12 Common Wood Joint Types

12
Common
Wood Joint
Types
Any project made of wood, from the frame of a house to a small
cabinet, will soon run into a challenge—how do you connect or join two
pieces of wood to form a larger structure? Here is a look at 12 different
types of wood joints and when to use each type to get the best result
for your project.
1. Butt joint
A butt joint is the most basic type of wood joint. Two different wood
pieces simply sit side by side, with the butt of one workpiece adjacent
to the butt of another workpiece. Unlike other wood joints, the two
pieces are not shaped or carved to lock into each other,
and mechanical fasteners are typically used to hold them together.
In construction projects, butt joints may be found around baseboards

and window trims, and they are an easy option when speed of
construction matters more than looks.
Tip: While the basic butt joint is a workhorse and not a show pony,
countersinking nails or screws can make it more attractive.
2. Miter joint
“Miter” is another word for an angled cut—and the saw that makes the
cut. In the term “miter joint,” it refers to two 45-degree angled cuts
where the pieces of wood adjoin to create a 90-degree angle. While the
most common miter joints are made of 45-degree angles, miter butt
joints can be cut at any range of angles. For example, if you want to
build an octagonal-shaped structure, then you would cut each miter to
22.5 degrees.
Miter joints are commonly used at the visible, outside corners of door,
window, and picture frames. They are stronger than butt joints because
there is a greater surface area where the two wood pieces meet, but
they still require both glue and mechanical fasteners to stay in place.
Tip: Be prepared to make small adjustments to the angle of your miter

because most cuts for door and window frames are not precisely 45
degrees due to slight variations in drywall or other construction
materials.
3. Coped joint
A coped joint is a variation on the miter joint that lays underneath the
miter joint. It addresses the reality that the corners of many rooms do
not in fact meet at 90-degree angles. Beneath the exterior (visible)
miter joint, the two pieces of wood that make up a coped joint are
carved like puzzle pieces to form an irregular but custom fit.
4. Tongue-and-groove joint
These joints consist of a tongue, or a ridge, on one piece of wood and a
groove, or channel, on the other. The tongue slides into the groove to
create a strong joint.
These joints are commonly used for elements that lie flat on a surface,
such as hardwood floors. Most contractors don’t have to worry about
creating them as flooring materials typically arrive with the joints
already cut, and the only challenge is sliding the elements together.
Tip: If you are cutting your own tongue-and-groove joint, the tongue
should be one-third of the thickness of the wood. For example, if a
board is ¾” thick, the tongue should be ¼”.
5. Mortise joint
Mortise joints are also known as mortise-and-tenon joints. While they
look like butt joints from the outside, a protruding element is carved into
one piece (the tenon) which slides into a corresponding recess (the
mortise) in the other piece. With the increased gluing surface area
where the two wood pieces are joined, it is a significantly stronger—and
more elegant—alternative to a butt joint.
Tip: Always cut the mortise first. It is easier to trim the tenon to fit the
mortise than it is to approach the task the other way around.
6. Half-Lap joint
With a half-lap joint, the ends of the two adjoining pieces of wood are
reduced to half their thickness at the point where they overlap. There
are stronger joints, but a half-lap has an aesthetic appeal over butt
joints because they maintain a uniform thickness with the rest of the
structure.
Half-lap joints are commonly used in framing and also in furniture

construction, due to their great advantage: the frame remains uniform
in thickness while other joints often result in a greater (an inconsistent)
thickness as compared to the rest of the structure. Thin pieces of wood
can be weakened significantly when they lose half of their thickness, so
half-lap joints are best suited to thicker pieces of wood.
7. Dado joint
The dado joint gets its name from the Italian word for a die or plinth. It
resembles a groove—a trench cut into one piece of wood parallel to the
grain that another piece of wood slides into. But unlike a groove, a
dado runs perpendicular to the grain.
Dado joints are most commonly used in shelving systems like cabinets
and bookshelves. The dado cut should go no deeper than 1/3 into the
wood. If you are using a piece that is ¾” thick, keep the cut to ¼”.
8. Rabbet joint
Another joint with an unusual name (in this case from a Middle French
word meaning “to force down”), a rabbet joint is related to the dado joint
and consists of an open-sided channel along the end of a piece of
wood. It often matches a corresponding cut in the piece it is paired with
to create a double rabbet joint.
Rabbet joints are an aesthetically appealing joint, though not especially

strong and are therefore best used in constructing the back of cabinet
cases and other jobs where great strength isn’t a requirement. Because
of its larger surface area, a double rabbet is the better choice if you
need a more rigid joint.
9. Pocket-hole joint
Pocket-hole joints rely on fasteners, namely pocket-hole screws. They
are effectively a butt joint with a small pocket-hole drilled into one of the
pieces of wood. The two pieces are then attached with a self-tapping
pocket-hole screw.
Pocket-hole joints are strong and easy to make. Their downside is that
they are less visually appealing than other joints making them better for
temporary uses, or places where the joint will not be visible.
Tip: The screws will hold better in face or edge grain, so avoid
screwing into end grain.
10. Dowel joint
Because dowel joints are more difficult to create than pocket hole
joints, they are less popular now than they once were. To make a
dowel joint, drill holes where the two pieces meet, place a small amount
of glue in them, insert the dowels, and then clamp the pieces together.
Dowel joints serve the same purpose as pocket-hole joints but are
more aesthetically appealing, and wooden dowels offer greater strength
than nails or screws.
Tip: Expandable fluted dowels grow by about 1/32” when they come in
contact with moisture in glue which can help ensure a tightly fitted joint.
11. Biscuit Joint
This unusual joint is formed by carving two curved grooves into two
pieces of wood, and then joining them with a wood biscuit that is glued
into place.
Biscuit joints are typically used with sheet goods like plywood and
particle board but can also be used with solid panels of different types
of wood. The advantage of this joint is that it is entirely invisible creating
a perfectly flush surface.
Tip: You should cut the slots into the same side of each piece of wood
that you’re joining—if you are going to use the end grain for one side of
the joint, the other side should be end grain too, for example—to
assure that they are perfectly flush.
Tip: It’s important that the glue inside the biscuit joint is evenly
distributed for the best fit. Use an acid brush (also called a glue brush)
to assure a uniform coating.
12. Dovetail Joint
A dovetail joint is of the most distinctive joints and is recognized as a
sign of expert craftsmanship. They are made of a series of interlocking
pins and tails in trapezoidal shapes. They were long covered by
veneers, but today they are typically left visible in appreciation of the
skill involved in creating them.
Their dominant characteristic is their resistance to being pulled apart so

they are most commonly used in constructing drawers. A box joint,
which lacks the trapezoidal shape, is a dovetail variation that is easier
to construct.
Tip: Key to successfully creating dovetail joints is accurately marking

your baselines before starting. A dull gauge will tear the fibers of the
wood, so make sure yours is sharp

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12

In construction projects, butt joints may be found around baseboards

Tip: Be prepared to make small adjustments to the angle of your miter

Half-lap joints are commonly used in framing and also in furniture

Rabbet joints are an aesthetically appealing joint, though not especially

Their dominant characteristic is their resistance to being pulled apart so

Tip: Key to successfully creating dovetail joints is accurately marking

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