When you are working with wood, sometimes you may need to join together two pieces or boards end-to-end. In terms of achieving a secure fit and a strong hold, this is one of the most difficult things you could do.
That said, there are actually many different ways to join wood end-to-end, and which method you use really depends on how fast you need the job done and how secure you need the hold to be. There are a few ways to join wood end-to-end, and today we are going to take a closer look at all of the best methods.
6 Ways to Join Wood End-to-End
Let’s take a closer look at all of the best ways to join wood end-to-end for the best results. Which of these methods you use will depend on a variety of factors.
1. Using Straps or Connectors
One of the easiest ways to join two pieces of wood together in this way is by using wood straps. This is a good method to use when you aren’t really concerned about how it’s going to look, as the appearance here isn’t going to be great. However, it is a very easy and practical method to use for areas where aesthetics aren’t of great importance.
Here, you are going to cut small pieces of plywood as wide as the boards that you need to connect. Generally speaking, you want to use ¼” plywood. To make a joint, you are going to glue and screw that strap to one end of one of the boards. Make sure that you use screws that are long enough to securely hold the strap in place, and make sure to use at least four screws on each end.
Once the strap has been glued and screwed to one of the boards, you are then going to press the other one close to the first, and repeat the process for the other board. Always make sure that you allow the glue to fully dry before handling the workpiece. If the joint needs to be extra strong, you can then repeat this process from the opposite side.
2. Using Pocket Hole Screws
If you are in a hurry and you need a fast and easy way to join together the ends of boards, using the pocket-hole screws is another option you have to choose from. Here, you are going to use a drill combined with a pocket-hole jig to drill small and angled holes through one of the workpieces and right into the other one.
In other words, in one of the workpieces, you are going to drill a hole through the top at a 45-degree angle, which then penetrates right into the middle of the end of the other board. Keep in mind that if you are using this method, you need to use screws that are at least 1” long, and the workpiece needs to be at least 1” in thickness.
If the workpieces are 1.5” or thicker, then you want to use screws that are at least 2-5/8” in length. Now, this is admittedly not the most secure way to join two pieces of wood together in this manner, but it is fast and easy. Just don’t expect it to bear very much weight or handle much punishment.
3. Using Splines
Yet another good way to join two pieces of wood end-to-end is by using what are known as splines. Splines do form a fairly strong connection, and they also resist flexing. In other words, here you are going to insert a spline or a small piece of wood into the center of both ends of the board, and then use high-quality wood glue to hold everything together.
So, if you have boards that are 1” thick, the grooves or kerfs that you cut out of the ends should be about 1/3” thick, and they should be located in the center of the stock, therefore leaving 1/3” on either side of the kerf or groove. You are going to use your table saw to cut these grooves out as needed.
You will then have to make the spline. Here, you can take plywood or solid wooden stock, and then cut a rectangular piece that matches the width and combined depth of both grooves that were cut previously. Next, you are going to insert that spline into the grooves and add a good bit of wood glue to the mix.
You want to let that wood glue dry before handling the joint. If you want some added security, you can always use screws to secure the ends of the wood into the spline. There is also a way to make a hidden spline joint, although this is much harder to do, so it’s not something that we are going to recommend for today.
4. Using Dowels
If you want to create a secure end-to-end connection, another thing that you can do is use dowels. Dowels are little circular rods or shanks of wood that are inserted into both ends of the board. Here, you need to mark the locations on the ends of the boards that you plan on inserting dowels into.
For the best results, we recommend inserting three dowels. Here, you are going to cut out dowels, usually ¼” in width, and long enough so that they can penetrate at least 1.5” into both ends of the boards. In other words, you want those dowels to be roughly 3” in length.
Then, using a doweling jig, you are going to drill holes into both ends of the wood, which is where the dowels will be inserted. Make sure to drill the holes 1/16” deeper than half the length of the dowels.
You’ll need just a bit of extra space for the glue. Next, you are going to use high-quality wood glue, spread it all over the dowels, and insert all three dowels into the end of one of the boards, into those holes you drilled before.
You will then attach the other board accordingly. Once this is done, clamp the workpiece to a flat surface and allow the glue to dry. This method is easy, fast, cost-effective, and does result in a fairly secure joint as well.
5. Using Bevel-Cut Scarf Joints
The next method of joining two boards end-to-end is by using what is known as a bevel-cut scarf joint. The point here is to increase the gluing surface of both ends of the boards. The more glue you can put on there, the more secure the hold will be.
Moreover, the sharper the angle that you bevel into the ends of the boards, the more secure it will be. Here, you are going to make a bevel cut of 45 degrees on the ends of the boards, with a 45-degree angle allowing for 40% more gluing surface. So, here you are going to take a table saw or circular saw and set the blade to a 45-degree angle to make that bevel cut. Remember, you need to cut one board on one side, and then the mating or matching side on the opposite end of the board.
Both of those 45-degree angle cuts need to be facing the same direction so that the ends of the boards match up. Once the cuts have been made, use wood glue to secure the pieces together, and clamp everything to a flat surface until the glue is dry. For added hold, you can always add some pocket-hole screws to the mix.
6. Using Half-Lap Joints
The next best way of joining together two pieces of wood end-to-end is by making half-lap joints. Half-lap joints are very good looking, they are very strong, and the joints are easy to produce using a table saw or router table. The reason why a half-lap joint is so good is that it creates face-to-face gluing surfaces for additional hold, and the more overlap there is, the stronger the bond will be.
Here, you are going to start by making markings on the wood. First, you are going to put both boards down on a flat surface, side-by-side, with the ends flush and the face side of one board facing up, and the face side of the other facing down.
Just mark an X on both boards, as this is where the dado cut will be made, and yes, this process will be made easier if you have a table saw with a dado blade set, as you won’t be cutting all the way through the boards, just halfway, at most.
You want a dado blade set that is 5/8” wide, and you want to set the depth to cut through half of the thickness of the boards being cut. You will now use your table saw to cut a dado out of both boards to create those two gluing faces. Once the cuts have been made, you can then attach both pieces together using wood glue. If you still need added hold, you can always insert screws vertically through that half-lap joint.
Are Connectors the Best Way to Join 2x4s and 2x6s End-to-End?
Connectors or wooden straps are great ways to join together both of these pieces of wood. They do allow for a very secure and solid connection. If properly done, this connection is strong and permanent.
With that being said, it results in the wood faces not being flush anymore, so this kind of joint cannot be used if you need to have the wooden boards sitting flush against the surface, because that connector is going to be in the way. That said, if this is not an issue, and if you don’t care about appearances, then yes, this is a good option to consider.
Mistakes to Avoid, Tips & Tricks
Let’s quickly go over some tips and tricks to help make the process of joining wood end-to-end as easy and successful as possible:
- Always use high-quality wood glue when gluing wood. Things like superglue just won’t do the trick.
- Whenever sawing wood, always make sure to wear proper eye protection.
- The longer and heavier the boards being connected are, the stronger and more secure that connection needs to be.
Summary
Now that you know what all of the best ways to join wood end-to-end are, you can choose which method works best for your purposes.
You might also want to learn how to join wood at a 90-degree angle and how to join boards lengthwise.