Timber Jointing and Fabrication Techniques
The joints that hold timber together, from the simple butt joint to the strong dovetail, plus fabrication methods like lamination and adhesives and how flat-pack furniture is assembled.
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Holding it all together
A wooden product is only as good as the way its parts are joined. Some joints are quick but weak; others are strong and beautiful; and some are made to be taken apart again. This module covers the main timber joints, the fabrication methods that hold wood together, and how flat-pack furniture is assembled.
Four key joints
Learn what each joint is and how strong it is:
Make a mortise and tenon
Put the steps of making a mortise and tenon joint in order.
- Mark out the joint carefully on both pieces of wood
- Cut the mortise, a rectangular hole, in one piece
- Cut the tenon, a matching peg, on the other piece
- Test that the tenon fits snugly into the mortise
- Apply glue and clamp the joint until it sets
Match each joint
- Butt joint
- Mitre joint
- Mortise and tenon
- Dovetail
- Two pieces fixed end to end; simple but weak
- A neat 45 degree corner, as in a picture frame
- A peg fits a hole; a strong joint for frames
- Interlocking pins and tails; very strong, used for drawers
The strongest corner
Which joint is the strongest and most attractive for the corners of a drawer?
- A dovetail joint
- A butt joint
- A mitre joint
- A knock-down fitting
Permanent or knock-down?
Some ways of joining wood are meant to be permanent; others let you take the product apart.
Which are adhesives?
Select the TWO adhesives used to fabricate timber products.
- PVA wood glue
- Contact adhesive
- A mortise and tenon
- A dovetail
Building it up
Beyond joints, timber is fabricated in other ways. Lamination glues thin layers together to make a strong or curved shape, and veneering glues a thin, attractive layer over a cheaper base. Pieces are then fixed with screws (strong and removable), nails (quick) or adhesives such as PVA. For flat-pack products, knock-down fittings let the buyer assemble it at home.
Joints in words
The simplest but weakest timber joint is the _____ joint, where two pieces meet end to end. A very strong, interlocking joint used for drawers is the _____. A neat 45 degree corner joint is a _____ joint. Gluing thin layers of wood together is called _____. Flat-pack furniture is held together with knock-down _____.
Can it come apart?
Some joins are permanent and some can be undone. Tap the TWO methods that let a product be TAKEN APART again.
- Knock-down cam-lock fittings
- A glued mortise and tenon joint
- Hinges that can be unscrewed
- A glued dovetail joint
- Pieces bonded with PVA wood glue
Knock-down fittings
What are knock-down fittings mainly used for?
- Assembling flat-pack furniture that can be taken apart
- Making a permanent, glued joint
- Cutting timber to size
- Sanding a surface smooth
Choose the right method
Pick the best joining or fixing method for each situation.
- A cabinet maker wants a very strong, attractive joint for the corners of a drawer. Which is best?
- A flat-pack wardrobe must be assembled at home with a screwdriver and taken apart if the owner moves. What is best?
- A joiner wants to glue two flat pieces of pine edge to edge. Which is most suitable?
Design a jewellery box
A designer is making a small wooden jewellery box with a lid that opens. Recommend suitable joining and fabrication methods, and justify your choices. Write in clear, full sentences.
- Recommend a joint for the strong corners of the box and say why
- Explain how you would fix the lid so it can open
- Explain how you would fix the pieces together permanently
- Explain why you chose each method for this product