Bridle joint
This article will cover what is a bridle joint, why use a bridle joint, and one way of making a bridle joint.
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This article will cover what is a bridle joint, why use a bridle joint, and one way of making a bridle joint.
Last updated
Was this helpful?
A bridle joint is best used in framing. It is often used in furniture framing to join rails to legs. A bridle joint is made up of 2 pieces, a mortise with an open-ended slot, and a tenon which has 2 protruding sides. Both pieces interlock with one another. To avoid coming apart, glue or pins are required to hold the joint together. Once assembled, a bridle joint can be shaped e.g. rounded, without affecting its strength.
There are various variations of bridle joints:
Corner bridle: two end pieces joined to form a corner
Half mitred bridle: two end pieces joined to form a corner, where one side is at a 45° angle
Mitred bridle: two end pieces joined to form a corner, where both sides are at 45° angles
Tee bridle: one end piece joined to the middle of another piece
Other than their appearances, the main difference between the corner bridle, the half-mitred bridle and the mitred bridle is the strength of the joint. The corner bridle joint is stronger due to its larger gluing surfaces.
For more information, below is a video demonstrating making a bridle by hand.
The process to create a bridle joint will vary from project to project. To make this joint in the easiest way possible, you can use the and tenoning jig available in the MSD Machine Workshop.
