Why does nobody debate pocket hole joinery vs dado joints for cabinet face frames

Last month I built three face frames for a kitchen remodel in Austin, using pocket holes on the first one and dado joints on the next two. The pocket hole frame went together in 20 minutes but the dado frames took 45 minutes each and felt way more solid. Am I the only one who thinks speed might beat strength for certain jobs, or is that just me being lazy?

3 comments

3 Comments

margaret_nelson14d ago

Oh man, you're totally onto something. I did a set of cabinets for my buddy's lake house last fall and I went back and forth too. The pocket hole frames were done in an afternoon and they're holding up just fine after a year, no racking or anything. Sometimes I think we overthink this stuff when a simple screw and glue joint does the job for basic cabinets that aren't getting slammed around daily.

richardfox14d ago

Wait, aren't you the one from that Texas woodworking forum last month? Yeah, your lake house job sounds exactly like what I'm talking about. I did those three frames and the pocket hole one still feels tight, no wobble, even with the heavier upper cabinets sitting on it. The dado ones are definitely stronger, but for basic cabinets that just sit there and hold drawers and doors, I think we're wasting time chasing perfect strength when speed wins every time. Like my buddy always says, "It's a cabinet, not a bridge.

the_dylan14d ago

Pocket hole stuff holds fine. Did a whole kitchen that way last year and zero issues.