diff --git a/ibis/expr/types/relations.py b/ibis/expr/types/relations.py
index cd8f2fac56bf..11fcbaa01e57 100644
--- a/ibis/expr/types/relations.py
+++ b/ibis/expr/types/relations.py
@@ -5,7 +5,16 @@
 import operator
 import re
 from keyword import iskeyword
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Callable, Iterable, Literal, Mapping, Sequence, Any
+from typing import (
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
+    Callable,
+    Iterable,
+    Literal,
+    Mapping,
+    Sequence,
+    Any,
+    Iterator,
+)
 
 import toolz
 from public import public
@@ -53,8 +62,8 @@ def _regular_join_method(
     ],
 ):
     def f(  # noqa: D417
-        self: Table,
-        right: Table,
+        self: ir.Table,
+        right: ir.Table,
         predicates: str
         | Sequence[
             str | tuple[str | ir.Column, str | ir.Column] | ir.BooleanValue
@@ -62,7 +71,7 @@ def f(  # noqa: D417
         *,
         lname: str = "",
         rname: str = "{name}_right",
-    ) -> Table:
+    ) -> ir.Table:
         """Perform a join between two tables.
 
         Parameters
@@ -420,7 +429,8 @@ def __interactive_rich_console__(self, console, options):
         table = to_rich_table(self, width)
         return console.render(table, options=options)
 
-    def column(self, name):
+    def column(self, name: str | int) -> ir.Column:
+        """Get a column from the table."""
         if isinstance(name, int):
             name = self.schema().name_at_position(name)
         return ops.Field(self, name).to_expr()
@@ -4400,6 +4410,7 @@ def join(
         lname: str = "",
         rname: str = "{name}_right",
     ):
+        """Join with another table."""
         from ibis.expr.analysis import flatten_predicates
 
         chain = self.op()
@@ -4411,7 +4422,7 @@ def join(
 
         # TODO(kszucs): clean this up
         preds = dict(enumerate(preds))
-        preds = dereference_values(self.tables(), preds)
+        preds = dereference_values(self._tables, preds)
         preds = list(preds.values())
 
         # TODO(kszucs): factor this out into a separate function, e.g. defereference_values_from()
@@ -4433,9 +4444,10 @@ def join(
         chain = chain.copy(rest=chain.rest + (link,), fields=fields)
 
         # return with a new JoinExpr wrapping the new join chain
-        return JoinExpr(chain)
+        return self.__class__(chain)
 
     def select(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Select expressions."""
         # do the fields projection here
         # TODO(kszucs): need to do smarter binding here since references may
         # point to any of the relations in the join chain
@@ -4447,35 +4459,37 @@ def select(self, *args, **kwargs):
         # with a field referencing one of the relations in the join chain
         fields = {ops.Field(self, k): v for k, v in self.op().fields.items()}
         values = {k: v.replace(fields, filter=ops.Value) for k, v in values.items()}
-        values = dereference_values(self.tables(), values)
+        values = dereference_values(self._tables, values)
         # TODO(kszucs): add reduction conversion here detect_foreign_values(values)?
 
-        return self.finish(values)
+        return self._finish(values)
 
     # TODO(kszucs): figure out a solution to automatically wrap all the
     # TableExpr methods including the docstrings and the signature
     def filter(self, *predicates):
-        return self.finish().filter(*predicates)
+        """Filter with `predicates`."""
+        return self._finish().filter(*predicates)
 
     def order_by(self, *keys):
-        return self.finish().order_by(*keys)
+        """Order the join by the given keys."""
+        return self._finish().order_by(*keys)
 
-    def tables(self):
+    @property
+    def _tables(self) -> Iterator[ops.TableNode]:
         node = self.op()
-        parents = [node.first]
+        yield node.first
         for join in node.rest:
-            parents.append(join.table)
-        return parents
+            yield join.table
 
-    def finish(self, fields=None):
+    def _finish(self, fields: Mapping[str, ops.Field] | None = None) -> ir.Table:
         node = self.op()
         if fields is None:
             # TODO(kszucs): clean this up with a nicer error message
             # raise if there are missing fields from either of the tables
             # raise on collisions
             collisions = []
-            fields = set(self.op().fields.values())
-            for rel in self.tables():
+            fields = frozenset(self.op().fields.values())
+            for rel in self._tables:
                 for k in rel.schema:
                     f = ops.Field(rel, k)
                     if f not in fields: