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Showerthought: I used to think pocket holes were the only way to build face frames.
For the first five years in my shop, I used pocket holes on every single face frame, no questions asked. It was fast, easy, and I thought it was strong enough. Then I had a client in Oak Park complain about a slight twist in a big pantry unit after a humid summer, and I knew the joinery was the weak link. That was the push I needed. Now, I only use mortise and tenon for anything over four feet. I bought a Domino joiner two years ago, and it changed the game. The frames are rock solid, they stay flat, and the extra hour of work per cabinet is worth it for the peace of mind. Has anyone else made a hard switch like that, or do you still swear by pocket screws for frames?
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robert_rodriguez666mo ago
Pocket holes have been fine for my work. That twist in your pantry sounds more like a wood movement issue than a joinery failure. Mortise and tenon is great, but it's a lot of extra time and cost for what might be a small gain. Most of my face frames are in climate controlled homes anyway. I still use pocket screws and haven't had a callback. The Domino is a nice tool, but it's hard to justify the price for the problems I don't really have.
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lane.angela4mo ago
I used to be in your exact camp about pocket holes never being an issue. But then I had a face frame on a built-in near a drafty window that developed a slight gap after a humid summer, and it made me reconsider. Now I see your point about wood movement being the real culprit in most cases.
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alicec866mo ago
You're right about the climate control making a big difference, robert_rodriguez66. In a steady environment, pocket screws do hold up just fine for face frames. The twist I saw was in an old summer kitchen, so the humidity swings were wild. For a normal house, the extra work for mortise and tenon often isn't worth it. I get not wanting to spend on a Domino for joints that aren't failing.
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