Imagine that you’re at the local furniture store browsing for a new dresser or chest of drawers. You’ve told the salesperson that you want something durable and high quality and they reply, “Well, what you really need is a piece with dovetail joints. It doesn’t get any better than dovetail drawer construction!” You fake a knowing look and nod in agreement as you think to yourself, “What is a dovetail joint anyway?”
Is the salesperson telling the truth or pulling your leg? Are dovetail joints really superior to other kinds of woodworking joints? Why should you even care? If you’ve got any of these questions, we hear you.
Here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, we’ve been in the furniture industry for decades. To this day, we still have shoppers regularly ask us about dovetail dressers and chests, dovetail drawers, and dovetail joints. Read on to learn everything you should know about dovetail joints, including their benefits, different types of dovetail joints, and the specific features of French dovetail vs English dovetail joints.
So, What Is a Dovetail Joint?
Within woodworking and furniture construction, a joint is any place where two separate pieces of wood connect. The catch-all industry term for these pieces of wood and how they all fit together is called joinery. Joints used in furniture come in many different varieties and styles. These range from simple miter joints, lap joints, and butt joints, to complex joints like today’s topic – the dovetail joint.
What Are the Features & Benefits of a Dovetail Joint?
Although there are many different types of dovetail joints, all of them have the same pair of defining features. The first is the tail and the second is the pin. One piece of wood has a series of cuts to make angled, wedge-shaped edges. These are called tails because the shape resembles that of a dove’s tail. Meanwhile, the adjoining piece of wood is cut with complimentary angles to form pins that fit perfectly in place between these tails.
Instead of affixing the two pieces of wood with screws, nails, dowels, or glue alone, these tails and pins interlock with each-other to form a very strong joint that can only be loosened by pulling in a single direction. Otherwise, they are locked into place and won’t budge. Manufacturers may or may not use glue to strengthen the bond even further.
The end result is an extremely durable joint made without screws, nails, dowels, brackets or other types of fasteners. Dovetail joinery is a benchmark of high-quality construction because these fasteners are all potential weak points that can degrade or break-down over time.
How durable are dovetail joints, you may ask? Did you know that archaeologists have found dovetail joinery in ancient Egyptian tombs going back nearly 4,000 years?! We’re not saying that your new dresser or chest of drawers will last you quite that long, but this fact is certainly a testament to the tried-and-true nature of the dovetail joint.
Finally, because the two connected pieces of wood are joined at a 90-degree angle, dovetails are typically used in the construction of corners in drawers, chests, or other box-like containers. However, you do occasionally find them elsewhere, such as on tables, desks, or other casegoods.
Types of Dovetail Joints You Should Know
To adequately answer “What is a dovetail joint and why does it matter?” we also need to briefly touch on the different types of dovetail joints used in furniture construction. However, if you’re shopping for a new bedroom suite, chest, dresser, or nightstand, chances are that you’ll only really need to know about French dovetail vs English dovetail joints.
French dovetails (aka sliding dovetails) and English dovetails (aka through dovetails) are the two most common types of dovetail joints in wooden furniture construction. So, what is an English dovetail joint? What is a French dovetail joint? How are they different? Is one better than the other? We’re so glad you asked!
French Dovetail vs English Dovetail
English Dovetail / Through Dovetail
Even among furniture industry veterans, an English dovetail is what comes to mind for most people when they think of dovetail joints. This is also commonly known as a through dovetail, standard dovetail, or plain dovetail. As you can probably guess from the name, this joint is the original, reliable, time-tested design. The craftsperson usually orients the tails and pins in this joint horizontally, although this isn’t a cardinal rule.
It is sometimes called a through dovetail because both the pins and tails go all the way through each-other. From the outside of the joint, you should be able to see the end grain of both boards where they lock against one another. In the past, carpenters would often covered the joint with a veneer. However, these days they usually keep English dovetail joints exposed since they are a clear indicator of quality craftsmanship.
When the end grain is only visible from one side, it’s called a half-blind dovetail. When the joint cannot be seen at all from the outside, it’s called a blind dovetail. These variations are considered to be even higher quality since they require even more skill to produce.
French Dovetail / Sliding Dovetail
By contrast, fewer people are aware of French dovetails, better known as sliding dovetails. Perhaps because they are much less obvious to the untrained eye. Unlike through dovetail joints, sliding dovetail joints are barely visible unless you know what to look for.
French or sliding dovetail joints consist of only a single tail and pin with the tail being slid into a long groove on the connecting piece. The tail is tapered so that it locks in securely just like any other dovetail joint. However, it is simpler and more affordable to make, and is usually oriented vertically. Most often, French dovetails are used to mount drawer-fronts or doors onto the sides of drawers and cabinets. This is especially useful when the drawer-front or other wood is curved in such a way that makes traditional English dovetailing impossible.
While entire drawers can be constructed of English or French dovetails exclusively, it’s not uncommon to find drawers with French dovetail joints on the front and English dovetail joints in the rear. While both English and French dovetail construction are very sturdy and high quality, English dovetail construction is slightly sturdier with the trade-off of being more expensive and time-consuming to produce.
What Kind of Furniture Construction Is Right for Your New Bedroom Set?
Now that you know about how dovetail joints and drawers are constructed, have you considered whether veneer, softwood, or hardwood furniture is the right fit for your new bedroom set? Learn the differences between hardwood, softwood and veneer here – we think you’ll be surprised.
When you go shopping for that new bedroom furniture, now you’ll know exactly what dovetail joints are and why they matter. Time to get primed and ready to shop for that perfect French or English dovetail dresser! Be sure to give us a visit if you’re in the Metro Atlanta area. We’d love to show you our huge selection of chests and dressers with dovetail construction at our 3 North Georgia furniture stores!
