Construction techniques

The housing joint is a useful structural joint, particularly in cabinets and shelving units. It’s sometimes also called a dado joint, and is effectively a trench that’s cut across the grain of the timber, into which the end of another component is inserted. The difference between a groove and a housing is that a groove always runs along the grain, whereas a housing runs across it.

A well-made housing is a strong and reliable joint that’s simple to make. There are several variations that have evolved to suit different situations. The simplest is the through housing, where the joint runs the full width of the workpiece, and is clearly visible at both ends. A more refi ned version is the stopped housing, where the front edge of the joint is concealed, resulting in a neater appearance. Where maximum strength is needed, the dovetail housing is employed. This is the most demanding of the housings to make, as accuracy is critical to its strength.

Follow these steps to make a stopped housing joint. Before you begin, make sure that your cutter and shelf thickness match. The easiest way to do this is to make a trial cut in a piece of scrap wood, then to thickness your shelf until it’s a snug fi t. Alternatively, you may have to make several passes with your cutter to achieve the desired width.