Caught myself over-tightening face frame screws for years

I was working on a kitchen job in Austin last week and noticed my face frames kept bowing at the joints. An old cabinet guy walked by and pointed out I was cranking down my pocket screws way too tight. He said just snug them till they stop turning, then back off a quarter turn. I tried it on the next cabinet and the frame sat flat for once. Has anyone else had issues with screw tension messing up their alignment?

3 comments

3 Comments

mianelson16d ago

Yeah I used to crank em down tight too. Changed my tune after a crooked job.

cole_flores4416d ago

I really don't see the issue with cranking them down tight. Never had a single fastener back out on me doing it that way. If the job gets crooked thats more of a setup problem than a torque problem.

sanchez.mary16d ago

Holy crap, BACK OFF a quarter turn?! I've been cranking those things like I'm tightening lug nuts on a tire. That just sounds crazy to me, I always thought tighter was better for holding stuff together.