Cabinet Hardware

Dos and don'ts for new cabinet hardware: size, fit and appearance.

Cabinet Hardware One of the easiest and least inexpensive ways to update your kitchen is with new cabinet hardware. What may seem like an insignificant detail can actually give your cabinets a fresh invigorated look. From the simple and timeless to the clean and contemporary, from the delicately ornate to the wildly whimsical, there are tons of options available. When replacing old knobs and pulls, you may need to change the hinges. Here, you’ll have a number of kinds to choose from. Everything from concealed to surface mounted, so check with your local home center about new hinges that are appropriate for your kitchen. Appearance is important, but so is function. When you consider the number of times you open a cabinet or pull out a drawer, you’ll want hardware that feels good to handle everyday. So, best select new knobs and pulls not only for the style but also for your lifestyle. Hardware that’s compatible and user friendly, not too big, not too small, but just right, right in your hand and right in proportion to the size of your cabinets. Installing cabinet hardware takes patience and an eye for precision. Here, it helps to have a mounting guide or template to mark accurate positions for drilling the holes for the new hardware. Knobs only require a single hole drilled for a screw or a bolt, while drawer pulls and handles, typically required two screws or bolts. You can try to use the preexisting holes, but be prepared to drill new one. If you’re new hardware doesn’t fit or you buy new doors. Just remember to drill through the front of the door. If you drill from the back, you may split the wood on the front. Once you finished drilling, just screw your hardware into place. It may surprise you how the simple active installing new hardware can reenergize your cabinets and bring a personal touch to your kitchen.