Switched from glue and screw to just pocket holes for my last cabinet job

I always thought pocket holes were for furniture guys, not real cabinet builders. But I had a kitchen in Denver where the plywood kept splitting on me with glue, so I tried it on a whim. Got the whole face frame done in like 45 minutes with no clamps, has anyone else had that happen?

3 comments

3 Comments

ruby_bell4722d ago

Whoa wait, you got a whole face frame done in 45 minutes with pocket holes? That's wild. I've been using glue and biscuits forever and it takes me like three hours for one frame with all the clamping and waiting. @oliviabutler is right about those dowel jigs being a pain, I borrowed a friend's once and spent half the time trying to keep the guides from slipping. The no-clamp thing is honestly the part that blows my mind most, I always thought you needed pressure for a good joint.

anthonyrivera22d ago

Honestly, you're not crazy. Pocket holes are legit for face frames, especially when you're dealing with that Denver dry air. The plywood splitting thing is real, and a Kreg jig with coarse thread screws solves it. I've done it on two full kitchens now and haven't looked back. You just gotta make sure you're using the right screw length so you don't blow through the back. Plus, no clamps means you can move way faster, so 45 minutes sounds about right for a small frame.

oliviabutler22d ago

My brother-in-law up in Fort Collins swears by those self-centering dowel jigs for face frames, but last time I helped him we spent twenty minutes just finding the right drill bit for his old Dowl-it. By the time we were done his whole shop smelled like burnt pine and he'd snapped three bits. Pocket holes are just faster, period. I started using them on a pantry job back in 2018 and never went back to dowels or biscuits for frames.