel boards, back rest. The corner junction of 2 pieces of wood cut at similar angles as in the corner of a picture frame.

Bridle Joint

Similar to mortise and tenon joint, but the mortise cut is at the end of the material rather than being an enclosed square hole.

Butterfly Joint

Used to add strength when joining boards together. It is basically a piece of wood that looks like two connecting dovetails.

Drawer Lock Joint

To attach drawer fronts to sides, or in locations where one face of a case must resist being pulled away.

Scarf Joint

A joint between tapered, notched or halved ends of two members.