# Drawer Fronts - glue or screw?



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

I'm about to put on the drawer fronts on my current project, and while I've always only screwed on the drawer-fronts I did so because I never took the time to finalize them properly and it was always "temporary" but I plan to just glue them in this time around. The only thing that pops into my mind is that this is a 3" wide glue up of 2 boards that are long grain and flat sawn which means wood movements. This is however similar to the glue surface I have on my workbench between all the laminations and that is holding up just fine (this is my reasoning).

So, my question to those that do this for living - do you glue on the drawer fronts or just screw them on (for seasonal movement)? am I over thinking this (I'd rather over think then under think)?

Thanks in advance.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

I've never glued a drawer front. I use the drawer pull screws during initial alignment, then add some 1" screws on the inside when everything is lined up.


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

I don't glue drawer fronts. Register and screw.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Generally I think of significant wood movement happening at 5" wide and up. But the real reason not to glue is for alignment and ease of refinishing.

Kindly

Lee


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## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

ditto the last three comments. there is that alignment issue.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

If glue then you can add a couple of dovels for alingment.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

Thanks for the responses, I guess I'll stick with screwing on as I've always done (glad to know I was doing it 'right' all along after all).

*Mads* - how would you use dowels to align the drawer fronts/drawers ?


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

I would use dowel centers if they should be hidden, or mount them with dowels from the back visible if needed. But since you have the handles I think I would have mounted the drawer fronts from the outside and then made a sliding dovetail for the handles in the front so they would slide right in and hide the mount.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

I have glued hundreds of drawer fronts on with no problems. My thinking is-with wider fronts you are laminating them to the drawer box, which should help stability. If they were going to cup, with just a screw, they might pull out. However, I don't see anything wrong with only screwing them on. If you ever need to replace, it is much easier. If you use hardware, the screws though both the drawer and front will also help.

How's this for a non-committal answer?


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

But honestly, I think screws are not a problem on a 2011 cart, if it was a old style project I would have done a lot to not have them.
So I think I would have done just as you did.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

thanks a lot *Kent* - really helpful … hahaha
*Mads* - I like the sliding dovetail idea, this would have been great if I haven't already routed the drawer fronts!

At this point I'll just screw the fronts from the inside and glue the pulls to the fronts to give the screws a bit extra substance to grab onto. If this fails, I can always extract and glue it in as opposed to the other way around.

Thanks much for the responses. even if it's not inline with everything else it always helps rethinking things over.


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## Poiks (Mar 15, 2017)

New-construction house, and this has happened to us a couple of times in the first three months. The builder will fix them but it sure seems like two screws alone are not sufficient to keep the fronts on these things, pull after pull.


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## TungOil (Jan 16, 2017)

I can't quite tell from that picture, is that drawer front solid wood around a MDF core? If so that would explain why they are pulling out. MDF has poor screw holding capabilities vs. plywood or solid wood.


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## Poiks (Mar 15, 2017)

> I can't quite tell from that picture, is that drawer front solid wood around a MDF core? If so that would explain why they are pulling out. MDF has poor screw holding capabilities vs. plywood or solid wood.


Good question, and honestly I don't know. I'll take a look at the drawer fronts this evening. Thanks!


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

To me it also looks like the guides are set in too far. This makes the drawer front be the stop instead of the guides being the stop.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

I use 6 screws to mount all drawer fronts. Right or wrong, it's just my thing.


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