Back to News & Advice for Driveway & Garden Gates What is Tongue and Groove Timber?

What is Tongue and Groove Timber?

Tongue and groove is a method of fitting similar objects, edge to edge that is used mainly for wood flooring, parquetry, panelling and similar constructions.

For our latest blog, BK Timber are going to share all you need to know about tongue and groove timber.

To create a single flat surface, tongue and groove joints allow two flat pieces to be joined strongly together. Before plywood became commonly used, tongue and groove boards were also used for sheathing buildings and constructing concrete formwork.

A strong tongue and groove joint is frequently used for re-entrant angles with the effect of wood shrinkage is concealed when the joint is beaded or moulded.

For a number of applications, tongue and groove boards are no longer used because of the introduction of plywood and later composite wood boards but the method is still used in higher-quality boards.

Plywood can also be tongued all round to fit it flush into a framed structure and plywood for sub-floors is used in platform framing which is typically supplied with tongue and groove edges.

For joining thicker materials, several tongue and groove joints can be used one above the other.

Methods for Tongue and Groove

A number of woodworking tools can be used to produce the tongue and groove –

  • A circular saw bench
  • Suitable hand planes such as a plough plane for the groove and a tongue plane for the tongue or a combination plane
  • A four or six-head moulder for large quantities
  • A spindle router
  • A wood shaper – sometimes known as a spindle moulder

What is Tongue-in-Groove?

Tongue-in-groove is similar to tongue and groove, but instead of the tongue forming part of one of the edges, it is a seperate, loose piece which fits between two identically grooved edges. The tongue can be the same material as the grooved pieces joined by the tongue.

Get in Touch for More Information

If you would like to know more about tongue and groove timber, please contact BK Timber now. Other bespoke products we offer include driveway and garden gates, wooden fence panels, timber posts and panel caps.

Back to News & Advice for Driveway & Garden Gates