Graphical Construction Glossary >> Woodwork. >> Joints >> Scribed Joint

Scribed Joint

A joint between two mouldings that has one or them cut to the shape of the other. Usually this is done with a coping saw, hence it's alternative name of Coped Joint in North America.

Typically used for internal corners to baseboards or skirting, cornices and crown mouldings etc. The old saying is that "all internal mitres should be scribed!"/p>

Sadly it seems that this joint in many cases is being discarded in favour of the simpler internal miter joint. In my humble opinion this "dumbing down" is totally wrong in a natural material like timber which has a tendency to shrink and expand with the seasons.

The reason that master cabinetmakers and joiners for centuries have gone to the extra trouble of scribing their joints is that timber shrinks and swells mostly in it's width and a lot less in it's length. So in effect a scribed joint does not open up as much as an internal mitred one.

Above is a sketch of the joint opened up to show the construction.

Below is a photo of a scribed bridle joint that was taken in the World Heritage town of Hoi An in central Vietnam. It is of a 300 years old roof beam that has been fit to sit on top of a timber column about 9" diameter.

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"When we build, let us think that we build for ever."John Ruskin 1819-1900