How To Fasten Plywood Together? 5 Easy Methods

Plywood is a versatile material that can be used for a variety of purposes. Now, you might want to make some furniture or anything with plywoods. In that case, you must have knowledge of how to work with plywood.

So, you must be thinking about how to fasten plywood together. 

You can use finger joints to connect two plywoods. Furthermore, a 90-degree corner connection can also be strengthened significantly. Moreover, rabbet and dado joints will also work well on fastening plywood sheets. Lastly, A scarf joint method unites sheets of plywood end to end without the use of glue.

Thus this isn’t enough for you to work on. If you have some time, then read the whole article in detail. 

All it’s going to take is 5 minutes. Let’s dive into the methods. 

Fastening MethodDescriptionAdvantagesDisadvantages
ScrewsUsing screws to join plywood panels together by drilling pilot holes and screwing them together with screws.Strong and durable, provides good holding power. Can be disassembled if needed.Requires drilling pilot holes and careful alignment. Visible screw heads may require additional finishing.
NailsUsing nails to join plywood panels together by hammering them in at an angle or using a nail gun.Quick and easy, requires minimal tools. Can be disassembled if needed.May not be as strong as screws, nails can split the plywood if not carefully driven. Visible nail heads may require additional finishing.
Wood GlueApplying wood glue between plywood panels and clamping them together until the glue dries and forms a bond.Provides a strong bond, no visible fasteners. Can be used in combination with other fastening methods.Requires proper clamping and drying time. Not easily disassembled.
Biscuit JointsCutting slots in the edges of plywood panels and inserting biscuits (oval-shaped wooden pieces) with glue, then clamping the panels together.Provides alignment and added strength. No visible fasteners.Requires special biscuit joiner tool. Not easily disassembled.
Dowel JointsDrilling holes in the edges of plywood panels and inserting dowels (cylindrical wooden rods) with glue, then clamping the panels together.Provides alignment and added strength. No visible fasteners.Requires precise drilling and dowel placement. Not easily disassembled.
Pocket ScrewsUsing a jig to drill pocket holes at an angle in the plywood panels and then screwing them together using special screws.Provides strong and hidden fastening. Can be disassembled if needed.Requires a pocket hole jig and special screws. Visible screw heads on one side may require additional finishing on exposed side.

How Should Plywood Be Fastened Together?

how to fasten plywood together

Some might wonder if it’s difficult to fasten plywood together. But luckily, it’s not tough at all! One reason can be the materials the plywood is made of. 

See also  Kreg Vs Makita Track Saw: Which Wins The Battle

The most important advantage is that the methods of fastening plywood are really simple. You can easily fasten two or more plywoods yourself. 

All you have to do is just go through any of the five easy methods below. You can pick any of the methods. Any of these methods will surely help you to fasten the plywood together-

Method 1 of 5: Finger Joint For Fastening Plywoods

In this method, you connect two plywood panels together to make a finger joint. This way you can construct one long panel. 

First, let notches and matching fingers milled into the ends of each piece. Allow them to fasten together. 

Furthermore, apply glue to the finger joint connection and wait to strengthen it. Then you will see the meshed fingers are plainly apparent in the completed joint.

Method 2 of 3: Box Joints For 90 Degree Corner Connection

Box joint method is a very common method to fasten plywood. By following this, you’ll be able to fasten your plywood easily.

Now, make a finger cut and a square notch along the edges of the connected panels. Allow the components to fit nicely together. Then use glue just to make strong corner connections.

Box joints add significant strength to a 90-degree corner connection. At first look, they seem to be dovetailed, but they lack the angled cuts on the fingers. 

The components fasten together tightly thanks to two items. These are fingers notches and square notches carved into the corners of the connecting panels.

Method 3 of 5: Scarf Joints To Connect Two Piece Of Plywoods

Well, it’s also quite an easy method. It will not only connect two pieces but also fasten the plywood together.

See also  Can You Mix Different Grades Of Hydraulic Oil?

Now, without the use of glue or screws, join two sheets of plywood end to end. Each piece’s edge is cut at a shallow angle, extending the edge over a lengthy distance.  

As a result, the two parts can overlap following the shallow-angle cuts. Which gives each component a large surface area for glue application.

Scarf joints are frequently used to connect sheets in boat construction.

Method 4 of 5: Rabbet And Dado Joints For Different Angles Of Plywood

Rabbet and dado are useful for connecting plywood sheets. At the corners or from one piece’s edge to the middle of another. These joints are frequently used in the construction of drawers, cabinets, and cabinet doors.

To proceed, make a groove in the face of the plywoods along the edge for rabbet joints. Whereas for a dado, cut away from the edge to make a groove. 

Then attach the plywood pieces using glue. By catching one component in the other, rabbet and dado joints give stability. 

Method 5 of 5: Butt Joints To Attach Plywoods

Butt Joints attach the plywood using both screws and glue to attach plywoods together-

First, connect two pieces of plywood at a 90-degree angle or construct simple and effective end-to-end connections. 

A third component termed a scab is used to bridge. Then you will see the two sections with adjoining edges in an end-to-end connection.

Then make the joint strengthened by applying wood glue. And even screws to the scab face and the edges that meet. Screws, in addition to adhesive, secure the scab to the other two sections.

See also  Woodraphic Vs Woodpeckers: Suitable For DIYers & Pros

Butt joints and box joints might seem similar but they are different methods. You can select between any one of them.

We have come to the end. Here are the methods of how to fasten plywood together. Pick anyone you like according to your preference. 

See Also: How To Flatten Warped Wood Table Top.

Question: How do you join two pieces of plywood together?

Answer: If you follow the scarf joint method you can easily do it. A scarf joint connects two sheets of plywood end to end. It also doesn’t require any glue or screws. To attach the pieces, the edges are sliced at a shallow angle.

Question: How do you screw sheets of plywood together?

Answer: At first you have to use glue. Apply glue on the sheets of plywood. Then take a screw driller and drill into the plywood. After that, you can screw plywood sheets together.

Question: What Holds Plywood Together?

Answer: A type of glue used in the manufacture of plywood. That is urea-formaldehyde. It helps to hold the plywood together. Melamine is also used in the making of plywood. 

Bottom Line

The purpose of the fastening between pieces of plywood varies. You might want to know how to fasten plywood together for various types of reasons. 

But we hope you will get help from any of these methods. And lastly, we would like you to know you can always reach us in the comment box. 

Hope to see you soon!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *