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Extra length on window components

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Old Oak
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If you’re making a casement window, it seems common to allow some extra length on the pieces so that you can trim them flush with the other sides after assembly. If you don’t do this and instead cut directly to final length, there’s a risk that minor inaccuracies will make the pieces too small by a few mm which will either look poor or require a patch/filling.

The question is how much extra length to give window components over their final assembled length?

The answer could affect material purchasing, cut lists, templates, instructions & general predictability.

Is there a rule of thumb or do you have a personal approach to deciding this?
 
The common trade terms are “horns” or “joggles” depending on regional dialect.

What happens with me is when I’m processing the raw material, if for example I’m getting six pieces out a length of timber and I have 300mm left over on the plank, I will divide it by the amount of pieces which will give you 50mm per piece. This is generally what I like to aim for as extra length on joinery to give 25mm horns at each end.

Not only is it better practice to trim the horns to length after gluing for the reasons you’ve already mentioned, it also gives you something to hammer on when dry assembling and taking them back apart to save knocking on the inside of the joinery, risking damaging mouldings or rebates. You’re also less likely to split the end work if the horns are on whilst you are wedging it.
 
Dan, I’m not sure that that was what he was referring to. I think he was referring to slightly oversized stiles that get trimmed at the end on site. Said stiles being oversized to give some protection against dings during transit. Not to do with inaccuracy in cutting to the right length.
 
RogerS said:
Dan, I’m not sure that that was what he was referring to. I think he was referring to slightly oversized stiles that get trimmed at the end on site. Said stiles being oversized to give some protection against dings during transit. Not to do with inaccuracy in cutting to the right length.
Click to expand...

I don't follow, Roger.
 
In my own peculiar way I’m referring to extra length on either or both stiles and rails and I’m interested in all the possible reasons for it. You’ve both provided useful info. I knew that part of the reason was protection against damage, but it was vague in my mind and I hadn’t absorbed the specific uses during dry fitting or transport so thanks to you both for those examples and the specific number.
 
The calculation of the number of pieces from a length of timber and where to make the cuts to share the extra length across all the pieces was something I created a little web calculator for just today:


The piece size and timber length can be provided in the URL.

I guess some people would do this in their head or create a spreadsheet, but I like a web page and a bit of JavaScript for this kind of thing.
 
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