Serious question, is everyone really happy with pocket hole joinery for face frames?

I had a big maple face frame fail on me last month, right in the middle of a kitchen install. The pocket holes just pulled apart after the wood moved a bit with the season change. I spent a whole day fixing it with proper mortise and tenon joints. I know pocket holes are fast, but for something that needs to last, I'm not convinced. Has anyone else had a piece come apart like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

stellaj632mo ago

My maple face frame from 2018 is still fine.

emma_hayes802mo ago

Unlike my maple cutting board from that year, which is a warped mess.

morgan_lewis1824d ago

Wait, did you say that maple face frame buckled on you mid-install? That's wild, I've never heard of pocket holes failing that dramatically with maple. I mean, I've had some pine stuff loosen up after a while but not straight up pull apart like that. Maybe it's just me but I always thought maple was pretty stable for joinery like that. Were you using coarse thread screws or fine thread? I have to admit I usually just grab whatever is handy and maybe that's why my stuff hasn't failed yet.