How thick should tenons be?

Tenon thickness: A tenon’s thickness should be one-third the thickness of the stock being mortised. So, if you are joining two pieces of 3/4″material, the tenon should be ¼” thick (1/3 of ¾). If you are joining a 7/8″-thick apron to a 1-1/2″-thick table leg, the tenon should be 1/2″ thick (1/3 of 1-1/2).

What is a through mortise?

A through-mortise – which is where the joint passes entirely through a leg or stile – is rarely structurally necessary in modern furniture thanks to high-strength glues and machine-cut joinery surfaces that maximize the amount of wood-to-wood contact.

Is mortise and tenon strong?

Woodworkers around the world have used it for thousands of years to join pieces of wood, mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at right angles. Mortise and tenon joints are strong and stable joints that can be used in many projects.

What are floating tenons?

Floating tenons, which are sometimes called loose tenons, differ from integral tenons (traditional) in that they incorporate a separate piece of wood for the tenon. The tenon stock is inserted into a mortise to form the ‘tenon side’ of a mortise and tenon joint.

Should you pin tenons?

Although today it’s easy to simply assemble a mortise and tenon with glue, a pinned joint can be just as strong, and may even offer a couple of advantages. For example, a wide tenon assembled with only pins allows wood movement in the joint and may hold up better in the long term.

How long should loose tenons be?

Then you’re ready to glue up and clamp the mortise and tenon joint together. Loose tenon stock (available in 3/8″ and 1/2″ dowel diameters) should be trimmed about 1/8″ shorter than the combined depths of the mortise to allow for glue relief.

How deep should my mortise be?

The mortise depth should be roughly three times the thickness of the tenon. It can be cut in several ways, among them the traditional approach of using sturdy mortising chisels and a mallet to chisel out the hole by hand.