One of the most fundamental concepts of woodwork is joinery, the ability to join two pieces of wood together to create a structure. Depending on the project, this could involve elements carved out of a single piece of timber or varied pieces that might have to be combined together to create aesthetically pleasing and stronger structural fortifications.   

Types of joinery	Usage
Finger Joint	Picture Frames, Drawers, Boxes
Tongue and Groove	Tables, Flooring, Paneling
Dowel	Chairs, Tables, Picture Frames, Mirror Frames
Butt Joint	Building, Farming
Mortise and Tenon	Tables, Beds, and Building Framing
Dovetail	Tables, Drawers, and Boxes
Half-Lap Joint	Building Framing, Tables
Dado Joint	Cabinetry, Drawer Dividers, Shelving
Biscuit Joiner	Cabinetry, Table Tops
Rabbet Joint	Cabinetry, Shelving
Bridle	Benches, Tables & Desks
Pocket	Tables, Chairs & Cabinets

  Finger or Box Joint A series of square notches equal in distance are cut with opposing notches in another piece of material. These look similar to short fingers, which are then laced together. Superior strength is obtained due to the vast surface covered by the joint, supported by glue.  

Tongue and Groove

A popular option for wood panels and floors, the tongue and groove joinery is self-explanatory, where one part acts as a tongue, and the other is a corresponding groove. These lock tightly into each other to form a tough joint.    Dowel A slightly improved version of the butt joint, hidden dowels form the strength of this joint. Holes are drilled into two materials, and then the wooden dowel is placed into them with the help of an adhesive. The dowel bonds with the glue and acts as a fastener, aligning both pieces. This joint is typically used for a variety of furniture, including picture frames and mirrors.   

Butt Joint

Highly basic, the butt joint is where one piece of wood butts in a right angle or square formation on the other board. Mechanical fasteners may be used to secure the joint. Construction sites often use this in wall framing.   

Mortise and Tenon

A classic method, Mortise Tenon has been around since early woodworking and is considered elegant and one of the strongest joining techniques. The tenon, a cut projection at the end of a piece, is fitted within the mortise, a removed section of material, thus creating a solid connection. Large and high-use furniture such as bed frames and table legs, home framing, and barn buildings often invite Mortise Tenon.  

Dovetail

Dovetail joints are self-locking iterations using tapered notches and tenons to lock them together. The design creates a pleasing look, visible on both sides of the joint. Its interlocking qualities bestow increased strength to the structure. Highly popular, the joint is used in general to build furniture, boxes, and drawers that need more than average strength.  

Half-Lap Joint

As the name suggests, the material is equal to half the depth of the other piece—the second section’s corresponding piece is removed to fit the half-lap joint. Thus, the joined materials are flush with one another and placed in the middle of the board to compensate for the weak space caused by the removed material. The joint is best used in furniture building and framing.  

Dado 

A three-sided groove is cut out of a single piece to fit into another one, which invariably forms a right angle. Shelves and drawer dividers commonly utilize this simple joint.   

Biscuit

Similar to a dowel joint, the biscuit joint fits with a hidden protrusion, which is then slid into another material with a slit-sized groove to be glued together. The protrusion is oval in shape and made of compressed wood called a biscuit. Inside, the biscuit swells up due to the moisture in the glue, creating a strong bond.   

Rabbet

Similar to a basic butt joint, the rabbet works with a dado cut at its edge, where the removed material adds provides enough surface area to spread the glue. The rabbet hides the grainy ends of the other adjoining material, giving the entire cabinetry (for instance) a clean look.  

Bridle

An alternative to the lap joint, the bridle has a tenon on one piece and a mortise on the other. This joint is used in several applications and is extremely strong, as each side of the tenon has a gluing surface.    Pocket A slot is cut, and a pilot hole is pre-drilled between two pieces of boards connecting everything with a screw. This is called the pocket joint. It requires high precision and is ideal for face frames of cabinets where minimal strength might be required.