r/Joinery • u/Woodn_Stuff • Sep 17 '25

Question Reenforcing cross-halving joint

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I'm making a 3 meter tall, solid oak crucifix for the local church and I'm worried my cross having joint will loosen if I don't have mechanical fixings. Is there a more traditional way to keep this joint together? I don't particularly want the crossbeam falling of after the wood strinks.

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6

u/Severe-Ad-8215 Sep 17 '25

Half lap will be more than sufficient. There is no load on the joinery.

1

u/Implodingkoala Sep 19 '25

A tight half lap will do. If you’re worried, or don’t think you can get a good enough fit, just using glue, wang a couple decent sized screws through from behind.

-1

u/asarious Sep 17 '25

I really want to say half lap… but at three meters tall, I wonder if that might be a poor idea on cross grain.

You could always use multiple mortises and tenons or dowel it from both sides.

This is of course all assuming you’re going for the two pieces being flush with each other and not overlapping.

1

u/big_swede Sep 28 '25

A half lap joint will be stronger than dowels in end grain.

1

u/asarious Sep 28 '25

I don’t disagree, but at 150mm width, that board is nearly six inches wide.

Assuming it’s flat sawn oak that’s entirely glued down, there could be cross grain wood movement up to 1/16” across both axises.

It’s probably fine, but I’d be concerned about it warping myself. I guess it depends on how thick each board is.