How To Install Kitchen Cabinet Handles - A Step-by-Step Guide

When your kitchen starts to look a little aesthetic fatigue, learning how to install kitchen cabinet handles is a chic and affordable way to give your kitchen a new look.

You don't even need to call in a professional to get the perfect facelift. Your cooking space can be enhanced with finer details such as cabinet handles.

If you're painting, staining, or refinishing your kitchen cabinets, installing new handles is the perfect finishing touch to any room makeover. Here we explain how it is done.

If you're installing kitchen cabinets, or if you want to update your kitchen cabinets without replacing them, you'll want to know how to install new handles. The experts at WEKIS have compiled the following important recommendations for installing cabinet handles. First, get the right tools for your kitchen cabinets.

You will need:

- Cordless drill with appropriate wood bits to fit the fixtures provided

- Combining blocks

- Tape measure

- Pencil

- Screwdriver

- Spirit level

- New handle

1. Place the Handle

So where should your new kitchen cabinet handles go?

Generally speaking, the handle of the base unit tends to be on top of the door, so you don't have to reach far. To avoid reaching up high or having to take the stool out, the wall handle unit is attached to the bottom of the door.

Ultimately depends on where you place your kitchen handles, but WEKIS recommends the following:

Drawer: Place handles in the horizontal and vertical middle of each drawer face.

Floor-to-ceiling cabinets: Position approximately 50mm from the top side edge opposite the hinge.

Wall-mounted cabinets/units: Position it about 50mm from the edge opposite the hinge, only this time near the bottom of the door.

2. Measure and Mark

Grab your tape measure and pencil and get ready to find just the right spot - getting the right measurements is key to a professionally finished finish.

Follow the steps below for seamless preparation:

1) From the leading edge (the side of the door opposite the hinges), use a tape measure to measure 50mm at the top and bottom.

2) Lightly mark with a pencil - if your hands are too heavy it may dent the wood

3) Use a spirit level to draw a line on the mark to make sure the handle is level.

4) Measure the overall height of the door, then divide that by three to get the top, middle and bottom third dimensions.

5) Measure out a third of the way from the top of the door and mark with a pencil. Your handle will go somewhere in the first third.

6) Measure the distance between the two fixing holes of the handle, from the center of one hole to the center of the next hole.

7) Subtract that measurement from the height of the top third of the door, then divide that number by two. Now you know the distance from the top of the door to where the first screw hole will be - mark with a pencil.

8) Measure down from the first screw hole mark on the door to the previously measured distance between the two screw holes on the handle. Mark the final screw holes with a light pencil.

3.Check Your Fixed Center

Check the fixed center and place the handle in the desired position.

Once you are happy with the location, mark the fixing center on the door/drawer and check that the location is square and in the right place. Before you start drilling, check that you're happy with the final position by holding the handle against the door. Each marking should correspond to a screw hole.

4. Get Drilling

Once the fixing centers are correctly positioned, you can drill the holes in the door.

This hole should be slightly larger than the set screw provided so that some adjustments can be made. And always drill from the outside to prevent damage or chipping.

Follow these tips for perfect drilling:

1) Use a Smaller Drill Bit to Drill the "Entry Hole"

Larger bits are prone to slipping from the marked location, which can damage the wood. To avoid this, you can use a smaller drill bit to make a smaller hole.

This will give your larger drill something to grab onto. Line up the drill bit with the pencil mark you made using the template, and slowly drill into the wood, keeping your hand as level and steady as possible.

Make sure the drill is at exactly 90 degrees to the door surface and keep your fingers away from the door surface while drilling.

2) Alternatively, Use an Awl Instead

This is a metal shaft with a tip that creates a slight indentation in the wood that the drill bit grabs into. Instead of drilling a starter hole, you can use an awl to recess where you intend to drill the hole.

3)  Drill a Bigger Hole

Whether you drilled the entry hole or marked the location with an awl, you can now drill with precision. Simply use a drill bit that is the same size as the screws you are using and start drilling (typically 5mm for standard cabinet hardware screws, but check the supplied screws first to make sure they are the correct size).

Designed to keep the hole clean and clear of any paint cracks or chips that the handle can't cover.

5. Secure New Kitchen Cabinet Handles

Now is the time to get the job done and secure your new kitchen cabinet handles.

You can push the screw through the front of the door/drawer into the handle and hand-tighten.

Some screws can be cut to length or snapped off to fit the thickness of the door.

1) Push the screw into each hole from the inside so that the screw sticks out.

2) Grab the handle and place the screw hole in front of the first screw.

3) Use a screwdriver to secure the screws into the mounts. Don't screw it all the way down because you want to be able to fit the second screw (if there is one).

4) Repeat the above steps for the second screw, then fully tighten both screws.

Cabinet handles are usually placed in the center of a drawer or the top corner of a door.

When drilling multiple doors or drawers, make sure they are all marked the same for a uniform look.

All in all, getting new kitchen handles is a quick and easy way to breathe new life into your kitchen design. With just a few simple steps and the right tools, you can give your cabinets a stylish makeover that reflects your personal taste and enhances the overall ambiance of your kitchen. So don't hesitate to start this DIY project - revamp your cabinets and enjoy the new look they bring to your cooking space.

The above are the steps of installing kitchen cabinet handles compiled by WEKIS experts for you. If you want to know more or want to buy cabinet hardware, please contact us.

WEKIS is a professional custom furniture hardware manufacturer. Our furniture hardware series covers a complete range of categories. Styles range from modern simplicity to sophisticated sophistication. WEKIS has been perfecting our hardware products and providing the latest catalog to meet your project needs. Each hardware product represents the perfect combination of art and function. Our 19 years of experience, strict production process and quality testing ensure each project is finished and highly customized. We wholeheartedly provide you with one-stop service from design to production.