Woodworking Fasteners 101: Your Friendly Guide to Screws, Nails, and Everything in Between
Ever wondered why some handmade furniture stays rock-solid for decades while others start wobbling after a couple of years? In this friendly deep-dive, I’m spilling all my hard-won secrets about woodworking fasteners, woodworking hardware, and the smartest joinery methods I actually use in my shop every day. From pocket screws and dowels to knock-down connectors and those clever figure-8 fasteners, I’ll walk you through the exact options I reach for (and the ones I’ve happily left behind). Whether you’re building your first bookshelf or your tenth dining table, you’ll finish this post knowing exactly which woodworking fasteners and joinery methods will give you stronger, cleaner, and more professional results—without the guesswork.
11/19/20253 min read
Hey Friend, Let’s Talk About the Unsung Heroes of Every Woodworking Project: Fasteners!
Hi there! If you’ve ever finished a beautiful dovetail joint only to realize you still need something to hold the whole piece together forever, you’re in the right place. Today I want to chat about something I used to completely overlook when I started woodworking — woodworking fasteners and woodworking hardware. Trust me, once I wrapped my head around the options, my projects got stronger, cleaner, and way less stressful.
Think of joinery methods as the glamorous side of woodworking (dovetails, mortise-and-tenons, box joints — swoon), and woodworking fasteners as the reliable best friend who makes sure everything stays together for the next 50 years. You need both!
Why I Stopped Pretending Glue Alone Is Enough
Early on, I was that guy who thought, “If the joint fits perfectly and I use enough Titebond III, it’ll last forever.” Cute, right? Then my first big bookshelf sagged in the middle after a year. Lesson learned: smart woodworking hardware and the right joinery methods work together — they’re not enemies.
The Big Families of Woodworking Fasteners I Actually Use
Here’s my personal cheat sheet — the stuff that lives in my shop and gets used almost every single project.
1. Screws (My Absolute Go-To)
I love screws because they’re strong, removable, and forgiving.
- Pocket screws → perfect for face frames and quick casework
- Confirmat screws → European-style cabinet building in minutes
- Traditional wood screws → when I want a classic look with a slotted head
- Deck screws or Spax → outdoor projects (they laugh at weather)
Pro tip: Pre-drill almost always. Your future self will thank you.
2. Nails & Pins
Yes, nails still have a place in my shop!
- 18-gauge brad nails for holding glue-ups while the glue dries
- 15- or 16-gauge finish nails when I need real holding power but still want small holes
- Cut nails for that authentic restoration vibe
3. Bolts, Barrel Nuts, and Knock-Down Hardware
These are the MVPs of flat-pack furniture I actually want to move someday.
- Bed bolts, cross dowels, and connector bolts make knock-down way stronger than anything from IKEA
- Insert nuts (threaded inserts) + machine screws = rock-solid legs that come off for moving day
4. Specialty Fasteners I Can’t Live Without
- Figure-8 desktop fasteners (let the top expand and contract without cracking)
- Biscuit joiners? Okay, not technically a fastener, but they live in the same drawer as my #20 biscuits
- Dowels, Domino loose tenons, and Miller dowels — the line blurs between pure joinery and fastener here, but I love them all
Choosing the Right Tool for the Job (My Decision Process)
Whenever I’m standing in the aisle staring at yet another type of screw, I ask myself three quick questions:
1. Does this piece ever need to come apart? → choose knock-down woodworking hardware
2. Will it live outside or in a humid bathroom? → grab stainless or coated fasteners
3. Do I care about visible plugs or metal showing? → pocket screws + plugs or pure joinery methods win
My Favorite “Invisible” Joinery Methods + Fasteners Combo
Want strength without seeing a single screw head? Here’s what I reach for:
- Domino + glue (yes, the Festool Domino counts as woodworking hardware in my book)
- Pocket screws from the underside
- Dowels or Miller dowels with a matching plug
- Floating tenons hidden inside mortises
Quick Reference Table I Keep Pinned Above My Bench
| Project Type | My Favorite Fastener/Hardware | Bonus Joinery Method |
| Cabinets | Pocket screws + Confirmats | Dados + glue |
| Tables | Figure-8 fasteners + bed bolts | Mortise & tenon |
| Outdoor furniture | Stainless deck screws or Spax | Dowels + waterproof glue |
| Fine furniture | Dowels, Domino, or wood screws with plugs | Dovetails & M&T |
| Quick shop jigs | Drywall screws (don’t judge me!) | Butt joints + glue |
Final Thought From One Woodworker to Another
Mastering woodworking fasteners, woodworking hardware, and the huge world of joinery methods won’t happen overnight — but every project teaches you something new. Start simple: buy a box of good pocket screws and a jig, play with dowels, try a couple knock-down connectors. Before you know it, you’ll look at a pile of lumber and instantly know exactly how you’re going to hold it all together — strongly and beautifully.
What’s your favorite unsung fastener or joinery trick? Drop it in the comments — I’m always looking to add one more thing to my shop!
Happy building,
Your fellow wood-dust addict 😄🛠️
