Joinery
20 joinery. Common wood joints from butt to dovetail, with relative strength, difficulty, the tools they need and where they are used. Click a name for its full record.
20 of 20 joinery
| Joint | Strength | Difficulty | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butt joint | low | beginner | Boxes, shelving, framing |
| Mitre joint | low | easy | Picture frames, trim, boxes |
| Edge joint | high | easy | Tabletops, panels, cutting boards |
| Half-lap joint | medium | easy | Frames, grids, cross braces |
| Dado | medium | easy | Bookcase shelves, cabinet dividers |
| Rabbet | medium | easy | Cabinet backs, box corners, door frames |
| Groove | medium | easy | Drawer bottoms, frame-and-panel |
| Tongue and groove | medium | intermediate | Flooring, panelling, cabinet backs |
| Dowel joint | medium | easy | Frames, carcases, chairs |
| Biscuit joint | medium | easy | Panels, face frames, mitres |
| Pocket screw joint | medium | beginner | Face frames, cabinets, quick furniture |
| Loose tenon (Domino, floating tenon) | high | intermediate | Frames, tables, chairs |
| Mortise and tenon | high | intermediate | Tables, chairs, doors, frames |
| Bridle joint | high | intermediate | Frames, leg-to-rail corners |
| Through dovetail | high | advanced | Boxes, drawer backs, carcases |
| Half-blind dovetail | high | advanced | Drawer fronts |
| Box (finger) joint | high | intermediate | Boxes, drawers |
| Spline joint | medium | easy | Mitred boxes and frames |
| Scarf joint | medium | intermediate | Lengthening boards, boat building, mouldings |
| Sliding dovetail | high | advanced | Shelves, drawer dividers, leg-to-post |
Updated 2 Oct 2026