Dado (joinery)

A dado (US and Canada, /ˈdeɪdoʊ/), housing (UK) or trench (Europe) is a slot or trench cut into the surface of a piece of machinable material, usually wood.

When viewed in cross-section, a dado has three sides.

A dado is cut across, or perpendicular to, the grain and is thus differentiated from a groove which is cut with, or parallel to the grain.

Dados are often used to affix shelves to cabinetry bodies.

Similar to the dado, see rabbet (rebate).