How to Drill Pocket Holes in Mitered Corners

Easily Build a Mitered Frame Using Pocket Holes

I’ve been asked a few times about how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners. It is really easy and can be done in two ways – with two pocket holes on one board or one pocket hole in each board that joins together. There are a few things to keep in mind when drilling pocket holes in any board, especially when creating a frame or door that will have a rabbet routed in the center for glass or a panel. With these tips, you’ll be drilling pocket holes in mitered edges like a pro!

how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2860 copy

Start by cutting the pieces for the frame you’d like to construct. Do a dry fit (fit the pieces together to assemble your piece) to make sure everything lines up properly!

how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2851

Determine where the holes will be drilled and secure the material in the pocket hole jig (<– affiliate link!). If the center area of the frame will have a rabbet routed for glass or another type of panel, locate the pocket holes so that the screws will not interfere with the router bit. For narrower material (1x2s, for example), the pocket holes will be located closer together.

 how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2852

how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2853

how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2854

Apply a bead of glue along one piece then clamp the pieces together. This is where the face clamps (<– affiliate link!) come in really handy – they help keep the faces of the pieces aligned.

how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2857

Drive the screws to pull the pieces together (but not too tight!).

 how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2858

Fill the holes as desired, or use wood plugs designed for pocket holes. If using plugs, sand them flush to the workpiece.

 how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2856

how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners SANY2859

Easy-peasy, right? Now that I’ve shared how to drill pocket holes in mitered corners, will you make frames with mitered corners? Let me know if you need help or have questions – leave a comment below!!

Originally posted 2014-01-09 08:00:10.

32 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.