I quit using pocket hole screws for face frames years ago and never looked back

Back when I started out in 2018 I used pocket holes for every face frame I built. It was fast and easy and everyone online swore by it. But after about 20 jobs I kept getting calls about joints pulling apart after a few seasons of humidity changes. Around 2020 I switched to mortise and tenon joinery even for basic pine frames. Yeah it takes me about 25 percent longer per frame but I haven't had a single callback since. The glue surface is way bigger and the joint just locks in solid. Has anyone else moved away from pocket screws for face frames or am I the only one who thinks they're overrated?

2 comments

2 Comments

mila_brown103d ago

Nope, you're right. Pocket holes are junk for face frames.

jesse_green553d ago

My buddy Mark tried pocket holes on his first face frame build last summer and it was a total disaster. He used that Kreg jig everyone talks about, clamped everything up real careful, and drove in like 20 screws. The whole thing twisted on him within a week because there's just no real mechanical strength with those angled screws pulling through end grain. He ended up having to scrap the whole frame and start over with proper mortise and tenon joints like his grandpa showed him. Now he tells everyone pocket holes are fine for shop jigs or temporary stuff but never for anything structural that needs to stay square.