Installing your own cabinet doors is a lot easier than you would expect. Hanging and adjusting the doors takes no special skills, and if you want to finish the doors yourself, it’s a straightforward DIY project. The only thing that’s remotely tricky is having to install handles on cabinet doors. In this post, we will show you the fastest, easiest, and best way to ensure your handles (and other cabinet door hardware) are perfect.

Selecting the right hardware

The good news is that you have thousands of handles and knobs to choose from. The bad news is that finding the right ones can feel overwhelming. What you choose is entirely up to you, but it helps to use the same strategies as home designers when picking door hardware. Decide where you want handles versus knobs (handles are better for heavier doors and drawers). When using handles, try to match them to the style of your cabinets (straight lines or rounded edges), and the style of your appliances and kitchen faucet. Finally, keep comfort in mind. Confirm that your hands fit the handles and feel comfortable even after repeated use.

Preparing your doors

How much prep you need to do depends on what kind of doors you order. Paint-grade doors come fully-sanded and ready for you to paint. You will want to paint before you install handles on cabinet doors, so make sure this step is complete before moving on. You can also order finished doors that come with one of five stylish paint colors already applied. No matter what kind of doors you order, hang all of them on your cabinets before starting to address the hardware.

Collecting the right equipment

Installing cabinet door hardware is a fairly easy and inexpensive job as long as you have the right equipment. You will need a pencil, an electric drill with drill bit, and all the hardware you plan to use. You can complete the job with just this equipment, but it’s a lot easier if you also have a miracle tool known as a jig.

Introducing the jig

A jig is a plastic template that can ensure you will drill the holes for your handles and knobs in exactly the right place. Without a jig, you would have to carefully measure each door or drawer to determine exactly where to drill. It’s not rocket science, but it’s also very easy to measure an inch off, drill in the wrong place, and end up with unattractive or inconsistent doors. A jig makes this problem almost impossible. There are separate jigs for doors and drawers, but both work in the same way: you position the jig in the center of the drawer or the bottom corner of the door. There are holes placed throughout the jig indicating where you should drill for various handle sizes and drawer/door dimensions. When you use the holes to make your drill marks you know they’re lined up perfectly and consistently across all your doors. As we noted earlier, a jig is not absolutely necessary, but having one makes it faster and easier to install your hardware without making an expensive mistake.

Installing the hardware

Once your drill holes are marked, carefully drill through the doors and drawers. Now all you need to do is screw in the handles or knobs according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Make sure they’re screwed in tight, and consider using a thread adhesive to prevent wobbly hardware.

Final steps

Once the doors are hung and the hardware is installed, take some time to inspect everything. Look for any parts of the finish that may have been damaged during installation. Make sure that all the doors hang straight and align correctly. If they don’t, adjust the hinges until you get clean, consistent lines. Use wood putty to fill in any holes drilled by mistake (this is unlikely to happen when you use a jig) and keep some of your finish product (paint or stain) around so that you can touch up spots if they ever become damaged.

CabinetDoors.com – making custom-built cabinets easy

At CabinetDoors.com we produce custom-built cabinet doors out of premium hardwood. They are available in a wide range of styles, and each one is built cut to your exact specification so that it perfectly fits your existing cabinets.

Learn more about our easy online ordering process, and take some time to explore our comprehensive FAQ section.