How to Use Pocket-Hole Joinery

A pocket-hole joint is made when a screw hole is counter-bored at an angle through the surface of one of the parts being joined. The selected surface is one that will not be visible on the finished piece. This type of joint can also be called a "pocket bore joint" or a "pocket screw joint". There are industrial machines that can bore the pocket hole, but the most affordable way is to use a Kreg Jig that holds the work and the drill at the correct angle for boring.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Kreg jig
• counter-bore drill bit
• power screwdriver
• long driver bit
• pocket screws

Joints for cabinet face frames

1. 
   The part is positioned in the jig, ready to be bored.

   Place the part into the Kreg jig and clamp it as shown. The pocket hole is always bored at the end of the part, in the same direction as the grain.

2. 
   The drill bores through the jig and into the part.

   Bore through the wood until the stop on the drill bit hits the stop on the jig. The drill that comes with the jig bores the through hole for the screw and the counter bore in one operation.

3. 
   The pocket screw is driven into the joint.

   Apply glue to the joint, clamp it to a flat surface and drive in the pocket screw with your power driver. The long driver bit allows you to drive the screw without the chuck of the drill coming in contact with the work. Notice that the part you are screwing into is always side grain not end grain.

Joints for cabinet cases

4. 
   This is the small version of the Kreg jig.

   Bore the pocket-holes in the tops and bottoms of the case parts whenever the sides of the case must not show screw holes. Shown here is a small portable Kreg jig for use if the parts are too big to be placed in the previously shown jig

5. 
   Cabinet case parts can be assembled with pocket joints.

   Temporarily clamp the parts together and attach the tops and bottoms to the case sides with pocket screws. The screw holes face down on the cabinet bottoms, and they face up on the cabinet tops, as shown. The counter top will cover these screws and the sides of the cabinet will show no signs of a fastener.

6. 
   The pocket hole is concealed on the underside of a shelf.

   Attach the shelves to the sides of the case with the pocket holes facing downwards.

Tips & Warnings

• Use screws designed for pocket joints. They have round heads with a built-in washer.
• Be sure to place your work pieces in the Kreg jig so that the unseen surface of the part faces the jig.

References

• Pocket Hole Joinery

Resources

• Kreg Tool Co.