How to Glue Dovetail Drawers

A dovetail joint is elegant and sturdy.

A dovetail joint is one of the most elegant and sturdiest ways to join pieces of wood, and this is why makers of furniture have used it for centuries. A tight dovetail joint can hold for many years without becoming loose. Just as cutting the joints takes time and skill, gluing them properly takes time and a proper technique to ensure they remain firm and tight.

Things You'll Need

• Fine set plane
• Glass paper
• Tape measure
• Scrap wood
• Pencil
• Chisel
• Glue
• Brush
• Clamps
• Damp rags
• Sharp knife

Instructions

Preparing the Drawer

1. Dry fit the joints together, then take them apart. Clean the inside of each joint with a fine set plane and follow with glass paper, smoothing the wood as much as possible. Dry fit the joints a second time, measuring diagonally in both directions across the drawer to ensure it’s square.

2. Take four small blocks of wood, each a little longer than the depth of the drawer. Hold one block over one of the joints. Use a pencil on the wood block to mark the tails of the joints and then use a chisel to notch the block of wood to a depth of 1/4 inch between the marks; this will allow you to put pressure on the joint when you use the clamp and strengthen the bond.

3. Repeat the process with the other three blocks on the other corners. Take the drawer apart.

Gluing the Joint

1. Pour a little of the glue on another piece of scrap wood. Run a glue brush through the glue, wiping off any excess. Apply glue to the inside of each of the surfaces to be joined, the sides and insides faces of the tails and the sides and inside ends of the pins; be careful not to use too little glue, but also sure it isn’t dripping from the wood.

2. Join the pieces together carefully, wiping up any excess glue that squeezes from the joint with a damp cloth; ideally, there should just be a tiny bead of glue coming from each joint when they’re joined.

3. Place one of the notched block on the outside corner -- at the side of the drawer -- and another on the opposite side, carefully lining up the protrusions you’ve made on the block with the tails of the joint. Apply the jaws of a clamp to the outside of each block and then tighten the clamp until it’s firm.

4. Repeat for the other two joints on the drawer, but before you tighten the second clamp, measure diagonally in both directions to ensure that the drawer is square. Adjust as necessary, then tighten the clamp fully and leave to dry. Remove any excess dried glue from the wood with a sharp knife.

References

• FineWoodworking.com: All About Dovetail Joints; Mario Rodriguez