Unpopular opinion: I think pocket hole joinery is a crutch for bad design

Last week, I was helping a friend in his garage shop in Tempe put together a basic bookshelf. He pulled out his Kreg jig like it was the only tool in the box. The whole thing felt flimsy before we even put a book on it. I built a similar unit three years ago using simple dados and glue, and it's still solid as a rock. Pocket holes have their place for quick fixes, but they're making people skip learning real joinery. Has anyone else seen a project fall apart because it was all pocket screws and no real structure?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnson.adam2mo ago

My Tempe neighbor's Kreg-built deck has lasted 15 years, so maybe @anthony883 just got unlucky.

anthony88323d ago

Did you try reinforcing the inside with glue before the screws?

anthony8832mo ago

Remember that old TV stand I built with pocket screws? It held up fine until my toddler tried to use it as a step stool. The whole corner just ripped out, screws and all. That soft pine just shredded. I had to rebuild the whole base with mortise and tenon joints, which was a pain but it's never moved since. Sometimes you don't know the weak spot until it fails right in front of you.