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Since wood is sensitive to heat and humidity, floating joints must allow for expansion and contraction. For the same reason, all joints are not only glued but are held by glue and nail.

The most common terms for joining wood are:

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Glossary of Furniture Terms

Mortise and Tenon
Two pieces of wood are joined at right angles. One is a rail and another is a post, or solid end panel. Rail ends are prepared on a tenoner, or cut to fit a socket, usually square, that has been cut into the post or panel. The joint is glued.

Dowel
This joint performs a function similar to the mortise and tenon. It uses a wood or composition peg which fits into borings to join the two pieces of wood.

Miter
Used frequently on bonded case and table tops, miter joints connect pieces of wood with glue, reinforced by hidden wood or metal wedges, or by wood dowels.

Dove-tail
Dovetail joints tightly interlock, creating a sturdy connection. Woods with minimal expansion characteristics generally are used for dovetail joints.

Tongue and Groove
The joint is so deftly constructed that it is barely noticed by the untrained eye. These are generally used as corner blocks for chair seat frames.