Finger jointed timber is a type of wood process made by joining pieces of wood together to form a longer piece or large volume of a desired length. The pieces are cut at an angle, creating finger-like projections that interlock with each other. The joints are then glued to create a solid, seamless pieces of wood.
This process allows for the efficient use of different lengths and enables the creation of longer, stronger and more stable options that can be used for a variety of applications, such as mass timber, benchtops, furniture, cabinetry, cladding and flooring.
Many companies utilise short lengths when finger jointing, resulting in many joints to make the full length. Others use longer lengths, resulting in fewer joints and, depending on the final length produced, many pieces without a joint at all.
Australian Sustainable Hardwoods (ASH) has decades of experience finger jointing timber to create products for the Australian market. Beginning with structural timber, the ASH manufacturing plant expanded over the years to join sustainable architectural timber into products like benchtops, staircase components, joinery and mass timber solutions.
A horizontal finger joint is a type of finger joint in which the fingers are cut along the edge of the piece, rather than the face. In this type of joint, the fingers of two pieces of wood interlock with each other horizontally to form a solid and stable connection. The joint is then glued to create a seamless piece of timber with a butt-joint appearance on the face.
A vertical finger joint is a type of finger joint in which the fingers are cut vertically along the face of the piece, rather than the edge. In this type of joint, the fingers of two pieces of wood interlock with each other vertically to form a solid and stable connection. The joint is then glued to create a seamless piece of wood.
At ASH, finger jointed timber is an option for many applications including mass timber, furniture and joinery, benchtops, staircase components, set length lining and internal and external battens. Unlike many imported products there are very few joins with ASH products, as feed stock used to create set length is all random lengths.
Timber finger joints can be tested for strength and quality through various methods, including:
At ASH, we conduct all testing methods listed above either directly through finger joint testing in isolation or through finished lamination testing. All finger joints are third-party assessed as per AS5068- Finger Joints in structural products.
“FJ MOR (Modulus of Rupture) testing indicates a finger joint can be structurally stronger than full wood fibre” – Nathan Wellins, ASH Laminating Manager.
Overall, finger jointed timber provides a cost-effective and versatile option for both manufacturers and designers. If you are considering utilising finger jointed options like Glacial Oak for long stringers, contact us.