What Are Dowel Joints?

Invisible Dowel Joints - Information and Preparation

• Use invisible dowel joints to join pieces of wood together at their edges to make wider panels. You can also use them to join wood at 90 degrees, and to repair broken legs, such as Queen Anne legs. Choose dowel rods that are up to half as wide as the pieces of wood you are joining. Mark points along the two surfaces to be joined, about 6 inches apart. If the work is less than 6 inches wide, mark one point in the center or two points, about 1 inch from each edge.

Invisible Dowel Joints - Construction

• Carefully drill perpendicular holes at the marked points. You can use a special doweling jig to help with this part. Drill to a depth equal to half the length of your chosen dowel rods. Then, the combined length of the spaces drilled out will equal the length of your dowel rods. Squeeze wood glue into all the holes. Insert the dowels into one piece and tap them slightly with a hammer to drive them home. Then insert the other ends of the dowels into the holes on the other piece. Clamp the work, wipe off excess glue and leave to dry.

Visible Dowel Joints - Information and Preparation

• Use visible dowel joints to join wood at 90 degrees, such as fixing arms onto chairs. The piece on its edge can be at one end of the face piece, or elsewhere. Choose dowels that are a different wood color for a pleasing, contrasting effect. Make sure the pieces to be joined are perfectly straight so that they fit together well. With new wood, this should not be a problem. Plane or sand old wood if necessary. Clamp the pieces together, using a thin scrap of wood behind the jaws of the clamp so that you don't mark your work. Mark the drill points with a pencil.

Visible Dowel Joints - Construction

• Drill holes through both pieces of wood, each to a depth equal to half the length of your chosen dowel rods. Squeeze glue into the holes. Insert the dowels and tap them slightly with a hammer to drive them home. Glue will squelch out. Take extra care cleaning the glue off, as any that you leave will dry hard and be visible. Leave to dry before removing the clamp.