I Tried Pocket Screws on a Red Oak Stair Rail and It Split on the Third Step

Rowan Walker · 2026-10-12T00:00:05.060921+00:00

Everyone on the crew kept pushing me to use pocket screws for a red oak handrail I built in Fort Collins last month, saying it was faster than dowels. I tried it on a test piece and the screw blew out the side of the rail on the third hole because oak is too hard and the grain runs wild. Ended up going back to dowels and glue, took longer but the rail is solid. Anyone else had oak fight back on pocket screws, or is there a trick I'm missing with the jig?

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I Tried Pocket Screws on a Red Oak Stair Rail and It Split on the Third Step | Carpenters - Topic Shares