Which cabinet screws are being used?

[Carl Beckett]

A quick question/poll for those of you doing cabinets:

What screws to you use?

Attaching faceframes via pocket holes (3/4" frame to 3/4" plywood)

Assembling boxes (3/4" plywood into the edge of 3/4" plywood) - and do you predrill?? (if so what countersink/predrill size do you use?)

[Bill White]

Pan head 1 1/4" coarse and fine for pocket holes.
No screws in ply. I use brads and glue unless the project is a jig. Then, just sheetrock screws since I seem to have a million of 'em.
Bill

[Todd Burch]

Carl, for boxes, I use these screws. They are wonderful.

Wurth p/n 30800.
Louis and Company order code L308. (1,000 per box)

The above is 8 x 2", 2/3 threaded, type 17 tip (softwood, hardwood), case hardened, 4 nibs under head for self countersinking, flat head, #2 Phillips drive.

I also keep on hand the 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" sizes.

[Peter Quinn]

I use kreg 1 1/4" washer head screws in fine or coarse depending on species for carcus to FF connection. I use Deerfield Ultimates assembly screws for nearly everything else, 1 1/2" to join ply wood boxes. I pre drill with a #6 non tapered pre driller for # 8 screws. The ultimates have a counter sinking head and auger point tip, but it can still split plywood if things go wrong, so for me the drill is cheap insurance.

[William C Rogers]

I use the Kreg 1 1/4" washer head screws fine/coarse for face frames and for nail rails. I use tongue and groove and glue for box construction (no screws or nails). This makes a very strong box.

Bill

[frank shic]

i use the kreg screws for face frame as well. i usually use confirmats for the cases but on the last project i didn't feel like ordering them so i just used drywall screws which worked fine.

[Chris Friesen]

Drywall screws can work okay as clamps till the glue dries. I wouldn't depend on them for any load-bearing purpose as they are thin and brittle.

I'm no pro, but in sheet goods I like something with a deep sharp coarse thread. I also predrill and am careful to not over-tighten. (Predrilling is always the best, though self-drilling screws can work in many cases. See "Wood as an Engineering Material" for details.)

[Sam Murdoch]

For pocket hole screws - to assemble face frame parts together, I use a Kreg Washer head, nearly always coarse thread and for face frames up to 7/8" thick I use 1-1/4". I do not use pocket screws for plywood to plywood or face frames to plywood construction except for very rare applications.

For 3/4" to 3/4" plywood box connections, I use dominos or biscuits (more often dominos these days) followed up with fastening using these wonderful screws which sound like the ones Todd Burch is using =

236482 I get these from Outwater Hardware. I use the silver color for the 1-1/2" and I use the black for the 1-1/4" & 2". This way I don't inadvertently pick up the wrong length screw. I use to use square drive and phillips as a non mix up code but the color coding makes it easier to throw a few sizes on the bench without any mix up.

These particular screws are especially good because of the auger point and the nibs under the head. Unless I am driving a screw close to a plywood end (less than 1-1/2" ) I NEVER PRE DRILL using these screws and have had no issues. What a huge time saver. AND I have never had one of these snap off or strip out. Cheap screws are the most expensive.

McFeely's sells a similar screw in their Spax line but it is a #9 which can be too big, whereas the # 7s too small, and the # 8 is just right. -http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/0912-FZX/SPAX--9-x-1-14quot-Clear-Zinc-Flat-Head-Screws-25-ct-box

[Matt Meiser]

Kreg for any pocket holes. For boxes, 1-1/2" #8 from McFeelys, although I think their quality and inventory hav slipped since Grainger bought them.

[scott vroom]

Any brand pocket hole screw, typically 1-1/4". Coarse thread for softwood, fine thread for hardwood.

For plywood cases I typically use 2" drywall coarse thread.

[Mark W Pugh]

I've read a lot of material that talks about 1 3/4" screws. Any comments? Also, any Borg screws that fill the bill?

[Matt Meiser]

Sure, if you like either brittle, snap prone screws or screws about as hard as lead.

Actually Home Depot and Menards both carry Spax which are good.

[Peter Kelly]

I don't do face frames but 2" Spax or Confirmats from Hafele for boxes. Holes predrilled by the construction borer.

[Ed Edwards]

I thought Fastenal bought McFeeley

Ed

[Jefferey Scott]

I use Kreg screws for all my pocket holes for face frames, etc.

For other uses I use Promax flat head screws by McFeely's. They pull the pieces to be joined together very tightly the first time without jacking. Check them out.

[Carl Beckett]

I use Kreg screws for all my pocket holes for face frames, etc.

For other uses I use Promax flat head screws by McFeely's. They pull the pieces to be joined together very tightly the first time without jacking. Check them out.

Jeff, what size are you using? (and I think you were using dados on the cabinet edges - dont know if that affects your selection)

[Jefferey Scott]

Jeff, what size are you using? (and I think you were using dados on the cabinet edges - dont know if that affects your selection)

Hi Carl, I'm using 1 3/8". Because I'm using dados, I didn't feel they needed to be that long. I could probably have gone a little deeper, but they seem to be working out ok.

[Jim Becker]

General purpose screws... #8 x 1.25" or #8 x 1.5" McFeely's yellow zinc coated
Carcass Assembly (1/2" sheet goods)... #7 x 1.625" McFeely's stainless steel trim head
Pocket Screes... Krieg or McFeely's normal size for 3/4" material

I don't generally use 3/4" sheet goods for "boxes", preferring the lighter, yet still very strong 1/2" stock, but when I do, I use the above mentioned "general purpose" screes and YES, I always pre-drill and countersink with tooling appropriate to the size of the fastener.

I do not buy, keep or use "drywall screws" for any kind of woodworking project. Ever.

[Matt Meiser]

I thought Fastenal bought McFeeley

Ed

http://pressroom.grainger.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194987&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1094863&highlight=

[frank shic]

as long as you pre drill, using drywall screws is really not a problem.