Joinery

How to choose your exterior joinery?

In woodworking, joinery involves assembling wood, engineered wood or synthetic substitutes (such as laminate) to produce more complex items. There are woodworking assemblies that use mechanical fasteners, clamps or adhesives, and others that use only wooden components (such as dowels or mortise-and-tenon joints).

The strength, flexibility, resistance, appearance and other characteristics of wood joints depend on the materials used and the purpose of the joint. As a result, different joining techniques are used to meet different requirements. Although some concepts overlap, the joinery used to build a house may differ from that used to make cabinets or furniture.

Types of wood joinery

Wood joining is one of the most fundamental concepts in woodworking. Without the ability to join two pieces of wood securely together, all joinery pieces would be sculptures carved from a single piece of wood. Because of the many types of wood joining, a joiner can choose from a number of different joints, depending on the project. You'll be well on your way to becoming a highly accomplished carpenter if you master these carpentry concepts.

Basic butt joint

Butt-joining is one of the most basic types of wood joining. When one piece of wood is butted to another (usually at right angles or square to the other board), it is fastened with mechanical fasteners. Construction sites often use this type of joint for wall framing. Find out when to use a butt joint and when to choose another type of wood joint.

Mitered butt joint

Mitered butt joints are similar to basic butt joints, except that they are joined at an angle rather than square. A mitered joint does not reveal the end grain and is therefore more aesthetically pleasing. However, mitered joints are not very strong. 

Half-length joint

In a half-length joint, half of each of the two boards is removed so that they meet flush. Obviously, this type of wood joint can weaken the strength of two adjacent boards, but it's also a stronger connection than butt joints. Despite its drawbacks, this type of joint is quite desirable for certain projects.

Tongue-and-groove joint

Fasteners can be used to join two planks square to each other along a long edge. Tongue-and-groove joints, however, are stronger and offer more contiguous surfaces, which is particularly useful if you plan to glue them together.

Mortise and tenon joint

Mortise and tenon joints are a classic woodworking method. Since the earliest days of woodworking, these joints have been among the strongest and most elegant methods of joining wood. Learn how to create beautiful mortise and tenon joints.

Cookie assembly

To hold the boards in place along the edges (like a tongue-and-groove joint), slots can be cut in the boards and beech wood wafers (called cookies) used. Modern joiners use this type of assembly to create table tops, relying on the glue and swelling of the beech cookie to secure the boards. For reliable results, learn to cut regular grooves.

Pocket seal

Pocket jointing is a type of joinery that involves cutting a slot between two boards and pre-drilling a pilot hole at an angle. A commercial jig is generally used for this pre-drilling, as it needs to be very precise. Hollow joints are ideal for cabinet front frames and other applications that don't require great strength. Find out how to create hollow joints in your woodworking projects.

Dado

A groove is nothing more than a square groove on a board into which another board can be inserted. Often used to join plywood, for example when building a cabinet, this type of joint is similar to the tongue-and-groove joint. Find out when to use a groove and how to cut it correctly.

Rebate

Rabbeting is another wood joint commonly used in cabinetmaking. Essentially, it's a groove cut along the edge of a board. Cabinets and similar assemblies often use rabbets to fasten the back to the sides, considerably strengthening the assembly. Using rabbets is easy when you know how to cut them cleanly.

Through dovetail joint

Of all the wood joining methods, the through dovetail is perhaps the most revered. A classic dovetail is beautiful, strong and adds a touch of class to any piece. Through dovetails can be created by hand cutting or by machining using a template. Find out how to create a quality dovetail assembly.

Half-blind dovetail

When a dovetail joint is the best option, both edges of the dovetail should not be visible. You don't want to see the end of the through dovetail on a drawer front, for example. Semi-blind dovetails are the best choice for this type of assembly. Using this type of joinery will help you achieve a clean, strong and beautiful semi-blind dovetail joint.