QA

How To Do Tongue And Groove

What tool do I need to make tongue and groove?

Tongue-and-groove joints are commonly made on a table saw. But with the right bits, the joints can be made just as easily on a router table.

How do you cut a tongue and groove in wood?

Can you make tongue and groove with a table saw?

To produce a tongue and groove on the table saw, use a dado cutter rather than your everyday blade (unless your stock is 3⁄8″ or less in thickness). I use the two outside cutters to produce a 1⁄4″ cut width when working 3⁄4″ stock. Thicker stock calls for a wider groove.

How deep should a tongue and groove joint be?

The groove should ALWAYS be slightly deeper than the tongue is long, by as much as 1/16″ for 3-inch wide boards. The reason for this is two-fold. First is to prevent problems during assembly.

How do you drill a groove in wood?

Insert the 1/2-inch bit into the drill and tighten it. Pull the trigger to turn on the drill. Tilt the drill down slowly as you keep it running. Add horizontal pressure to the bit as it lies flat on the wood. Hold the bit against the wood, allowing it to cut down into the wood for a groove as deep as you want.

Do you cut the tongue or groove first?

Step 1: Generally speaking, it’s easier to cut the groove of a T&G joint first, then mill the tongue to fit the groove. A 1/4-in. straight bit or spiral upcut bit makes an ideal groove-cutter into the edge of a workpiece.

Should tongue and groove be glued?

The recommended glue for floating installation is Tongue and Groove engineered flooring glue. Glue placement is very important. The glue must be placed along the topside of the groove the full length of the grooved side and end.

Do you glue tongue groove gate?

Tongue and Groove construction allows two pieces of wood to form a strong joint without the need for fasteners or glue. As the seasons change and the wood expands and contracts the floating tongue and groove method allows the wood the space to move without cracking or splitting.

Are tongue and groove joints strong?

A tongue-and-groove is stronger than simple butt joints due to the increased gluing surface and mechanical interlocking of the two mating pieces. As a bonus, the tongue also serves to perfectly align the workpieces during the glue-up for a smooth surface.

What is the difference between mortise tenon or tongue & groove?

The mortise and tenon joint is to introduce rigidity and strength to wood joinery and are connected at right angles. Whereas the tongue and groove joint is joined in parallel wood pieces (thus the need for a longer area for joining).

When do you use a tongue and groove joint?

The tongue-and-groove joint is often used to form wider panels from narrower boards, such as when forming table tops, doors, or architectural paneling. It’s also widely used for strip flooring. Historically, the tongue-and-groove joint was also used to register and align the edges of vertical paneling in early homes.

Is a router plane useful?

Router planes, which are more like shoulder planes than routers, are invaluable for cleaning up and trimming tenon cheeks and other joinery, hinge mortises, inlay mortises, and more. But to do its best work, this small plane must be properly tuned. Learn how to get it that way, and how best to use this handy plane.

What tool do you use to make a groove in wood?

If you want to cut a groove in a piece of wood, a plunge router is the easiest tool to use for straight or curved grooves. Using a rotary tool also works for cutting short channels, but it’s more difficult to make long, straight lines with them.

What tool makes grooves in wood?

A router is a handy tool to have, being used for cutting grooves (properly called rabbeting), cutting slots in boards, such as for hanging them, trimming the edge of laminate, and cutting various types of tongue and groove joints for putting pieces together.

Do you nail the tongue or groove?

For tongue-and-groove flooring, drive a nail at a 45-degree angle through the tongue, then conceal it by engaging the groove of the next board. Be sure to countersink the nail — drive it slightly below the surface of the wood — to prevent interference in the joint.

Does the tongue or groove go against the wall?

Which to Install First. Which side is the tongue, which the groove, and which goes first during installation? The tongue is the side that you will want to place against the wall as you start your laminate-flooring installation.

Do you cut the tongue off the first row of laminate?

Place the first plank with the tongue side towards the wall, being sure to allow 1/8″ for expansion. We recommend cutting off the tongue on this first row to avoid any problem with the expansion gap. If it is too short, cut a new plank in half and use one half to start the second row.

What bit should I use to make a groove router?

A chamfer bit is also used to create V-shaped grooves between boards (when two chamfers meet edge to edge they form a V-groove). Chamfer bits come in various sizes and a few different angles. We’d recommend one with a 1-1/4-inch diameter. This is a nonpiloted router bit that cuts round-bottomed grooves.

Do you start shiplap from top or bottom?

You can start applying shiplap either at the top or at the bottom of your wall. If you start at the bottom, gravity will work for you. If you start at the top, you’ll have to prevent each board from falling before you nail it in place.