Can i use pocket hole joints for a small coop conctruction.

[conny63malies]

I want to build the "Poulet chalet "from page 47 of the Chicken Coops book. The basic size will be 3x5 and 5ft high. The angle of the roof top will be 90degree for the ease of building. I think it is a nice coop that will give me more coop room than the kids garden coops 8sqf(from Harrison-Nooney) and still ample covered run space for when its rainey and they dony feel like going in the yard and most important it is not as expensive.

I want to use the kregs pocket hole jig for most of the construction,good idea or bad??? I just got the kreg jig from my hubby.

 

[ChickenTender63]

It could possibly work, but I need to know a little more about the materials used to let you know.

I have used the kregs sytem for many things, but mostly cabinet work. The one concern is if you are using 2x lumber, you will deffinately need the longer screws.

 

[conny63malies]

I want to use 2x2's for framing work and 1x2's for some other things .I thought of using their hi-lo screws since i guess their top choice could be poplar. I am buying the top coice treted lumber for 2-3$ for a 8ft piece at Lowes. If it works i am buying a set of coffee table legs and build a coffee table.

 

[ChickenTender63]

Then your Kregs jig will work just fine. I would use two pocket holes side by side though to give you a stronger joint.

If you haven't used the jig yet, you will love it. They are fantastic!

Good luck, and let me know if you have other questions bout it.

 

[BeardedChick]

I LOVE that tool & used it for building cabinets in my horse trailer out of 2x2, also used it for my current roost/nestbox project using 2x4. They are *really* strong connectors.

Yes, two pocket holes in each 2x2. It should be really strong when you are done, and I want to see pictures!!!!

FWIW, I can't get the 2.5" Kreg screws here and have been using regular 2.5" wood screws. They work better than I thought they would.

 

[ChickenTender63]

The Lowes around here have started to carry the Kreg Jigs, and all of the various screws. I used to have to order them, now I can just run down and grab a bag. Hopefully they have them in your area, or you can ask them to stock them for you.

Good Luck!

 

[patandchickens]

Much as pocket hole construction is wonderfully handy for furniture and cabinetry, I am not sure it is the best adapted technique for outdoor structures. Its emphasis is on hiding the screws (which is totally unimportant for a chicken coop) rather than on maximal strength/durability (which is). That is, I mean, you get a strong joint but I do not believe it is AS strong as if you just sent big long screws through yer 2-by lumber, you know?

The big selling point of pocket hole joinery is that a) you get strong joints IN 1" LUMBER (don't build your coop out of 1" stock, it will not be mechanically-strong or rot-resistant and durable enough) and b) it's much faster than similarly-strong traditional woodworking joints that require you to futz around cutting half-laps or mortises and tenons or stuff like that.

Honestly, in 2" lumber like your coop will involve, it is already quite swift to just drive them big ol' screws in, so there is no time savings (actually you'd probably spend more time with the pocket-hole jig) and you get quite a strong joint with the 2" lumber, assuming your piece is sensibly designed, so I am not sure there is any much strength advantage either.

Just my opinion,

Pat

 

[ChickenTender63]

I have been using the pocket hole system for years, and they do make the fasteners for 2 x stock which will give a much stronger joint than just using regular screws because they are:

1) Stronger screws
2) Smaller heads
3) Predrilled holes that will not cause wood splitting.


If you just use a regular wood screw or a sheetrock screw in a piece of 2"x2" lumber, you will only be able to safely use 1 screw per joint, otherwise you WILL split the wood rendering the joint very unstable, especially for something outside.

This system has been updated and is using different fasteners from what it used 4 or more years ago, and is suitable and highly desireable for outdoor use now.

I was a custom home builder for years and have quite of bit of experience with it and would not hesitate to use it for this purpose. If you want a little more insurance with it, get a bottle of gorilla glue at Lowes and moisten the ends of both boards being fastened first, put a dab of gorilla glue on and then screw. The gorillla glue is a polyurethane glue that is weather proof and will hold up for years.

Using this method will provide a much stronger joint that will be far superior to wood screws penetrating through the ends of a joint that will be exposed to the weather. Even painted, the exposed screw heads will allow moisture to absorb into the end grain which will cause even more wood splitting and joint failure.

Pat, she indicated that she was using 2x2 for the framing. If it was 2x4, then 2 wood screws with your method would be quite different and an acceptable approach. But, when you split that in half to a 2x2, wood splitting will be an issue if you try to use more than one wood screw per joint, and that is not enough to give you a strong joint. Your pieces will continue to turn on you.

 

[LynneP]

You're going to have a wonderful coop using that method, and if you need joint glue, also consider 'chair glue' which expands and holds tight when the air is moist. Now that I read the previous post, I think it's similar to gorilla glue which retains a tacky consistency.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Oops, I totally missed that -- you are right, for that I think pocket-hole IS a better way to go. Thank you!

Although, I also have to say that for COOP framing (not run), you do not actually need strong joints at the corners of the frames -- heck, you do not need much in the way of joints there at all -- because you needn't be building a self-supporting strong skeleton at all. You can just be knocking together a plywood box with the 2x2s as, I don't know the technical term, stuff you screw into all along the places the plywood pieces join. The plywood provides all the resistance you need against the joints racking or flexing in any direction; the 2x2, what would you call them, inside corner battens?

, give you a laaaaaarge long area to screw into to attach the plywood pieces together. Well, that did not come out very clearly but you probably know what I mean

Pat