North Carolina Discount Furniture
Joinery
Joinery is the method used to join two pieces of wood together. The construction of this joint will determine how durable the furniture will be. Some common types of joints are:
A butt joint is the most basic type of joint, in which the square end of one piece of wood is attached to the side of another at a right angle. The pieces may be glued or screwed. Butt joints are the simplest type, but are not the most durable joints.
The dowel joint is basically the same as the butt joint except dowels are used to hold the two pieces of wood together instead of screws and nails. Dowel holes are drilled completely through one piece and deeply into the other. Dowels are glued firmly into position to provide strength.
A dovetail joint involves a series of pins cut to extend from the end of one board to interlock at a right angle with a series of tails cut into the end of the other board. The pins and tails generally have a trapezoid shape to prevent slipping. Once glued, this joint is permanent, and requires no mechanical fasteners. Dovetails are noted for their strength and are commonly used to join the sides of a drawer to the front.
Finger joints are very similar to the dovetail joint but do not have trapezoid-shaped pins and tails. Instead, the pins are cut at right angles to create square or rectangle shapes.
A lap joint, or halving joint, involves joining two pieces of wood together by overlapping them. Usually the wood is cut away to half its original thickness so that upon joining, the original thickness is restored. There are different types of lap joints:
- Cross lap is used for joints between mutually crossing pieces, usually cut at right angles.
- A dovetail lap joint forms a t-shaped joint which resists withdrawal of the stem from the cross-piece.
- A mitered halving joint shows a miter on the face of the finished work.
A miter joint is made by beveling each of two parts to be joined, usually at a 45° angle, to form a corner at 90°. Molding is commonly seen using mitered joints at corners.
A mortise is a cavity cut into a piece of wood designed to receive a tenon, a projection on the end of another piece of wood. When joined, this is known as a mortise and tenon joint. The joint may be glued, pinned, or wedged to lock it in place.
A rabbet joint involves a recess or groove cut into the edge of one piece of wood that receives a corresponding protrusion on another piece of wood. A common example of how a rabbet joint is used is the back of a cheaply made cabinet or shelf that “slides” into the grooves of the sides of the piece.
Similar to a rabbet joint but much stronger, the tongue and groove joint involves a slot (groove) cut all along one edge, and a thin, deep ridge (tongue) on the opposite edge. The tongue projects a little less than the groove is deep. The two pieces are fit snugly together for a tight joint. Good-quality flooring is commonly assembled using the tongue and groove method.
Joints that are reinforced at the right angle with another piece or block of wood fastened into the corner are commonly found in quality furniture to produce a long lasting durable joint.
