Heard a guy at the lumber yard say dados are pointless in modern cabinets

I was picking up some plywood yesterday and this young guy was telling the counter guy how dados are old school and just use pocket screws for everything now... I get that pocket screws are fast but I spent years cutting perfect dados and I feel like they hold up way better over time. Has anyone else had a job come back because pocket screws just didn't hold?

2 comments

2 Comments

mila_sullivan5d ago

Not to mention that pocket screws can loosen up with temperature changes in a house, something a good dado joint just doesn't do. It's not about one being faster or slower, it's about which one actually holds up to real world conditions over a decade. Your mileage may vary, but I've seen too many cabinets with pocket screws that went wobbly after a few humid summers.

wren2175d ago

Mila_sullivan is right on the money with that humidity point. What people don't get is that pocket screws and dados are not just different tools, they represent two completely different philosophies about building things. One is about speed and convenience today, the other is about something lasting through the seasons. It's the same pattern I see everywhere now. People pick the faster, easier option and act like the old way is just stubborn, but they don't account for how things wear down. A good dado joint is like a solid handshake that stays firm. Pocket screws are more like a quick wave that might get weak over time. @mila_sullivan said it best, it's about real world conditions over a decade, not just getting the job done by Friday.