WOODWORKING: MASTER THE HALF-LAP JOINT

Joints are a crucial part of woodwork. Our new series of ‘how-to’ articles will explore a variety of traditional woodjoining methods, all aimed at making your own furniture. Techniques for making half-laps all remain the same, and with that in mind, we ki

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, humankind has been joining pieces of wood together. From sailing ships and great cathedrals, to doors, windows, wainscoting and the many forms of fine furniture, wood has been joined together to create both the utilitarian and the magnificent. Every woodworker employs joints, either cut by hand or by machine. These joints often form a visible part of the beauty and class of an item, while other joints are completely hidden. Woodworking joints should be strong and work with the seasonal movement of the wood to allow the piece to last for generations. The strength can be derived from glue, from the specific shape of the joint, or from fasteners such as screws or nails, or a combination of any of these.

When parts of the joint are shaped to interlock, the joint has both mechanical strength and adhesive strength. Mortise and tenon joints, dovetail joints and lap joints are examples where both mechanical- and glue strength is excellent. The larger the surface area within the joint that is glued, the stronger the joint will be.

First up in our traditional joint series are half-lap joints, variations of which include the cross half-lap, T half-lap, corner half-lap, mitred corner half-lap and dovetail halflap. This article will specifically walk you through the process of making a T half-lap joint, but remember that the principles and techniques of creating any lapped joints are exactly the same.