The secret to install Cabinet hardware is one inexpensive product that will save you a headache of messing up your cabinets. With this quick solution lining up new knobs and drawer pulls on your cabinets will be a quick afternoon DIY!
[AFFILIATE LINKS ARE PROVIDED BELOW FOR CONVENIENCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE MY DISCLOSURE HERE.]
How Do You Install New Cabinet Hardware Perfectly?
Whether it’s a kitchen, office or a new vanity I get asked all the time what is a inexpensive way to update old cabinets? Adding new hardware is the best way to update a space. Most people will steer clear of even attempting to drill a hole into their pristine beautiful cabinets.
I am here today to share with you one of my most used tools from Amazon. At the time of purchase this tool only cost me $8 and at the time of writing this post (August 2022) it’s currently the same price! The Ravinte cabinet door and drawer hardware installation template kit is your secret to installing cabinet hardware without losing your mind.
Having the functionality of new handles is a must in the long run. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing it serves a function. Having hardware on your cabinets prevents your cabinet finish from getting nicks and dings from frequently opening and closing the doors. Adding hardware is just one way out of many to an updated kitchen.
How to Install Kitchen Cabinet Handles Straight?
Back when I renovated our kitchen in our Texas home I was terrified to mess up adding hardware to the kitchen cabinets. I knew that this was a flip house and that we would be passing it on to another military family and I really didn’t wanna mess up. Using a cabinet hardware template is the easiest way to make sure you install your handles and knobs straight and even.
In the Ravinte template kit it includes both door and drawer templates and the correct drill bit for mounting your cabinet knobs and cabinet pulls. Designed for use with any knobs and for common cabinet pull sizes this template allows for easy installation. Not only did it layout the correct distance between the holes I didn’t have to guess on each door where I needed to drill.
Supplies Needed:
- Pencil (I prefer a pencil to a permanent marker because I have marked holes before and stood back and realize I wanted to lower the holes. A pencil mark is easier to erase whereas if you use a permanent marker it might not come off)
- Ravinte Cabinet Hardware Template Kit
- Drill
- Tape Measure (This one is my favorites! It supports veterans and it has the measurements for all the tiny lines 😀)
- Painters Tape
- Cabinet Hardware
How to Install Cabinet Hardware?
First step to installing cabinet hardware is to find what hardware you are going to be using. 90% of the time I end up buying all of my hardware from Amazon. In this post about hardware that goes with oak cabinets I share some of my tried and true hardware picks from Amazon. Even if you don’t have oak cabinets a lot of these cabinet pulls and knobs will go with any style cabinet doors.
Once we have secured the goods it’s time to figure out placement. In your hardware template kit you will have two templates. One is for your cabinet doors and the other is for your cabinet drawers. On those templates you will have the most common placement for screw holes. What I like to do is I hold the template up to the door or the drawer and mark with a pencil where I think I want my cabinet hardware to be.
Once you have marked out your pilot holes take your hardware and line it up with the holes, stand back and visualize if this is where you want your placement to be. Sometimes having a second person hold the hardware up to the cabinet while you step back and look at it from a further distance helps to visualize better.
Finding The Center of the Drawer Front
Finding the center of cabinet drawers are pretty simple. To find the center of a drawer you need to take the total measurement of the drawer front and divide that number in half. For example if your drawer front was 16” wide then your halfway point would be 8”. On your drawer template there will be a little notch in the center of the template that sits on top of the drawer, that shows you your center mark. Line it up and that is where you will put your template every time when you go to drill for your hardware holes.
How to Drill Holes for Cabinet Hardware
Now for the scary part, drilling your first hole! Just kidding using a hardware template honestly takes away any scary moments of drilling into your cabinets. Once you have your new holes marked it’s time to take the included drill bit that came with your Ravinte template kit and insert it in the power drill.
When drilling into your cabinets you want to make sure that the tip of your drillbit is in the very center of your dot that you marked on your cabinet. Second most important thing is to drill slowly and make sure you are as level as possible. From experience, one of the first holes that I drilled I was not completely level which resulted in my hardware being slightly crooked because my hole was slightly crooked.
PRO TIP: General rule for drilling holes is to use your painters tape to prevent any splitting in the wood. By placing a strip of tape on the cabinet backs & cabinet fronts of the door or drawer it will stop the wood from splitting. I’m not sure what the science is and why this works but I have seen many people use this method and have watched my dad growing up use this on many projects.
Now that you have drilled your last hole it’s time for the last step, adding the hardware. Slip your screw through the backside of your hole, attach the hardware on the front and use your drill to tighten. It’s very important that you do this step slowly when drilling to tighten your screw. Going too fast can strip the screw out and or break it inside of your hardware. I am speaking from experience!
Now that you have added your own hardware stand back and enjoy the view!
FAQ
One of the two frequently asked questions that I get about installing cabinet hardware is what if my screws are too short?
I recently had this problem when installing hardware on my office drawer fronts. The drawer fronts were thicker than the screws provided with my hardware. Most of the time you can take the screws that come with your hardware to your local hardware store to find the exact size and length that you need for cheap. If you’re lucky like I was we keep all of our extra screws from items that we buy or projects that we’ve done in the past. A lot of the times I can find something that works in our little collection.
The second most frequently asked question that I get is what if I put a hole in the wrong place?
First off don’t panic there’s always a solution when this happens! Good news, most of the time you can take a wood filler to fill the hole up then sand over it lightly. Repaint or restain your surface and you’re good to go. If you didn’t refinish your cabinets before hand you most likely can take your cabinet door or drawer off and go to your local paint store and they can paint match for you.
I hope these step instructions helped you in some way or another. Whether I answered your most asked questions or I helped you discover an awesome new tool to add to your collection! Send me a direct message over on Instagram if you have anymore questions, I would love to connect.