# For biscuit reinforced butt joint, how much does glue at butt contribute to strength



## Dayv (Jun 10, 2015)

Let me explain. I am attaching the end of a piece of 1X4 (piece A) to the edge (long grain) of another 1X4 (piece B) (so it will look like a T). I will do so with a biscuit joint but I have already stained and varnished piece A so I do not expect the wood glue on the butt joint to do much unless I try sanding off the varnish, which I'd rather not bother with. I don't know if it is possible to sand down the stain since that penetrates a bit and not sure anyway if stain prevents wood glue from doing its thing. So I am just wondering if the glued biscuit part of the joint contributes most of the strength of this type of joint anyway, so that not getting a bond between the end of piece A to the edge of piece B will be largely inconsequential. This is not a joint that I expect will ever have much force on it.


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## ChrisK (Dec 18, 2009)

Matthias Wandel's did some testing with pocket holes you may find interesting. he may have done some biscuit testing as well.

http://woodgears.ca/joint_strength/pockethole.html

The glue on the biscuits does a lot of the work. Imagine the area the glue acts on.

For butt part of the joint I fell the glue helps a lot. However, the joint has to fit up tightly for the glue to work. The stain is not a problem the varnish should be sanded off so the glue can get into the wood fibers.

Epoxy works well when you need extra strength.


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## SirIrb (Jan 12, 2015)

I have [hangs head in shame] built a shaker table with bizkuts. I attached the legs to the apron this way. I hate that table. The biscuits are not great for this kind of joinery. I would suggest buying a reasonable dowel jig and using dowels for this project.

I followed up the shaker table build with two more [raises head in triumph] and I used dowels for it. Next time will be M&T.

I am a biscuit hater. I would sell my PC biscuit joiner to anyone for a good price.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

What's it for?

In general, biscuits are a poor joinery choice for this application. If there is any stresses on the wood the joint will fail, and fail pretty quickly. I'm with SirIrb on the biscuits. I'm not a biscuit hater, but like pocket screws, I hate to see guys using them thinking they have much strength. The only time I use them anymore is a large panel glue up with not-so-straight boards.

To me, the best choice is a good old fashioned tenon. In your case here it would be a floating tenon. 
All you need do is create a 1" mortise in both pieces and make a tenon to fit. If you pin a mortise and tenon joint, it is almost indestructable.

If you don't have the tools/expertise for tenons, then my second choice would be dowels. You can buy a dowelling jig fairly cheaply and it really works quite well.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

The glue will contribute most the strength Id say. I wouldn't use just a biscuit if its ever to be handled. Unless I wanted it to break.

Dowels


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

As a general rule, biscuits are great for alignment, but won't do much for joint strength. It also matters how that T you mention will bear stress. If the T is just that and all stress will be bearning down on the veritical piece, then probably ok. If it's an upside down T and stress is on the horizontal piece then you will have a fialure. Long grain to endgrain with just a biscuit will not provide much. Again, if no stress then no big deal.

For example, face frames for cabinets put together as you state with FF biscuits would be fine. There is no stess and they are attached to the base cabinets in a strong LG = LG situation.

So the answer is "DEPENDS"

cheers.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Biscuits are actually perfect for reinforcing end grain butt joints. I use them frequently for web frames in dressers and nightstands. However glue is an integral part of the joint, both on the end grain and in the biscuit slot. Wood needs to be raw when applying glue, because any stain or finish will prevent the glue from bonding properly.

If the application requires more strength, such as a seat frame for a Morris Chair, I will use half lap joints.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

+1 on the half lap joints if you need strength.


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

Biscuits add little strength. More for keeping surfaces level during glue up.

Glue is doing all the work and is often stronger than the wood being used.


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## WoodNSawdust (Mar 7, 2015)

If you don't want to sand the finish off, you could try epoxy. The correct answer depends on the bigger picture and what the T joint is being used for.


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## Daruc (Apr 20, 2015)

Put in dowels at an angle, can't come apart.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

If you are making a "T"; biscuits, pocket screws, and dowels are all terrible choices. Those are for frames or carcasses. The strongest joint for a "T" would be a half lap.


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## Dayv (Jun 10, 2015)

Thanks everyone for the helpful input. I believe for my application that the stresses will be minimal. I called it a T-joint only to indicate the geometry at the particular location where the joint is. It's a bit difficult for me, with my limited carpentry vocabulary, to describe it exactly but its basically the back side of a vertically oriented rectangular box (functionally, it's a multi-shelved storage space for me to put my dirty shoes in after I have been working in the yard - it will stay on my patio). Here is a drawing (and please excuse my inability to draw straight lines freehand). Every piece of wood in the picture is a 1X4.


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## mcg1990 (Nov 11, 2014)

I'd use the biscuits, glue in the slot, clamp it well overnight and call it done. Would I do that for a client? No. But this is for you, and like you said, it's not going to experience much or any stress. Just make sure it's dead square during the glue up and you should be fine. With that many rails I can't see it racking much from side to side.

If you tell us what tools you own we can suggest some other joints that would be better, but I would say biscuits are fine for this application (just).


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## PhillipRCW (Dec 9, 2014)

Just buy a domino lol.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Biscuits will be fine for that. Use a waterproof or moisture resistant glue like Titebond 2 or 3. I've built a number of light duty shelves from biscuits, the oldest are going on 20 years and are still good as the day they were built. And as MCG said, this isn't fine furniture so use what you have and be done with it.


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

> ... biscuits, pocket screws, and dowels are all terrible choices. - Rick M.





> Biscuits will be fine for that.- Rick M.


I love it! Not only does the mention of "biscuits" stir up controversy, but we even argue with ourselves!!

Rick-no offense. I also find biscuits both useless and useful-depends on the situation


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> I love it! Not only does the mention of "biscuits" stir up controversy, but we even argue with ourselves!!
> 
> Rick-no offense. I also find biscuits both useless and useful-depends on the situation
> 
> - jerryminer


My posts were consistent but I can try to make it even simpler if that will help. Cantilevered structures need stronger joinery because they are weak in shear strength. The OP originally said he was building a "T", biscuits, dowels and screws would not be strong enough in that situation. Then he amended and made it clear he is building a frame. A frame has structures on four or more sides that add to the rigidity and overall strength of the whole. Frames are very strong in shear strength and do not need the strongest possible joinery.

The "controversy" over biscuits and pocket screws is mostly artificial. Everything has a time and place where it functions well. If screws and biscuits weren't useful, they would not have stuck around. But you get youtube people who want to capitalize on the "controversy" to increase their ad revenue so they make videos showing that screws are weak in shear strength, as if we didn't already know that. Oddly people latch on to these videos and quote them as a legitimate source when the results are irrelevant and not useful. Imagine if engineers, metalworkers, and carpenters always used the strongest possible joinery in every situation. Building a skyscraper would take a lifetime and cost more than our defense budget; and good luck being able to afford house.


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## Buddio (Oct 11, 2014)

I agree with Rick M. Because it may be exposed to the outside elements, using something like Gorilla glue and biscuits will get the job done, making sure the glue is smeared well on the end grain won't hurt either. In this case I would definitely clamp up and leave clamped overnight. Then let sit for at least a total of 24 hours before using. I have had good success using Gorilla glue in exterior applications. It is messy but does an excellent job for outdoor exposure.


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