Which wooden joint is commonly used to resist tensile forces in structural members?

• A. Dovetail joint
• B. Butt joint
• C. Mortise-and-tenon joint.
• D. Lap joint

Answer: (C)

When a joint must resist forces trying to pull the pieces apart along the grain, a strong interlock that can transfer load through the joint is essential. The mortise-and-tenon joint achieves this by fitting a solid tenon into a matching mortise and often securing it with pegs or a pin. The tenon’s shoulders bear against the mortise, creating a solid restraint that resists withdrawal and keeps the members aligned under tension. This geometry distributes the tensile load into the surrounding wood rather than relying on glue alone, which makes it reliable for structural members where stiffness and long-term stability are important. While other joints can resist pulling in certain contexts, mortise-and-tenon is the preferred choice in structural framing because of its combination of strength, alignment, and the option to pin it for added pull resistance.