# Hurrah for pocket-screwed face frames



## EllenWoodHead (Feb 9, 2020)

Is it a standard practice to use pocket screws, and no glue, on the rails in kitchen cabinet face frames? I surely do like this. My house has generic builder oak face frame kitchen cabinets. I'm retro-fitting the base cabinets with pull-out shelves, and had to do some repairs on some of the drawers because the cheap old drawer slides are failing. The rails are all held by pocket screws, so removing and replacing them to give myself some working room is dead easy. It would be a lot more work if they were glued.

Today's task: replacing a broken backplate. These dumb things should never break. If they used the plastic that goes into packaging, like blister packs that you need a chainsaw to open, they would last until the heat death of the universe.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

I never had much luck with the plastic back brackets, both with longevity or fit. I'd replace them with a wood block.

I lot of people pocket hole face frames. Works pretty well. Use glue.


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## EllenWoodHead (Feb 9, 2020)

btw my new drawers and pullouts have proper steel ball-bearing slides…not 
the same junk I'm complaining about


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

I find its hit or miss on glued pocket-holes. It seems that store bought cabinets are glued, whereas tract home builder-made usually don't have glue. I agree though, so nice when modifying cabinets in kitchens etc.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

All mine have glue. I had to remake a complete cabinet when I realized one was on upside down once.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

Glue. I consider pocket screws just a very convenient clamp.

Yup, replaced plastic back brackets with blocks. If you think they look cheap in a tract home, go look what is used in mobile homes.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

We had our kitchen redone in 2017, and the (stock) cabinets we had installed only used pocket screws. It worked out well when a cabinet with drawers had to be changed to a cabinet with doors due to the contractors screw up. I kept the drawers and rails they removed since I hope to reinstall them some day. You are right, it makes changes easy if they are only pocket screwed.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

I've been using plastic boots on 75lb and 100lb /for almost 30 years. No cimplants yet.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

thats the one thing i like pocket screws for is doing face frames,glue em and screw em and your done with no clamps needed.i agree about the plastic brackets,get rid of em.


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