Common Types of Woodworking Joints

Holding a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and an MBA from the University of California, Davis, Craig William Taylor currently serves as a group leader and senior engineer for Genentech, Inc. When he’s not busy with work, Craig William Taylor enjoys a variety of hobbies, including woodworking.

1. Common Types of Woodworking Joints By Craig William Taylor

2. Introduction Holding a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and an MBA from the University of California, Davis, Craig William Taylor currently serves as a group leader and senior engineer for Genentech, Inc. When he’s not busy with work, Craig William Taylor enjoys a variety of hobbies, including woodworking. There are a variety of ways woodworkers can join two pieces of wood together depending on the amount of strength a project needs. Following are a few of the more commonly used joints.

3. Joints - Butt joint : One of the easier woodworking joints, the butt joint simply involves gluing two ends of wood together. Since there is nothing holding the joint together other than the glue, butt joints are the weakest type of joint and can often be broken with your bare hands. - Half lap joint : This type involves removing a bit of material from each wood piece and fitting the two pieces together. One of the most commonly used joints, the half lap joint is ideal for making certain types of furniture because it allows the wood to be joined in the middle.

4. Conclusion - Dovetail joint : Great for tensile strength, this type of joint relies on a bit of glue and workmanship to be held in place. This joint is created by making multiple, precise notches at the ends of two boards so that they fit together snugly and securely. - Dado joint : The dado joint is a rather simple joint that involves cutting a groove in one board that is perpendicular to the grain. This joint is used when you need to join the end of a board to the middle of another board; it is commonly used for attaching shelves to bookcases.