gray6•27d ago

Pro tip: skip the pocket hole jig for face frames

Guy at the supply house swore I needed to ditch my mortise and tenon for pocket screws on face frames. Tried it on a 12-unit kitchen job back in March and three joints already shifted in the humidity. Anyone else have this fail on them?

3 comments

3 Comments

loganl2227d ago

Whoa, end grain actually holds pocket screws really well, it's more about the glue joint failing.

uma68527d ago

Exactly this. The whole pocket screw thing for face frames is a trap (especially on kitchen cabinets with seasonal movement). Mortise and tenon gives you actual mechanical resistance to racking, while pocket screws just rely on the threads biting into that thin end grain. Three joints shifting in just a few months tells me the screws pulled loose as the wood expanded and contracted, which is exactly what happens with pocket holes in high-humidity environments. You made the right call switching back to M&T.

xenagarcia26d ago

Took a job last summer where the homeowner insisted on pocket screws for their bathroom vanity face frames, and I spent six months re-screwing drawers every time the humidity hit. @uma685 hit it exactly right about the threads letting go with seasonal movement. My shop teacher always said mortise and tenon is the only thing that stays put when the wood decides to move, and I've never found a shortcut that proves him wrong.