Wood Joinery Types
Butt Joint – One board’s end meets another’s face; simple, but relies on glue and fasteners for strength.
Miter Joint – Two ends cut at 45° to form a clean corner with no end grain showing; common on frames and boxes.
Rabbet Joint – A step cut along one board’s edge receives the other; stronger than a butt joint and common on case corners and cabinet backs.
Dado Joint – A groove cut across one board holds the end of another; the go-to for sturdy shelves.
Tongue & Groove – A tongue on one board fits a groove in the next; aligns boards edge to edge for panels and floors.
Half-Lap Joint – Half the thickness is removed from each board so they overlap flush; simple and strong.
Dowel Joint – Wooden pins glued into matching holes align and reinforce the joint.
Biscuit Joint – Football-shaped wafers glued into matching slots; keeps boards aligned during glue-ups.
Mortise & Tenon – A tenon on one piece fits snugly into a mortise (pocket) in the other; the time-tested joint for legs, aprons, and chairs.
Dovetail Joint – Interlocking, flared tails and pins that resist pulling apart; the hallmark of fine drawers.
Box Joint – Square interlocking fingers with lots of glue surface; strong and graphic.
Breadboard End – A cross-grain cap pinned over tenons on the end of a tabletop; keeps the top flat while letting it expand and contract.
