Tongue and groove is a method of fitting similar objects together, edge to edge, used mainly with

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin ...

, in

flooring Flooring is the general term for a permanent covering of a floor, or for the work of installing such a floor covering. Floor covering is a term to generically describe any finish material applied over a floor structure to provide a walking surface ...

parquetry Parquet (; French for "a small compartment") is a geometric mosaic of wood pieces used for decorative effect in flooring. Parquet patterns are often entirely geometrical and angular—squares, triangles, lozenges—but may contain curves. T ...

panelling Panelling (or paneling in the U.S.) is a millwork wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials. Panelling was developed in antiquity to make roo ...

, and similar constructions. Tongue and groove joints allow two flat pieces to be joined strongly together to make a single flat surface. Before plywood became common, tongue and groove boards were also used for sheathing buildings and to construct

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...

formwork Formwork is molds into which concrete or similar materials are either precast or cast-in-place. In the context of concrete construction, the falsework supports the shuttering molds. In specialty applications formwork may be permanently i ...

. A strong joint, the tongue and groove joint is widely used for re-entrant angles. The effect of wood shrinkage is concealed when the joint is beaded or otherwise moulded.Tongue and Groove
WoodworkDetails.com
/ref> In expensive cabinet work, glued dovetail and multiple tongue and groove are used. Each piece has a slot (the ''

groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...

'' or '' dado'') cut all along one edge, and a thin, deep ridge (the ''tongue'') on the opposite edge. The tongue projects a little less than the depth of the groove. Two or more pieces thus fit together closely. The

joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

is not normally glued, as shrinkage would then pull the tongue off. In another assembly method, the pieces are end-matched. This method eliminates the need for

mitre joint A mitre joint (often miter in American English) is a joint made by cutting each of two parts to be joined, across the main surface, usually at a 45° angle, to form a corner, usually to form a 90° angle, though it can comprise any angle greater ...

s, face nailing, and the use of joints on or centres of conventional framing. For many uses, tongue and groove boards have been rendered obsolete by the introduction of plywood and later

composite wood Engineered wood, also called mass timber, composite wood, man-made wood, or manufactured board, includes a range of derivative wood products which are manufactured by binding or fixing the strands, particles, fibres, or veneers or boards of woo ...

boards, but the method is still used in higher-quality boards. Plywood may also be tongued all round to fit it flush into a framed structure, and plywood for sub-floors used in

platform framing Framing, in construction, is the fitting together of pieces to give a structure support and shape. Framing materials are usually wood, engineered wood, or structural steel. The alternative to framed construction is generally called ''mass wal ...

is often supplied with tongue and groove edges. When joining thicker materials, several tongue and groove joints may be used one above the other. "Tongue and groove" is sometimes abbreviated as T&G (for example, on price tags and shelf tags).

Methods

One of the following

woodworking Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinet making (cabinetry and furniture), wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning. History Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first mate ...

tools may be used to produce the tongue and groove: * A

wood shaper A wood shaper, usually just shaper in North America or spindle moulder in the UK and Europe, is a stationary woodworking machine in which a vertically oriented spindle drives cutter heads to mill profiles on wood stock. The wood being fed int ...

(spindle moulder) – a four- or six-head moulder for large quantities * A

circular saw bench A table saw (also known as a sawbench or bench saw in England) is a woodworking tool, consisting of a circular saw blade, mounted on an arbor, that is driven by an electric motor (either directly, by belt, or by gears). The blade protrudes t ...

* Suitable hand planes: a plough plane for the groove and a tongue plane for the tongue, or a combination plane * A spindle router

Tongue-in-groove

Tongue-in-groove is similar to tongue and groove, but instead of the tongue forming part of one of the edges, it is a separate, loose piece that fits between two identically grooved edges. The tongue may or may not be of the same material as the grooved pieces joined by the tongue. For example, plywood flooring is commonly grooved at the edges, and plastic tongues are used to form the joint. From old sailor slang vernacular, a "tonguin" pronounced ~tung-in~, can be referred to repairs, made to a boat of tongue and groove construction. A "tonguin" can also refer to a small raft made from tongue and groove construction methods.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tongue And Groove Joinery Woodworking

Methods

Tongue-in-groove

See also

References