Updating a kitchen can be costly and time-consuming, sometimes you want something new in your kitchen, bathroom, or other area of your home. The kitchen tends to get left out when it comes to updates because there’s not much room for change without tearing out appliances, countertops, and cabinets.
Replacing cabinet handles is one way to get around this. Whether your cabinets have old hardware from previous owners or you’re just tired of hardware you installed previously, replacing the hardware isn’t too tough. All you need is a drill, measuring tape and new hardware.
If you need a refresher or you’re replacing cabinet hardware for the first time, we’re here to help. Keep reading to learn more about how to change out cabinet handles or pulls so that you can finally add a little flair to your kitchen.
Replacing Cabinet Handles
Replacing cabinet handles is an easy enough job for the DIYer. Depending on the size of your space or how many cabinets you have will depend on how long it takes you to complete the project. With the right tools, you should be able to complete a typical project within one day.
You may need a step ladder in addition to the other tools we mentioned above. Even for lower hanging cabinets, a step ladder can give you a better angle when removing and re-hanging the cabinet doors.
Remove Cabinet Doors
You can start your project by removing just a couple of cabinet doors at once. Removing more than three doors can get complicated and it’s easy to forget which doors go where once they’ve been removed.
Using your step ladder, climb up to eye level with the hinges and remove the screws from the base of the cabinet, not the door itself. This will make it easier to re-hang the cabinet doors later.
Lay the doors out in a line if you’ve removed multiples and begin removing the existing hardware.
Remove Existing Hardware
You can use your drill or a simple screwdriver to remove the existing hardware from the cabinet doors. Be careful not to strip any screws so that you don’t get stuck with cabinet door with a screw stuck in it, or worse, a gaping hole for drilling it out.
Make sure to set the removed hardware aside from the doors so as not to mix it up with the new hardware that you will be replacing.
Fill Screw Holes
If you have exposed wood cabinet doors then you’ll probably want to pick up a few different shades of wood putty. You can mix the various shades to find a color that matches your cabinet wood best.
If your cabinet doors are painted, you’ll just need to use some basic wood putty to fill the holes left over from the removed hardware.
Using your finger or the corner of a putty knife, tap wood putty into the exposed drill hole. Smooth it over with the putty knife and allow to dry according to the directions on the wood putty container.
Camouflage Screw Holes
Once the wood putty is dry, you can either paint the cabinet door to match the existing paint color or camouflage the filled hole with wood pens or stain markers. Also, try to put the new hardware in a conspicuous spot on the door so that the covered hole is not as noticeable.
Picking Out New Hardware for Cabinets
There are a lot of different styles of kitchen cabinet hardware to choose from depending on your taste and function. Consider how you use your cabinet doors and try to find handles or pulls that will work cohesively in your space. You can also use your cabinet handles to make a statement in your kitchen.
Try contemporary hardware in a farmhouse kitchen or exotic pulls in a basic, small, outdated kitchen. Make it fun and interesting but not too gaudy.
Installing New Hardware for Kitchen Cabinets
Once your wood putty and paint has dried, you can install the new hardware. If you are replacing handles or pulls with similar dimensions to those that you took off, you may be able to use the same holes. If not, you’ll need to drill new holes.
Aesthetics
Before you replace every handle in your kitchen, try replacing one and see how you like it for your kitchen. It may look appealing in the store only to be something completely different from your decor. You want your handles and pulls to mimic your personality, not clash with it.
Measurements
You can find hardware installation kits at your local hardware store to help with the measurements for your cabinet doors and hardware. Otherwise, you can make your own template using a scrap piece of wood. Just drill holes that match your cabinet hardware to use as a marker for your cabinet doors.
Final Thoughts On Replacing Cabinet Handles
Replacing your cabinet handles doesn’t have to be a scary process. Just make sure you set aside plenty of time for the project as it is one that requires such. You’ll want to be patient while you remove the cabinet doors and hardware as well as allowing the wood putty to dry.
You should take care with the drill when creating new holes for the new hardware so that you don’t scratch or dent the cabinet. Drill holes should be just smaller than the screw you will use to install the hardware for a tight fit.
Once you’ve finished the project, you’ll enjoy a fresh looking kitchen or bathroom that required little effort and didn’t break the bank.
When you’re ready to replace the hardware in your home, feel free to contact us. We also have cabinets if you want a more updated look.