How to Make a Joint With Biscuits and a Biscuit Joiner

To hold two pieces of wood together at a 90-degree angle, create a joint with biscuits and a biscuit joiner. These step-by-step instructions show how to make a strong joint.

Highlights:

Step 1: Set the Biscuit Joiner's Blade and Fence
Step 2: Mark the Center of the Joint
Step 3: Cut Slots
Step 4: Glue and Join the Pieces of Wood

Step 1: Set the Biscuit Joiner's Blade and Fence

Set the depth of the biscuit joiner's blade to the desired depth of the slots to be cut. Set the blade's height to half the height of the work piece so that the blade will cut into the center. Set the fence to the angle of the joint. For instance, if the ends of the work pieces to be joined are cut at 45-degree angles, set the biscuit joiner's fence to 45 degrees.

Step 2: Mark the Center of the Joint

Hold the two work pieces together in the position they'll be in the finished product. Use a pencil to mark the center of the joint.

Step 3: Cut Slots

Place one work piece against the biscuit joiner so the pencil mark on the work piece matches the center mark on the joiner. Pull the joiner's trigger, and push its blade into the work piece to cut a slot. Repeat this step for the second work piece.

push blade into work piece to cut a slot

Step 4: Glue and Join the Pieces of Wood

Put a small amount of wood glue inside both slots. Place a biscuit inside one of the slots (Image 1). Fit the other slot over the top of the biscuit to join the two pieces of wood (Image 2). Clamp the joint in place, and allow the glue to dry (Image 3).