The dado joint has a long history of use in cabinet making and furniture making. It is simple but effective.

A shallow cut into a piece of wood, dado joints are often used to attach shelves to the inside of a bookcase. Cut perpendicular to the grain, it’s different to a groove which is cut with the grain.

There are two main types of dado joints. The through dado is open at either end; the stopped dado has one, or even both ends, stopped before the edge. You need to ensure that the cuts are perfectly even so they fit snuggly.