Tongue and groove, or sometimes called T&G in the trades, is the method of fitting objects together, usually for flooring. These pieces will go edge to edge. Tongue and groove is most often used on wood floors, parquet, and also in paneling. Tongue and groove joints are designed so that two flat pieces can be joined to make a single flat surface.
How Tongue and Groove Works
Each piece in a tongue and groove application has a slot or groove cut into one edge, and on the other edge there is a corresponding mirror shape, or ridge. The two pieces fit perfectly snug, and the joint is usually glued for security.
Tongue and groove floors are also nailed into place with a nail gun, in which case the nailing will be done to each succeeding groove side of the boards, as they are fit into the preceding board. This is for thicker tongue and groove boards, thinner tongue and groove applications generally stick to glue, so there will be no board splitting.
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