Which statement describes a stopped dado?

• A. It runs completely through the width of the workpiece.
• B. It is cut with a router only.
• C. It is used for decorative purposes.
• D. It ends before the far surface of the workpiece.

Answer: (D)

A stopped dado is a groove cut into a piece that does not reach the far edge, ending short of the end. This lets the mating piece sit flush without a groove appearing on the far face. The defining feature is the termination before the far surface. A through dado, by contrast, runs completely through the width of the workpiece, which is not stopped. The tool used doesn’t define the stop; you can cut a stopped dado with a router, a table saw, or other tools. Dados are about joining pieces, not decorative purposes, so the stop—or lack thereof—affects how visible the joint is and how the structure looks at the far edge.