Do you know a lap joint from a bridle joint?

A recent project that came through the Highwood Furniture workshop prompted the use of a range of different joinery techniques, and therefore invited the opportunity of using this weeks blog to reflect on these and why they are used.

For those who enjoy and appreciate, but perhaps don't make furniture, the difference can sometimes be mystifying. Good joinery is beautiful, and we can all appreciate the feel of a piece of furniture that we have confidence in. Good design brings together aesthetic beauty with strength and longevity.

For this particular project, the brief was for a table to complement the beautiful new kitchen the customer had recently fitted. The key feature was a large oval quartz table top in the same material as the kitchen countertop. Because of the weight and dimensions of this table top it was even more important than ever that balance and strength were at the forefront of the design. Other features selected were clean lines, and the timber of choice was oak to bring classic understated quality into the equation.

When choosing the type of joinery we will use for a piece of furniture, a number of factors are taking into account. Strength and durability and the way that joints will allow the timber to move as it adapts to its environment are key when considering the initial suitability of a type of join. The type of timber used for the piece may have an impact on what will be most suitable, as will the angles and pressures that will be required by the design. Where forces that may impact on structural integrity are minimal, there are times when joins are chosen for their simplicity and therefore cost and efficiency. It might also be that joinery is chosen for and is an integral part of the aesthetics of a piece, for example in a display box that Highwood furniture created for an artists materials hand cut dovetail joints were important to the high-quality intricate detail requested.

Choices made will differ depending on what is being made, table, cabinet, bed, etc. In the table described above the decision was made to use a lap joint where the timber crossed at the base of the structure, a bridle joint for each of the angled joins, and slip joints where the structure for the table top is supported by the main frame. These are illustrated in the picture alongside this blog.

We invite you to take a look at the furniture you come across in your life, it is truly fascinating to look at details and qualities of cabinetry in relation to its quality, structural integrity, and ultimately longevity.