Which joint uses cylindrical wooden pins to align and reinforce two boards?

• A. Dowel joint
• B. Mortise and tenon joint
• C. Miter joint
• D. Butt joint

Answer: (A)

Dowel joints use cylindrical wooden pins to align and reinforce two boards. Dowels are inserted into matching holes drilled through each piece, which keeps the boards aligned during assembly and increases glue surface for strength. This method is common in cabinetmaking because it provides a clean appearance without exposed metal fasteners and is effective for aligning edges or panels. It differs from mortise and tenon, which relies on a projecting tenon fitting into a mortise for strength without using cylindrical pins; from a miter joint, where ends are cut at an angle to meet at corners (often reinforced in other ways rather than with pins); and from a butt joint, where ends simply meet with little to no interlocking features. The key idea is the cylindrical pins that go into drilled holes to both align and reinforce the joint.