# Pocket Hole joinery for drawer boxes



## mprzybylski (Nov 21, 2011)

Hey everyone,
Im working on my miter stand cabinet system and am designing the drawers. I was thinking about using 1/2" ply all around (including the bottoms) and 3/4" false front. For the joinery, I wanted to use pocket screws (the Kreg mini jig version for 1/2" ply) to connect the front and back to the sides, AS WELL AS using those same pocket screws to connect the 1/2" bottom to the 1/2" sides/front/back from the bottom. Does anyone see any issues with this system as far as strength/rigidity? Should I add glue as well to all joints or do you think just the pocket screws will be fine? The drawers are 22 1/2" wide by roughly 22" deep, ranging from 4" tall to about 12" tall.

I'm trying to be as economical as possible while working as fast as possible to get this project done.


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## rustynails (Jun 23, 2011)

I have made pocket whole drawers for some of my shop cabinets and they work fine and being in a shop they take on more than a normal drawer I would think. Add the glue….


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## ADHDan (Aug 17, 2012)

All of my shop drawers are plywood, pocket screwed and glued. So far, they've all held fine - even my 2' x 3' hardwood scrap drawer. Pocket screws are almost shockingly strong.


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## mprzybylski (Nov 21, 2011)

Thats great news! Are the bottoms of your drawers pocket holed as well? 1/2" ply?


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

I'll be the stinker and say shop stuff is a great way to practice methods you might use on furniture. I use pocket holes on some shelves/dividers…but I would never use them on drawers for furniture. 
I prefer locking rabbets. They are very strong, and fairly quick on a tablesaw with some practice.


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## huff (May 28, 2009)

Matt,

I've used pocket screws for a lot of applications, but never for a drawer construction. I'm not saying it won't work or wouldn't hold up, but I have to agree with BigRedKnothead on practicing doing some sort of locking joint for the drawer boxes. Dado the sides, front & back for the bottoms.


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## vikingcape (Jan 3, 2013)

I have pocket screws on the eight drawers on my workbench. All of my workbench was found and recycled material. I glued and screwed them because I figured I would be opening/closing millions of times (sometimes being pissed off when something doesn't work properly). I dadoed the drawer bottoms into the sides. The screws work great. But glue by all means, it never hurts to have extra insurance.


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## mprzybylski (Nov 21, 2011)

Kaleb, you dadoed the bottom AND pocket screwed it? Or just dadoed/glued it in? How thick are your bottoms and how far up is the dado from the absolute bottom of the drawer? If I dado 1/2" up for a 1/2" bottom I just don't want to lose an inch in total from the drawers as some of my drawers are only 4" deep (I guess technically I'd only be losing 1/2" but still…)


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## Marty5965 (Jan 27, 2013)

I have a Kreg jig and I think PS would be absolutely fine on the sides (only thing stronger in 1/2 in stock would be a dovetail IMO), as far as the bottoms, IDK. But thinking about it, your stock is only 1/2 inch so a rabbet would only be a 1/4 or 3/8 at most. I wouldn't pocket hole the bottoms but a longer screw and glue up through the bottom into the sides and front would be as strong as the minimal rabbet you could get. Definitely glue as well, because of the thin stock.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

I've used pocket screws for drawers and for shop drawers, I actually prefer butt joints with long coarse thread screws. It's just easier for me than bringing out the pocket hole jig.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

No matter what method of joinery you use, glue will kick you in the butt when using it for shop applications. Sure as the sun rises in the East you will break, smash, stand on, fall into, or any other calmaity you can think of that will break this drawer. Why start over when you can repair a broken piece, put the screws back and move on with a real project??? Be as exotic as you like, some prefer to practice joints for shop builds for experience, but stay away from the glue! I build a set of drawers for a cabinet and glued then 15 years ago, the bottom fell out from saving myself from a nasty spill and broke the bottom out. Had to make a new one from the ground up, I was less than happy about it. (Laughing)


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## moonie (Jun 18, 2010)

This is what I have been doing for the last 5 years and nock on wood havent had a dresser drawer come back yet.But I dont use pocket joinery the drawer's are to havey for poeple with children so I use 3/4" ply wood for the front and back and for the side's I use 1/2" ply wood and I predrill hole's in both end of the 1/2" and then Irun a ribbit 3/8" form the bottom and 1/4" deep then I glue and scerw and a clamp helps.And the micro jig isnt all that Im the one who build shoe rack with it the blow outs where bad and belevie me I a big Kregs fan.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

I use the same method for any shop drawer, minus the glue. How many have I decided to make inserts for and then added another slider, etc etc etc etc.. (Laughing)


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## Scott_C (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm making a bedroom set with 1/2 ply and pocket screws, wish I had just done rabbats and glue. Drilling pocket screws for 14 drawers, 16 holes per drawer, PITA.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I've never used pocket screws for drawers, there are other methods that are simpler and quicker if you have a tablesaw or router table. My shop drawers (there aren't many) are screwed from the side like David's above. They've held up going on 14-15 years. I always cut a dado for the bottom.


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## Bill7255 (Feb 23, 2012)

I love pocket holes and use them a lot. However I never use them where they can be seen. they are just ugly even when plugged. Like said before this, workshop cabinets are the perfect opportunity to practice on joint methods that could be used for furniture. I always dado the bottoms. Since you are adding false fronts you could just butt joint and screw, using dowels, locking miter table saw or router, dovetail using a jig or getting crafty and learning hand cut. These are my opinions and pockets will be strong, so it is up to you what you want to do.


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## rustynails (Jun 23, 2011)

Use Hyde glue if you are worried about having to repair the joints as it is reversible.


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## vikingcape (Jan 3, 2013)

All I used for the bottoms was particle board piece that came from the bottom of packing crates. My bottom three drawers are 8 inches deep, my top are four inches deep. Yes I dadoed and screwed it. I wasn't going for beauty I was going for functionality at the time. I Just made sure the pocket screw didn't interfere with the dado. It worked out just fine. The screws just pulled it in, and the glue is holding it. Yes it is about 1 inch up from the bottom. They are holding good now. Hope this helps, if you want I can take a picture of the ugly drawers I made.


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## mprzybylski (Nov 21, 2011)

Yeah, sure Kaleb, a picture of the drawer construction would be very helpful (with some detail shots of the joinery if you don't mind). Thanks.


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## moke (Oct 19, 2010)

I've built a lot of shop cabinets for me and others…the pocket hole joinery (1/2 version for drawers) is fast, strong and efficient. I do agree with several points….yes they are ugly….no I would use them for furniture for my house…and no don't use glue ( except the Hyde Glue, I have never tried to disassemble one of those joints) If it gets loose or something it's always easy to take it apart and add glue, otherwise I can take it apart to fix things.

Make sure the ply is straight! I always use baltic birch for the drawer side….fighting a curved ply is miserable!
I also try and use hardboard for the bottoms, it is sturdy and flat.
Just my .02
Mike


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## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

I agree with comments above about using a dado joint to hold the bottom in place. Because of the ease of alignment vs. a mechanical fastener. I'd save the expensive screws for something else.


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## OggieOglethorpe (Aug 15, 2012)

Pocket holes are great for drawers, and simple to hide.

The pockets get drilled on the outside faces of the backs and fronts of the drawer boxes. The front holes are hidden by an applied (pretty) front, and the rear holes stay inside the case. I dado the sides and front for the bottom, and size the back so the bottom panel can be screwed to the bottom edge of the board after it's slid into the dado. This method shows no holes, fasteners, or plywood end grain, when looking at the sides of the drawers.

I've built entire walls of horizontal file drawers using baltic birch ply, glue and pocket screws. Years later, in a commercial setting, they're good as new.


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## mprzybylski (Nov 21, 2011)

Interesting Barry, I never thought to make the back shorter and screw up through the bottom into it. How far up is your dado from the bottom for the bottoms? How deep is the dado and how thick are your bottoms?

I'd love to use 1/4" hardboard for the bottoms if I can get away with it as it is significantly cheaper than ply here.


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## Kccdoughboy (Mar 29, 2013)

I did the exact same thing My drawers were kind of beefy so I used four pocket holes per side put them on the front of the front and on the back of the back and once you put on the false front you won't even see them on the inside of the drawer anymore


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## OggieOglethorpe (Aug 15, 2012)

For a 1/4" drawer bottom, I'll typically place the bottom of the dado 1/4" from the bottom edge of the side. On a heavier duty drawer, I might make it 1/2" up. So, in the case of the 1/4" bottom placed 1/4" up, the drawer back would be 1/2" narrower in width than the front and sides.

The drawer bottom would be sized (inside width + 2X dado depth) wide by (inside length + dado depth + thickness of back) long. A 12"W x 16"L drawer, made of 1/2" material, using a 1/4" x 1/4" dado, would have a bottom that's 11 1/2"W x 15 3/4"L. (11 + (1/4 + 1/4)) wide by (15 + 1/4 + 1/2) long.

I would not use an MDF or hardboard bottom on a drawer much bigger than a say, 12×16, in damp or humid environments, or that will have anything heavy inside.

With the screws driven from the back and front into the sides, the stress from drawer travel is across the screw, not along the threads, so the screw acts more like a peg or dowel. Think of the reason dovetail pins and tails are oriented the way they are on a drawer side, and it'll make sense.

My advice around the screws assumes you're using good quality, cabinet grade plywood sides and a plywood or composite bottom, with all mating surfaces glued, and the bottom glued in place. Not gluing, or using solid sides changes a lot.


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## mprzybylski (Nov 21, 2011)

Barry, thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed reply. Exactly what I was looking for, greatly appreciated!


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