With all the methods that are out there to use, most craftsman will use a dovetail joint to make very sturdy solid wood furniture. As a consumer, when shopping for furniture, you want to buy the strongest most durable piece of furniture for your money - which is why the inclusion of dovetail joints is a must have. This article will show you why dovetail joints in your wood coffee table is crucial and what different types of dovetails there are.
When crafting a coffee table, the table itself is only as good as the joints used to make it. Are you sitting there wondering what a dovetail joint is? Dovetail joints have been around for thousands of years and are a strong well crafted type of wooden joint that can hold your table together and withstand years of use. There are many elements for a table to be well put together and strongly made and a dovetail joint is one of those essential elements along with a good quality strong hardwood.
The problem with most coffee tables is the ones that are made with drawers because in today's market they are mass produced and the joints are not held together as well. The drawers are usually the first to go because they will tend to be put together with tacks and glue, and have weight stored in them while being pushed and pulled on a constant basis. Drawers are made for storage not as something decorative so make sure that the drawers are constructed using dovetailed joint for better durability.
If you are still unsure of what a dovetail joint is, just put your hands together and interlock your fingers and that is what a dovetail joint looks like. Basically dovetail joints are made from a series of interlocking wooden "tails and pins" (triangular in shape) that give the joint more strength as they won't slip apart - even then when the tails and pins are interlocked together they are then bonded with a strong wood glue to hold it further. So when looking at this as a whole, dovetail joints will make up some of the best quality items of furniture out on the market today.
Dovetail joints are cut by machine in most cases, but there are a few that are still cut by hand. This joint comes in a number of different varieties, too. Some are better for drawers and some work better for other situations. A shallower slope is used on the dovetail if the wood being joined is hardwood, while a sharper slope is used to add strength to softwoods. "Through" dovetails show the end grain of both pieces of wood, while half blind dovetail joints are used when the end grain shouldn't be seen on the front of the table. Drawer fronts are often attached with half blind dovetails. Sliding dovetails are a type used when the joint happens before the end of one board - drawers may also use this kind of dovetail construction when the front needs to protrude past the side of the drawer. The full blind dovetail keeps you from seeing the joint entirely, and is very hard to identify.
A joiner who knows what he or she is doing will be able to choose the right kinds of dovetails to make a wood coffee table that will hold up over the years. Of course, these joints are sometimes hidden, making it harder to tell if they've been used. Want to know if your new coffee table with storage uses dovetails? Check out the corners of the drawers for the telltale shapes that give away its quality. You'll want to know you're buying a great piece of furniture, after all, and dovetails are one indicator that the solid wood furniture is up to snuff. Be willing to invest in good, long lasting furniture, and you'll enjoy it for decades to come.
When crafting a coffee table, the table itself is only as good as the joints used to make it. Are you sitting there wondering what a dovetail joint is? Dovetail joints have been around for thousands of years and are a strong well crafted type of wooden joint that can hold your table together and withstand years of use. There are many elements for a table to be well put together and strongly made and a dovetail joint is one of those essential elements along with a good quality strong hardwood.
The problem with most coffee tables is the ones that are made with drawers because in today's market they are mass produced and the joints are not held together as well. The drawers are usually the first to go because they will tend to be put together with tacks and glue, and have weight stored in them while being pushed and pulled on a constant basis. Drawers are made for storage not as something decorative so make sure that the drawers are constructed using dovetailed joint for better durability.
If you are still unsure of what a dovetail joint is, just put your hands together and interlock your fingers and that is what a dovetail joint looks like. Basically dovetail joints are made from a series of interlocking wooden "tails and pins" (triangular in shape) that give the joint more strength as they won't slip apart - even then when the tails and pins are interlocked together they are then bonded with a strong wood glue to hold it further. So when looking at this as a whole, dovetail joints will make up some of the best quality items of furniture out on the market today.
Dovetail joints are cut by machine in most cases, but there are a few that are still cut by hand. This joint comes in a number of different varieties, too. Some are better for drawers and some work better for other situations. A shallower slope is used on the dovetail if the wood being joined is hardwood, while a sharper slope is used to add strength to softwoods. "Through" dovetails show the end grain of both pieces of wood, while half blind dovetail joints are used when the end grain shouldn't be seen on the front of the table. Drawer fronts are often attached with half blind dovetails. Sliding dovetails are a type used when the joint happens before the end of one board - drawers may also use this kind of dovetail construction when the front needs to protrude past the side of the drawer. The full blind dovetail keeps you from seeing the joint entirely, and is very hard to identify.
A joiner who knows what he or she is doing will be able to choose the right kinds of dovetails to make a wood coffee table that will hold up over the years. Of course, these joints are sometimes hidden, making it harder to tell if they've been used. Want to know if your new coffee table with storage uses dovetails? Check out the corners of the drawers for the telltale shapes that give away its quality. You'll want to know you're buying a great piece of furniture, after all, and dovetails are one indicator that the solid wood furniture is up to snuff. Be willing to invest in good, long lasting furniture, and you'll enjoy it for decades to come.
About the Author:
Kevin Philips hopes you found this article on wood coffee table interesting. Click the link to see examples of solid wood wood coffee table and you will also find a blog giving more information.
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