Just realized I was wrong to always use pocket screws for face frames

After a client in Denver wanted a more traditional look on their built-in, I tried using mortise and tenon joints for the first time last week, and the extra strength and clean lines have me rethinking my whole approach for solid wood projects.

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_adams28d ago

Pocket screws are fast, but they pull the joint together with a clamp force. A proper mortise and tenon is locked in by the wood itself. You see it on old furniture that's lasted a century. That joint isn't just stronger, it lets the wood move with the seasons without stressing the fasteners. Changes the whole feel of a piece.

troy_bennett9028d ago

Man, @phoenix_adams, that reminds me of the time I glued a chair leg on crooked.

dylanfisher28d ago

Try a loose tenon jig, it's a good middle ground like @phoenix_adams said.