The invention relates to a method for joining two essentially metal sheet-type workpieces. In said method, edge regions of the workpieces to be joined are bent by up to 90° in relation to a plane of the workpiece, the bent edge regions being placed against each other, and the edge regions are then heated to a predefined joining temperature by at least one first frictional element that moves relative to the edge regions, are subjected to a certain contact pressure, and are joined while being deformed.