One measure of woodworking quality is the type of joinery used. If you look closely at the corners of any piece of furniture you will see what I mean. Check how the builder decided to hold the edges together. Strength and style should determine what kind of joint is used. While you want a look that enhances the piece, strength is the most important factor. A weak joint inevitably leads to broken furniture.
Nails, screws or knockdown cam & bolt connectors are common ways of joining wood. But when you look at fine furniture or antiques, you are much more likely to find one of these:
Dado Joint
Mitered Butt Joint
Box Joint
Dovetail Joint
A dovetail joint is a form of box joint with the fingers locked together by diagonal cuts. It is even stronger than a box joint and has been used by carpenters for thousands of years in high quality boxes and drawers. Dovetails often provide clues about the quality and age of furniture pieces. Perfect, hand-cut dovetails are the mark of a master craftsman.
Mortise and Tenon
These classic joinery methods have key things in common: they are simple and strong, they have been used for centuries and they contribute to the beauty of the piece. Of course, we’ve only scratched the surface of joinery; there are dowel & biscuit joints, pocket holes and many other techniques. It’s amazing what you will find when you look closely at woodworking.
