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Three years ago I built a vanity with pocket screws and now the doors won't close right
I was working on a big bathroom job in a new build out in the suburbs, and the client wanted a custom double vanity fast. I figured I'd save some time and use pocket screws for the face frame assembly instead of my usual mortise and tenon. It looked solid when I installed it, and I moved on. Fast forward to last month, I got a call back. The whole thing had shifted with the seasons, and now the drawer fronts are rubbing and the doors won't latch without a hard push. I had to go back, take the whole thing off the wall, and add proper reinforcement. It was a full day of unpaid fix-it work. I mean, maybe it's just me, but I think pocket screws are fine for shop cabinets that don't get touched, but for something that gets daily use and moisture, they just don't hold up. Has anyone else had a piece fail after a few years because of the joinery?
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rileyb6123d agoTop Commenter
Come on, that's on the install, not the screws. I've put in dozens of vanities with pocket screws in humid bathrooms and they're fine. You have to make sure the cabinet is shimmed and secured to the wall studs properly so the frame can't rack. Sounds like yours was able to move.
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david56223d ago
My buddy's place in Tampa had the same thing happen. Proper install, still failed. @rileyb61, I just don't trust pocket screws in that much moisture over time.
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