May 8, 2025
If you’ve ever admired a handcrafted table, marveled at a perfectly aligned cabinet door, or run your fingers over a seamless corner on a wooden box, chances are you were appreciating one thing above all else: the joinery.
Joinery is the soul of fine woodworking. It’s how individual pieces of wood come together to form something strong, beautiful, and lasting. More than nails, more than glue, it’s the time-tested artistry that separates mass-manufactured furniture from heirloom craftsmanship.
Best for: Table legs, chair frames, doors, beds
The mortise and tenon joint is one of the oldest and strongest in woodworking, dating back thousands of years. It involves inserting a tenon (a tongue-like projection) into a mortise (a square or rectangular cavity). It’s often glued, pinned, or wedged for extra strength.
Why it matters:
Where we use it:
Think of any point where one piece of wood meets another at a right angle and needs to last forever. Dining table aprons and bed frames are perfect examples.
Best for: Drawers, boxes, fine cabinetry
Dovetail joints are known for their fan-like interlocking “tails and pins.” They’re mechanically strong even without glue and highly decorative when exposed.
Why it matters:
Where we use it:
In any box-shaped structure that will see repeated use, like a drawer or keepsake box. At Shaking Quakie, our dovetail drawers are a client favorite—and often the first thing people notice.
Best for: Boxes, carcasses, shelving units
Finger joints use rectangular “fingers” cut into two joining pieces. When glued and clamped, they offer excellent surface area for adhesion.
Why it matters:
Where we use it:
We love finger joints in utility boxes, kitchen organizers, and contemporary designs where pattern and precision matter.
Best for: Frames, structural supports, furniture with exposed joinery
Lap joints involve overlapping two boards so that they sit flush with each other. They can be half-lapped (each piece is notched halfway) or full-lapped.
Why it matters:
Where we use it:
In built-ins or grid-style shelving units where consistent spacing and strength are key.
Best for: Doors, frames, exposed joints in minimalist furniture
A bridle joint is like a mortise and tenon, but the mortise is open on three sides, making it easier to cut and align. It’s a strong joint that’s often left exposed as a design feature.
Why it matters:
Where we use it:
We use bridle joints in places where aesthetics and function meet—like modern headboards, exposed structural frames, and minimalist benches.
Best for: Joining boards edge-to-edge (tabletops, panels)
Biscuit joinery uses a small, football-shaped piece of compressed wood (“biscuit”) inserted into slots cut into each board edge. When glue is applied, the biscuit swells to create alignment and holding strength.
Why it matters:
Where we use it:
We use biscuits when creating wide panels from multiple boards (think large table tops, shelving, or cabinet sides).
Best for: Frames, cabinetry, contemporary builds with tight tolerances
A floating tenon joint uses a removable tenon inserted into precisely machined mortises on both joining pieces—achieved with a special tool like the Festool Domino.
Why it matters:
Where we use it:
Floating tenons give us speed and strength. We often use them in cabinetry, table bases, and modern furniture where exact alignment is critical.
Traditional joinery is beautiful—but sometimes, fasteners make sense.
We still use:
The difference? We use them intentionally, not as shortcuts.
In a time when so much furniture is held together with staples and mystery glue, good joinery stands out.
It tells a story of craftsmanship. It lets the wood breathe and move naturally. And it creates pieces that don’t just look good—but stand the test of time.
When a client opens one of our dovetail drawers or runs their hand along a flush mortise-and-tenon joint, they feel the difference. There’s something deeply satisfying about knowing your furniture wasn’t just built—it was built right.
You don’t have to be a woodworker to appreciate joinery. You just have to notice. The next time you open a drawer, lean on a table, or admire a bookshelf—look closer. The joints are where the real work happens.
At Shaking Quakie Woodworks, we celebrate the joint as both function and form. Whether hidden or highlighted, traditional or modern, every joint we make tells part of the story.
We’re always happy to show you how your furniture comes together—from the inside out.
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