Woodworking Terms

Here are some general woodworking terms and basic board terminology commonly used in woodworking.

Grain: The direction, pattern, and texture of wood fibres within a piece of wood.

Joinery: The process of joining two or more pieces of wood together using various techniques such as dovetail joints, mortise and tenon joints, and dowel joints.

Mitre joint: A joint created by joining two pieces of wood at a 45-degree angle to form a corner.

Dado joint:  A woodworking joint where you create a rectangular groove or channel across the grain of a workpiece to accommodate another piece of wood.

Rabbet: A groove or notch cut into the edge of a board to allow another board to fit into it.

Chamfer: Bevelling or cutting the edge of a board at an angle, often for decorative purposes.

Dowel: A cylindrical wooden rod used to strengthen joints or align pieces of wood.

Router: A power tool used for shaping and cutting designs, grooves, and edges in wood.

Sanding: The process of smoothing a surface using sandpaper or a sanding machine.

Varnish: A protective finish applied to wood to enhance its appearance and durability.

Stain: A colouring agent applied to wood to alter its natural colour and enhance its grain pattern.

Dowel
Varnish
Sanding

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