Butt Joint

 

A butt joint joins two pieces by simply 'butting' them together. It is a simple joint to make as it just needs glue and/or nails to hold the pieces together as shown.

 

However, it is also the weakest joint as it relies only on glue. Most other joints we make will inter-lock (such as the dovetail joint and finger joint) which helps to hold the pieces together.

 

In a finger joint, the pieces meet as shown in the image (left). The end grain of one piece is joined to the long grain of the other, which also adds to the weakness of the joint.