Tips for Using Hardwood - Predrilling
With so many projects underway, we want to make sure our customers remember that predrilling is essential in most circumstances, especially if you have selected a hardwood component for your project. It is recommended to create pilot holes before attaching screws in order to prevent damage to your wood. Drilling screws directly into the wood without predrilling can cause splitting, cracking and other issues with the wood over time. To ensure a stronger hold, always predrill when using hardwoods such as cherry, hickory, hard maple and more.
We offer the majority of our wooden components in various hardwood species. We also have hardware and accessories that you may be attaching to existing wood pieces (such as this brass cup caster). When predrilling for any project, it is important to choose a drill bit of the correct size. Generally, a pilot hole for a screw should be the same size as the body of the screw (not including the threads). This means it will have a slightly smaller width. It should always be drilled to the same depth as the screw.
For additional information and a brief demonstration, we assembled the Albany Sofa Leg with Caster Wheel (Part #41034) in the video below. This specific leg was made of hardwood which made predrilling a necessary step in assembly.