Mitre

A mitre joint is an angle joint. An example is a joint that is formed when two pieces meet on a 90-degree angle and each piece has been cut at an angle of 45 degrees to be joined. A good example of this type of mitre joint can be seen in picture frames. A mitre joint can also be formed when two pieces meet at different angles than 90 degrees, for example, joining skirting boards around bay windows.

A mitred joint gives a neat finish with a sharp corner, only showing a line at the angle, and with both ends concealed. However, mitred joints can be difficult to cut and match, and can suffer from the swelling and shrinking of timber which can cause the mitre to crack open from the inner corner.

Other types of joint include:

• Butt joints.
• Lap joints.
• Mortise and tenon joints.
• Dowel joints.
• Tongue and groove joints.
• Dovetail joints.

Different joints have different strengths and aesthetic properties. Some joints are more complex to create than others and can be very time-consuming. A mitre joint can be relatively simple to create and not the most time-consuming in comparison to more complex joints like a dovetail or dowel joint.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Carpentry
• Physical Properties of Wood.
• Timber.
• Timber vs wood.