Roofs

Mortise and Tenon

A mortise and tenon joint is the most basic joint in wood frame construction. Used for thousands of years to connect pieces of wood in a 90-degree angle, the mortise is a slot cut into the wood, and the tenon is its corresponding projection. It is quite simple but strong. Endless variations of this joint make construction with minimal or no nails or adhesive potential.

Alice Lane Home Collection

A square mortise hole and its corresponding tenon projection is observable on the bottom of this table. A peg retains the tenon out.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

You can view cuts . It is probably salvaged from a timber-frame building where it had been used structurally.

LKID

Mortise cuts have been exposed by this lintel and post door.

Murphy & Co.. Layout

Ordinarily, a mortise and tenon joint is hidden between the timbers it joins, using a groove and slot cut to fit seamlessly together. The peg in this beam marks where the tenon exists inside the hole.

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