<Li> Joints can be designed to hold without the use of glue or fasteners; a pinned mortise and tenon is an example of this . </Li> <Li> Glue is highly effective for joining timber when both surfaces of the joint are edge grain . A properly glued joint may be as strong or stronger than a single piece of wood . However, glue is notably less effective on end - grain surfaces . Animal glue is soluble in water, producing joints that can be disassembled using steam to soften the glue . </Li> <Li> Various mechanical fasteners may be used, the simplest being nails and screws . Glue and fasteners can be used together . </Li> <P> Many traditional wood joinery techniques use the distinctive material properties of wood, often without resorting to mechanical fasteners or adhesives . While every culture in which pieces of wood are joined together to make furniture or structures has a joinery tradition, wood joinery techniques have been especially well documented and is celebrated in the Indian, Chinese, European, and Japanese traditions . Because of the physical existence of Indian and Egyptian examples, we know that furniture from the first several dynasties show the use of complex joints, like the Dovetail, over 5,000 years ago . This tradition continued to other later Western styles . The 18th century writer Diderot included over 90 detailed illustrations of wood joints in his comprehensive encyclopedia . While Western techniques focused on concealment of joinery, the Eastern societies, though later, did not attempt to "hide" their joints . The Japanese and Chinese traditions in particular required the use of hundreds of types of joints . The reason was that nails and glues used did not stand up well to the vastly fluctuating temperatures and humid weather conditions in most of Central and South - East Asia . As well, the highly resinous woods used in traditional Chinese furniture do not glue well, even if they are cleaned with solvents and attached using modern glues . </P>

The type of joint used in doors and windows is