nonnail

Nonnail is a term used in woodworking and furniture design to describe joinery techniques that secure components without nails or other metal fasteners. Methods grouped under nonnail joinery rely on interlocking geometries, wooden pins or dowels, wedges, and/or applied adhesives to form stable assemblies. The approach emphasizes a clean exterior and repairability, and it is often associated with flat-pack furniture, heritage restoration, and sustainable design.

The word 'nonnail' is a straightforward neologism formed from the prefix non- meaning 'without' and nail. It gained currency in contemporary design literature in the early 21st century as designers explored nail-free assembly as an alternative to traditional joinery.

Typical nonnail joints include hidden dowel joints, domino or spline joints, biscuit joints, mortise-and-tenon variants that use drawpins or wedges, and glue-based interlocks. Some implementations rely on precisely cut interlocking profiles that expand or lock under stress, while others use temporary clamps or wooden pins to reinforce the joint during assembly.

Common materials are solid wood, plywood, or engineered boards. Because metal fasteners are avoided, tools focus on saws, chisels, routers, finger-joint milling, and woodworking clamps. Glue selection, such as PVA or polyurethane, plays a critical role in bond strength and durability.

Nonnail joinery is valued for its aesthetic subtlety, ease of disassembly for relocation or recycling, and reduced risk of corrosion. It requires precise fabrication and skilled assembly; humidity, wood movement, and glue failure can affect joint integrity over time, limiting heavy-load applications.

See also: joinery, woodworking, nail-free construction, furniture design.