Joinery
The ways timber and other materials are cut and fitted together, from traditional mortise-and-tenon to modern engineered connections.
- Bridle joint
A joint in which a tenon on one member fits into an open-ended slot cut through the end of the other, similar to a mortise and tenon left open on one side.
- Dado
A flat-bottomed groove cut across the grain of one board to receive the end of another, common in shelving and casework; also the lower panelled part of an interior wall.
- Dovetail
A timber joint made from flared, trapezoidal tails that fit between matching pins. The interlocking shape resists separation in one direction, making it useful in cabinetry and some timber connections.
- Finger joint
A joint in which matching comb-like profiles cut into the ends of two timbers interlock and are glued, forming a longer continuous piece.
- Lap joint
A joint in which two members overlap. In a half-lap, material is removed from each so the joined faces sit flush.
- Mortise and tenon
A joint in which a projecting tongue, the tenon, fits into a corresponding socket, the mortise. It is widely used to connect timber members in frames, doors, and furniture.
- Scarf joint
A joint that connects two timbers end to end by overlapping long bevelled, stepped, or hooked surfaces to form a longer continuous member.