TRADITIONAL JOINERY
One of the most commonly known forms of joinery is the mortise and tenon, however, many other types of connections can be used. Determining which type of joinery is suitable depends on several variables including compression, shear and bending moments and how the connection will react to these factors. The result is a distinctive timber framed interior with superior strength and durability. Below are examples of traditional terms for timber joints.

Mortise and Tenon: Any joint consisting of a projection (tenon) on the end of one timber and a corresponding slot (mortise) on the other.
Dovetail: A tenon that is shaped like a dove’s spread tail to fit into a corresponding mortise.
Half-Lap: A joint in which two timbers are let in to each other.
Joint: Part, or the arrangement of the part, where two or more timbers are joined together.
Haunch: The part of the whole timber beyond the shoulder, which is let into another timber.
Housing: The shallow mortise or cavity for receiving the major part of a timber end, usually coupled with a smaller deep mortise to receive a tenon tying the joint together.
Peg: A hardwood dowel usually ranging from 1/2 of an inch to 2 inches in diameter.
Scarf Joint: A joint used to splice two timbers end to end.
Shoulder: The area of the void created when the waste around a tenon has been cut away.
Tenon: The end portion of a birds-mouth joint, which extends beyond the plate when there is a roof overhang.
Through tenon: A tenon that passes through the timber it joins. It may extend past the mortise and be wedged from the other side.
Stub tenon: A tenon that stop with in the timber it joins.
Bird’s mouth: A V-shaped notch that resembles a birds open beak. It is cut is cut into the base of a rafter and received by the plate.
Mortise: A groove or slot into which or through which a tenon is inserted.