Finger Joint Wood: Enhancing Woodwork With Precision and Durability

Finger jointing is a widely-used manufacturing technique that construction professionals rely on for its strength and precision.

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Finger joint wood is known for being precise, durable, versatile and cost-effective. It offers superior strength and stability in all applications, making it ideal for everything from furniture making to home building and more.

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Its various benefits can help contractors achieve seamless, long-lasting results that their clients can enjoy for years.

What Is Finger-Jointed Wood?

Finger jointing is when pieces of wood are cut at the edges to create “fingers” of wood that can then interlock. 

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When wood is prepared this way, it can be connected to create the effect of an unbroken, longer piece or to create a corner. With finger jointing, wood can be used efficiently regardless of its length, and pieces of wood can also be made stronger. 

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Compared to simply gluing two “faces” (the side that meets another piece face-on) of wood together in a “butt joint,” finger joints offer a much more stable, durable bond. 

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Finger-jointed wood is also less likely to warp than larger, single pieces.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Finger Joints

There are two main categories of finger joints — horizontal and vertical. 

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In horizontal finger joints, the fingers are cut along the edge side of the piece of wood. To join this piece of wood to another, the fingers of each piece fit together horizontally, and then the joint is glued in place.

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In a vertical finger joint, the fingers are cut along the face of the piece of wood vertically. Two pieces fit together vertically and are then glued.

Applications of Finger-Joint Wood in Woodworking

Finger joint wood has many uses in woodworking projects, including furniture making, construction and carpentry, decorative moldings and trim, and engineered wood products.

Furniture Making

Finger-joint wood is popular in constructing furniture, such as chairs, tables, shelves, dressers, cabinets, desks, wardrobes and even beds. 

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The strength and durability of finger-joint wood make it ideal for furniture that is used regularly and bears significant weight.

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The aesthetic of finger-joint wood is also a draw for furniture makers. It typically has a smooth and seamless finish, making furniture look stylish and appealing in interior spaces. 

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Finger-joint wood is also affordable and sustainable when mass-produced.

Construction and Carpentry

Finger-joint wood is commonly used in construction for structural applications such as beams and framing. The stable bond of the interlocking joints makes finger-jointed boards highly suitable for load-bearing applications.

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Its straightness and uniformity are also important factors. Finger-joint lumber is less vulnerable to warping, making it useful for precise construction work. The fact that it can be produced in long sections also makes it a popular choice for beams, columns and framing.

Decorative Moldings and Trim

Another popular use for finger-jointed boards is for aesthetic elements. These include baseboards, chair rails, crown molding, casing, picture rails and wainscoting. The smooth, uniform texture of finger joint wood makes it perfect for painted finishes. 

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Finger-joint wood is also cost-effective, making it an affordable option for trim. Because it can be produced in long, continuous sections, this reduces the need for unsightly joints in decorative moldings.

Engineered Wood Products

Engineered wood products are manufactured materials created by combining different wood fibers with adhesives and other additives to form stronger and more stable composites than traditional solid wood. 

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Plywood, LVL (laminated veneer lumber), and OSB (oriented strand board) are all common varieties of engineered wood. 

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Finger-joint wood is often used for engineered wood products, as it is uniform in size and quality. The jointing process also minimizes the chance of warping and splitting, making engineered wood products likely to last for a long time.

Other Structural Uses

There are also structural uses for finger-jointed wood, such as wall studs, framing, roof beams and trusses. 

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For structural applications, fingers are typically cut to a larger depth, as strength is a priority. The type of glue used may also differ between structural and non-structural applications.

Advantages of Finger-Joint Wood

Finger joint wood has numerous advantages, including its strength and durability, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. 

Strength and Durability

Because creating the “fingers” results in a greater surface area to apply glue to, the bonds tend to be notably stronger than traditional “butt joints.” 

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In fact, finger-jointed boards are often indistinguishable — both visually and in terms of strength — from solid wood boards. However, they also have advantages over solid wood boards as they are much less likely to split, warp, expand or contract due to temperature.

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Interlocking fingers also increase the load-bearing capabilities of boards, as they help to distribute weight evenly. This makes them useful for structural applications like beams and trusses.

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Cost-Effectiveness

Compared to solid wood boards, finger-jointed wood can often be more cost-effective. 

As it is often made from offcuts and other smaller pieces of wood, the total yield from a piece of timber can be greater, resulting in lower material costs. These savings can then be passed down from suppliers to contractors and their clients.

Sustainability

Even with comparatively sustainable logging practices, significant waste is generated from offcuts and scraps that are discarded. 

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Timber offcuts are responsible for a large proportion of waste in the industry. As the negative consequences of deforestation become more widely known, the need for more sustainable practices becomes increasingly apparent.

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Thankfully, offcuts can be incorporated into the construction of finger-joint boards, reducing waste in the manufacturing process. This means finger-jointed wood is more environmentally sustainable than other wooden boards. 

Premium Finger-Joint Boards from CM Maderera SpA

To persuade your clients to choose finger-jointed boards, emphasize their strength, durability, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. You can even display samples to show the aesthetic appeal of their smooth finishes.

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For almost two decades, the CM Maderera SpA facility has used cutting-edge equipment to turn local rough lumber into high-quality blocks ready for finger jointing. To find a product ideal for your project, explore our product range or contact our team today.