# Use of dovetails in outdoor furniture



## sparkchaser (Mar 23, 2014)

Has anyone use this type of joinery? If so, did you glue the joint or not? I am thinking not to glue the joint, because this might stop wood movement and result in wood spliting.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

sparkchaser said:


> Has anyone use this type of joinery? If so, did you glue the joint or not? I am thinking not to glue the joint, because this might stop wood movement and result in wood spliting.


I always glue all joints in exterior and interior work. Eventually all joints will fail, especially in an outdoor environment and they will just have to be repaired.
Dovetails would be the best choice of joint for exterior work, especially on boats because when the glue fails, you still have the mechanical joint holding it together. Also consider that using dovetails has the grain orientation of the joints all running the same direction if using some kind of box configuration and so all will expand and contract the same. Cross grain joints have a greater chance of failure and splitting so in outdoor stuff, I would use a mortise and tenon joint for ease of repair


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

my personal opinion for best exterior joints is "pinned" mortise and tenon. but i also think that they may need different joints for different applications.


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