wood joints

Below is information about a number of different wood joints, as well as past examination questions where you have to complete the wood joint by adding to the sketch. The examination regularly asks you to be able to sketch a wood joint.

The joining of wood goes back before records began and while many are still produced using traditional hand methods, the increasing use of power tools and specialist machinery mean that they can be cut more accurately and quickly than even a craftsman can produce, although a hand cut / joined piece of furniture is still desirable especially in bespoke products.

Wood joints generally fall into one of two categories: Frame joints and Box joints.

Common wood joints

Each of the more common wood joints are shown below with a brief description.

Mortise & Tenon joint

A popular wood joint for furniture. Very strong. Requires a Mortiser machine (or a pillar drill) and a chisel to cut the mortise. A tenon is cut using a Tenon saw, which cuts a straight edge.

Half Lap Joint

Two overlapping pieces of timber, where half of the thickness of the material has been removed so that when put together they form the full thickness. It is used in frame construction and is an elegant wood joint.

Tee Housing Joint

Sometimes known as a Tee Halving joint, because it looks like a capital T.

Very strong joint used for constructing frames / furniture. It can be difficult to make as it requires high accuracy.

Dowel joint

A popular and simple wood joint for joining two pieces of timber together. It gives more strength than a Butt joint and you commonly see this in Flat Pack Furniture (IKEA / Index Living). It requires a drill to create the holes in both pieces of wood with dowels (small round pieces of wood all the same size - a standard component) inserted. If glue is applied to the dowel then this makes the joint even stronger.

corner halving

Sometimes known as a cross lap joint

A popular wood joint for furniture. Half of the thickness of the material is removed like a half lap joint, but this is always on a corner. It can look more decorative than a dowel joint.

Housed Wood Joint

Sometimes known as a Dado joint.

A popular wood joint for furniture, and in particular shelving units. It is very strong. To make it requires a Mortiser machine and chisels to cut / remove the mortise or channel for the wood to sit in place.

Comb / finger Joint

Sometimes known as a Box joint

A popular, decorative wood joint for furniture. Very strong and used to join on a corner / the ends of pieces of wood. Can be cut with a Tenon / Back saw (for the straight cuts down) and a Coping Saw (to cut out the horizontal piece) leaving the gap for the other 'finger' to fit.

Dovetail joint

A popular, decorative wood joint for furniture. It is very strong and used to join on a corner / the ends of pieces of wood. A dovetail is much harder to cut than a Comb / Finger / Box joint. Can be cut with a Dovetail saw (for the straight cuts down) and a Coping Saw (to cut out the dovetail shaped piece) and a Dovetail Chisel leaving the gap for the other 'dovetail' to fit. Pieces of furniture with dovetail joints tend to be more expensive!

Through Joint

Through joint

Tongue and groove

to be added

biscuit joint

to be added

Mitre Joint

45 degree angled corner joint. to be added

Past examination Questions on Wood Joints (Paper 3)

All of the images below have appeared on past Paper 3 examination papers. Click on the images to download a printable version of the question so that you can use it to practise sketching your response. This question is usually worth 3 marks so don't spend too long answering it. It just needs to be a clear sketch and ideally added in fine line pen.

wood joints

Wood joints generally fall into one of two categories: Frame joints and Box joints.

Common wood joints

Mortise & Tenon joint

Half Lap Joint

Tee Housing Joint

Dowel joint

corner halving

Housed Wood Joint

Comb / finger Joint

Dovetail joint

Through Joint

Tongue and groove

biscuit joint

Mitre Joint

Past examination Questions on Wood Joints (Paper 3)

Tee halving joint

stopped housing joint

through housing joint

biscuit joint

block joint

finger (comb) joint

Additional information of support

Tools & equipment