noun
scarf
A joint made by overlapping slanted ends of two pieces.
The carpenter joins two short beams with a scarf.
Etymology
The joining term belongs to a Scandinavian cutting-and-fitting word family. It is separate from scarf, the garment.
More examples
- They cut matching slopes in the planks to form a scarf.
- The boatbuilder clamped the scarf while the glue dried.
- Inspect the scarfs for gaps before loading the beams.
Forms
scarf · scarfs
Similar words
- splice
- Broader term for joining lengths, including rope or wire.
- lap joint
- Overlaps pieces without necessarily using sloping end cuts.
- butt joint
- Joins pieces directly at their ends without overlapping.