Beginner - how to best reinforce butt joint

[mk_reef]

(Disclaimer, I know nothing about wood working).

I'm installing a new butcher block kitchen countertop (oak) and will be butt joining 2 sections in the corner (90 degrees, no miter).

I had planned to reinforce with biscuits (although I've never used them before). Not for strength, but more for alignment and a tight joint.

Is there any other mechanism that would make more sense for butt joining butcher block countertops? I was going to rent a biscuit joiner and practice on some scrap to get the hang of it.

Thanks!

[charlie]

countertop connector

[Art Greenberg]

I would think that vertical alignment should be taken care of by carefully leveling the cabinets.

A biscuit is a form of loose tennon. There are other ways to do essentially the same thing, where the shape of the tennon (and its mating mortices) varies. Dowels used in this way are another example. If, instead of multiple small tenons you have one long one, it would be called a spline.

An alternative would be to use hardware made for the purpose of joining countertop sections. There are a few variants, but basically they are a threaded rod with a nut and washer at each end. You would make a recess on the underside of each piece a short distance from the edges to be joined, and place this device into the recesses. Tightening the nuts draws the pieces together. By itself, this might not do much to provide alignment. But with a little care, good alignment is obtained. Lee Valley

sells them. I'm sure you can find similar things at other places.

[Tim W]

_must_ use this type of connector if you want a close joint.

Use biscuits if you wish.

Use a PVA glue which will allow some movement in the join.

Do not not not not not not use a fast glue like polyeurethane.

Tim w

[Stephen M]

You really dont want to glue that joint. The grain will be running in opposite directions and seasonal movement will cause splitting or breakage.

I would use something like this:

[NuWaveDave]