T and G for 1/4" wood?

[Phil Landwer]

I want to cut some 1/4" thick red cedar for a closest lining. I plan on tongue and grooving it. Are there special router bits to tongue and groove lumber this thin?

[Ralph Boumenot]

That's an awfully small tongue and groove joint. I would think that would be way too fragile to be of any use. In thin stock like that I would go with a ship lap joint.

[Myk Rian]

Are there special router bits to tongue and groove lumber this thin?

Not for a cut that small. Bad idea.
Shiplap is best.

[pat warner]

"Are there special router bits to tongue and groove lumber this thin? "
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Not special but garden variety. Use an 1/8" slotter for the groove and a rabbet bit (both sides of stock) to yield the tongue. Router table only.
Done the same way.

[scott vroom]

"Are there special router bits to tongue and groove lumber this thin? "
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Not special but garden variety. Use an 1/8" slotter for the groove and a rabbet bit (both sides of stock) to yield the tongue. Router table only.
Done the same way.

A 1/8" slot in a 1/4" board? 1/16" wood on each side of the slot? Sounds too flimsy to me.

[Keith Hankins]

That's an awfully small tongue and groove joint. I would think that would be way too fragile to be of any use. In thin stock like that I would go with a ship lap joint.

+1 what he said!!!!! Way to small

[Keith Outten]

Phil,

There is a set of router bits that boat builders use to join 1/4" thick strips for strip canoes that is probably what you need. One bit cuts a convex curve on the edge and the other cuts the corresponding convex shape.
.

[Ole Anderson]

I did a small towel holder/shelf that had a beadboard look on the back, I used 1/4" wood with a shiplap joint as suggested in the WW mag the plans were in. Turned out fine.

[David Posey]

Shiplap is also a little easier to install in a confined space like a closet.

[lowell holmes]

You can buy t&g cedar closet lining packages. I've found the quality of the boards to be good. I don't recall if the boards are 1/4" or 3/8" thick, but I think they are 1/4" thick.

[Phil Landwer]

You can buy t&g cedar closet lining packages. I've found the quality of the boards to be good. I don't recall if the boards are 1/4" or 3/8" thick, but I think they are 1/4" thick.

Thus my question, and confusion with so many of these replies. Almost all Closest lining is 1/4" thick, and it's all T and G.... So, what are they doing?

[Phil Landwer]

Is every board nailed to the wall, with closest lining? It would have to, with Ship Lap.
But how about T&G?

[pat warner]

*A 1/8" slot in a 1/4" board? 1/16" wood on each side of the slot? Sounds too flimsy to me. "
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Absolutely right, my error; use a .060" slotter, also garden variety.

[Paul Murphy]

Like everyone mentions, 1/4" seems thin for T & G. Moving on, how about a 2mm groove filled with a 5/64 tongue? Will it work...I don't know, but if folks say that is how it's done then it must be OK. I would want the tongue to yield before the walls of the groove, that way you wouldn't see any small splits as they would be hidden in the groove.

http://www.toolmarts.com/Freud/Freud-58-104.html 2mm slot = .0787
http://www.toolmarts.com/Freud/Freud-63-104.html 5/64 slot = .0781
http://www.toolmarts.com/Freud/Freud-58-106.html 3/32 slot = .0937 might be a little too big for .25" stock?

[ray hampton]

the only dim. that are mention are the thickness of the tongue NOT how far it sticks out, a tongue on a 1/4 " wood should not be more than 1/16 "