1

THEORY REFERENCE NOTES

COURSE: B.Arch
SEMESTER: SEMESTER – 2
AUTHOR NAME: Ibrahim sir

BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION - 2
CONTENT

S.No CHAPTERS PAGE#

1. PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPERS 01-02
2. CARPENTRY AND JOINERY 03-11

CREDITS

Source: Internet, Civil Content contributors:

engineering textbooks,
architectural textbooks,
JNAFAU library
Editor: Ibrahim sir
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QUESTIONS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS (2013 – 2018)

(Theory)
1. Explain the various forms of joints used in carpentry (Aug – 18)
2. Write short notes on
a. Mitring (Feb – 18, Aug - 17, Sep – 14, Sep - 13)
b. Butt joint (Feb – 18)
c. Rebated joint (Feb – 18)
d. Splayed joint (Feb – 18)
e. Dowelled joint (Feb – 18)
f. Grooving (Aug – 17, Aug – 15, Sep - 14)
g. Notching (Aug – 15)
h. Ploughing (Aug – 15, Sep - 14)
i. Tusk and tenon joint (Mar – 14)
j. Ceiling joists (Mar – 14)
k. Bridging joists (Sep – 14)
l. Veneering (Sep – 14)
3. What are lengthening and bearing joints? Describe the
application and use with the help of neat sketches. (Aug – 15)
4. Distinguish with neat sketches:
a. Grooving
b. rebating
c. Notching
d. Ploughing
e. Dovetail joint
f. Tusk and tenon joint

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(Drawing)
1. Describe and draw plans/elevations/views of the following
joints:
a. Lengthening joint (Feb – 18, Sep - 14)
b. Angle joint (Feb – 18)
c. Bearing joint (Feb – 18, Aug – 15, Sep - 14)
d. Tusk and tenon joints (Aug – 15, Sep - 14)
e. Housing (Aug – 15)
f. Halving (Sep – 14)
g. Dovetailing (Sep – 14)
2. Show the sketches of any six different types of bearing joint
and label the parts. (Aug – 17)

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1. CARPENTRY AND JOINERY

SYLLABUS:
Carpentry and joinery: Terms defined: mitring, ploughing,
grooving, rebating, veneering.

Various forms of joints in wood work, such as lengthening joints,

bearing joints, halving, dovetailing, housing, notching, tusk and
tenon

INTRODUCTION:
The term carpentry includes those forms of construction timber
materials which have to resist stresses because of the loads
coming up on them.
The term joinery is used to indicate the preparation of internal
fittings and finishing of timber.
A carpenter constructs timber works such as doors, windows,
stairs, floor boards, furniture, cupboards etc.
TERMS USED IN JOINTS:
Ploughing: This term is used to indicate a process of making
grooves on a panel of wood using an instrument called plough
plane. Ploughing is used for ornamental purposes.
Grooving: This term is used to indicate a recess formed in timber.
A groove can be made in different shapes like hollow shape, V-
shape, semi-circular shape etc.
Veneering: This term is used to indicate the process of improving
the appearance of a wooden member. It is done by covering the
exposed surface of wooden member with a thin sheet of good-
looking wood.
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TYPES OF JOINTS:
Butt Joint:

A butt joint is made by fixing together the two pieces of timber at

their ends. It is the most basic form of joint and is also simple to
construct. It is a weak type of joint and is only used in basic
woodwork projects.
The fixed ends can be held together with glue, nails, screws or
dowel to greatly improve its strength.
Mitre joint:

A mitre joint is made by fixing together the two pieces of timber

at their ends in an angle. This joint is marginally stronger and has
much better appearance.
The reason why this type of joint is stronger and more appealing
than a butt joint is because the ends are cut at a 45° angle and
then glued together. This creates better surface area for adhesive
to be applied while also concealing the end giving it a nice flush
look. The mitre joint is very common on picture frames.
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Rebate Joint:

A joint is called as rebate joint when one end of the timber has a
groove cut on it. This groove is made to enhance the strength in
order to make it a better joint for carpentry. Wooden Cabinets are
usually made up of rebate joints.
Even with the extra strength the joint is still relatively easy to
construct and its appearance is also more appealing compared to
a regular butt joint. Additional nails, screws and dowel can be
used for increasing the strength of the joint.
Housing Joint or dado joint:

Housing joint is made by cutting a channel across the side of a

piece of timber with a depth of about three quarters. The end of
another piece of timber is then inserted into this channel and
secured.
A housing joint requires the use of woodwork tools or machinery
for an accurate and tight fit. This joint is usually used on the back
of drawers because it is strong and withstands stress from many
directions.

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Halving:

Halving joints are made by cutting a channel across the side of

both the pieces of timber and then interlocking and bonded them
together with adhesives. The halving joint is mainly used in
framework and is moderately difficult to construct.
It is very useful for supporting or increasing the strength of two
pieces of timber instead of just simply nailing or screwing them
together.
Dovetail:

Dovetail joints consists of pins that look like dovetails. These pins
can be interlock into slots. There is usually a three-pin setup but
more or less pins can be used depending on how much strength
and aesthetics is required. It is very difficult to construct.
The pins are glued into the slots which give the strength and
aesthetics to the joint.
These joints are most commonly found on the front of drawers or
on boxes such as a wooden tool box because of its great strength
and very attractive look if the joint has been well constructed.
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Mortise and Tenon joint:

Mortise and Tenon joint consist of a tongue that is secured into a

slot and it is used in areas such as table legs. It is one of the
strongest and most appealing woodwork joints because of its
flush fitting design.
This woodwork joint can be difficult to properly construct but it is
incredibly strong and aesthetically pleasing if constructed well.
Tongue and groove joint:

Tongue and groove joint is made with one piece of timber

consisting of a groove that runs down the entire length of the
timber and another piece of timber has a tongue which fits into
the groove. Such combination is easy to attach because of its
simplicity and it allows for a fit that has plenty of surface area for
adhesives.
This groove and tongue feature create a reasonably strong and
aesthetically pleasing joint that can be used in areas such as
floorboards, lining boards, wood panelling and table tops.

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CLASSIFICATION OF JOINTS:
1. Lengthening Joints
2. Bearing Joints
3. Framing Joints
4. Angle/ Corner Joints
5. Oblique/ Shoulder Joints
6. Widening/ Side Joints
Lengthening joint:
A joint between two members running in the same direction is
known as lengthening joint. It is used to increase the length of a
timber. It is classified into the following types:
a. Lapping joint: It is formed by lapping the end of one member
over the top of another member and fastening them together
by bolting or by using connections. It is the simplest form of
lengthening joint.

b. Fishing joint: In this arrangement the

he ends of two members
are butt together and the junction is bolted after providing
wooden or steel “fish plates” on two opposite faces of the
joint.

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c. Scarfing joint: In this arrangement, a part of the thickness of

the timber is cut from each member from opposite sides, so
that they lap on each other when joined.

d. Tabling joint: It is formed

formed by cutting special shape in both
pieces and securing them with fish plates, bolts, keys etc.
This joint is very much similar to scarf joint in construction
and is adopted where the member is subjected to both
tension andd compression.

Bearing joint:
Bearing joints are provided when two members meet at right
angles, to give sufficient strength to the required functions. It is
classified into the following types:

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a. Notching joint: In notching a depression is cut to the full

width of one member and placed on to another member.
This is commonly provided at the junction of two members
meeting at right angle. The function of notching is to prevent
the lateral movement of the two members.
b. Cogged joint: A piece of wood is provided with a projection
at the centre which remains uncut. This uncut portion is
called a cog and another piece of wood contains a small
notch to accommodate this cog. This joint is used when it is
desired to maintain the full depth of wooden beam for
strength.
c. Halving joint: In halving, each member on opposite sides is
cut to half of its thickness, at the joint and lapped. This joint
is used in members crossing or meeting at an angle.
d. Housed joint: In this joint, the entire end or thickness of one
member is let into the notch of another. This joint is adopted
commonly in works of heavy nature where other types of
joints may not be practically suitable.
e. Dovetailed joint: In this joint, wedge-shaped pieces are cut
from the members and the timbers are fitted into the
projections of each other to form the dove tailed joints.
f. Mortise and Tenon joint: This joint is formed by cutting one
of the members, so as to form a projection termed as tongue
or tenon which fits in to a slot known as mortise, cut into the
other member.
g. Open mortise joint: This is form of mortise and tenon joint in
which a metal dowel bar has to be used to secure the
mortise and tenon in their respective positions.
h. Chase mortise joint: This method of framing wood work is
adopted when it is required to fix wooden members

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between such timber members which are permanently fixed

in position in the wooden structure long before.
i. Tusk tenon joint: This joint is formed of tenon, tusk and horn
and is employed for joining members of equal depth.
Framing joints:
These joints are similar to various forms of bearing joints with
only difference is that the method of cutting the grooves and
tongues in the members is suitably altered to obtain the desired
form of joint.
This type of joint is essentially employed in framing doors,
windows, partition walls etc and it varies with the shape of door
or window frame adopted and the architectural treatment design.
Angle or corner joints:
When two members are to be formed so as to form a corner or
angular edge, angle or corner joint is used.
Oblique-shouldered joints:
These joints are commonly adopted in timber truss construction
where the members are joined in acute or obtuse fashion.
Widening or side joints:
The joint between two wooden members placed side by side is
termed as widening or side joint. These joints are commonly used
in flooring, panelling etc

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