Video: Assembling Cabinet Face Frames with Pocket Hole Screws

Learn how to assemble a simple face frame using pocket screws.

Video: Assembling Cabinet Face Frames with Pocket Hole Screws - Video Transcript

Ernie Conover: The most common method to put kitchen cabinet face frames together is with pocket screws. The method was developed some time ago by the Kreg Corporation who makes a variety of jigs to do this operation. This is a very nice example of one that is good for small or home shops, but Kreg also makes pocket jigs that are totally automated for industry. You simply stick the rail in, lock it in place, touch a foot pedal and both holes are bored at once. In this method, we use a step drill through this jig and with these three holes we can get a spacing that's right for the width of work we are doing. For this two-inch rail I use these two holes where for this inch-and-a-half rail I'll use holes B and C, gives me the right spacing.

The step drill just barely comes through the wood, it actually doesn't come completely through and then you put a screw in like this and drive it through into the other piece and it does a great job of attaching the two together. It's very strong, there's been kitchens in service for 20 years with this method without failure so it works. To use the system is very simple once it's clamped in place I'm going to put in some hearing protection I'm going to start my vacuum cleaner.

There are the two pocket screws I just reverse this. Center it on the two lines and do it again.

It's now time to put our parts together. I've clamped my top rail down on the sheet of MDF with a clamp so it won't move around and I lined the two pieces up the way I want them to go together, and supplied with the jig is this nifty clamp that gives you great clamping pressure every time. These being clamped very securely together and being cut very accurately and very square is key to the success of this system. Supplied is a square drive screwdriver and you simply put two screws in.

Undo our clamps. There's our face frame put together, very strong great system. Now we'll do the other end and then the bottom and we'll have a face frame. There is our finished face frame, beautiful registration, a little bit of sanding and it'll look great. It's worth noting that the Kreg jig may also be used to attach the face frame to the cabinet. It can also be used to attach cabinet boxes together. To do that we simply take the drilling jig out of the machine and put it into this portable jig and again we set it for the thickness of the material. Then we can simply put that on the side of the cabinet and attach either a side of a cabinet to a face. It's a very versatile jig.