You Have Options
Kitchen cabinet painters know how much a simple refinishing job can do for your cabinets and overall design. However, if your cabinets don’t need painting but you’d like a new look, consider installing new kitchen cabinet hardware. Although these pieces are small, they have a huge impact on the individual design you seek as well as character. You may think you need to call a pro to change out your hardware, but kitchen cabinet refinishers and other contractors don’t need to help you install the pieces. In most instances, it’s an easy DIY job that doesn’t take a lot of time to complete. The first suggestion we have is to discover designs that complement your kitchen cabinets and the overall design of your kitchen. There are classic designs such as antique, contemporary and traditional. There are also unique options like knobs in the shape of animals, geometric designs, fruit and cars. Additionally, you have a wide variety of materials to choose from when it comes to hardware. You can choose aluminum, brass, iron, chrome, steel, brushed nickel, ceramic, glass and more. The following suggestions should help you when deciding on hardware.
Don’t use shiny metal fitting with wood cabinets because this combination clashes.
Great places to use ceramic fittings and copper are in Farmhouse and Country style kitchens.
Stainless steel is a great option if your design is contemporary.
Consider your fixtures when deciding-for instance, don’t use bronze if your kitchen has stainless steel metal work (faucets, etc.)
Light finishes go well with dark hardware, and light hardware goes with dark finishes.
Different Types of Hardware
The following is a list of different varieties of hardware for your kitchen cabinets:
1. Knobs – Knobs are mounted to drawers and doors with a screw.
2. Pulls – Pulls are like knobs because they serve the same function; however, they are bigger than knobs and require more than one screw to fit. For a large impact visually, you can combine knobs and pulls. For example, use knobs for drawers and pulls for doors as long as the two don’t clash.
3. Drawer Slides – In order to slide the drawer and open and close it, use these for the railing where the drawer is mounted.
4. Catches and Latches – Latches and catches keep doors closed securely. You can use springs, magnetic or others.
5. Hinges – You should base the type of hinges on the type of kitchen cabinet style you have. If there is one area you may need help with, this is it. If you’re lost, ask for guidance from a pro for installing the right hinges. Sagging doors will result in poorly fitted hinges.
If you’re going to buy new kitchen cabinet hardware, be sure to take precise measurements of everything. Be sure to note the sizes and locations and spacing of the screws. It’s not only time consuming to have to replace hardware that doesn’t fit, but you also don’t want to start drilling for an item that simply won’t fit or match your previous mountings. A good suggestion is to bring some of your old hardware to the store where you’re buying your new hardware to compare.
It is possible that your original hardware may have an out of the ordinary shape so the original holes may not be able to be used. You can use back plates to cover up previous holes that are unsightly. On top of this, you will be able to use whatever knobs and pulls you choose without concerning yourself with what was previously mounted to your kitchen cabinets.
A Great Way To Update Your Kitchen
Updating your kitchen doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process. Nor does it have to be a major renovation. Simply replacing knobs and pulls on your kitchen cabinets can make a huge impact in your kitchen’s overall design. As we stated previously, this project is a DIY job for most. However, if you’d like your kitchen to really be the centerpiece of your home, you may want to consider kitchen cabinet painting and have the pro install the new hardware in the process. If you’d like more tips and ideas from our team, visit Greenville-refinishing.com. to read all our blog posts and get ideas for your next kitchen project.
Portions of this article can be found in a different form at https://www.helpful-kitchen-tips.com/2008/09/25/kitchen-cabinet-hardware/
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