DIY – Change Your Kitchen Cabinet Knobs and Drawer Pulls
The first thing to do is count all your kitchen drawers and cabinets, so that you know how many new pieces of hardware to buy. Then, it’s off to the home improvement store!
You many be lucky enough to live near a Lowe’s, or a Home Depot, which will give you a huge selection to choose from for replacement kitchen hardware. You’ll find a smaller (but still very nice) selection at stores such as Walmart and Target. You can also look online for new cabinet and drawer hardware.
Knowing that their hardware is being used in kitchens, the manufacturers will almost always offer cabinet knobs and drawer pulls that complement each other in ‘families’ of decorator pattern groups. You don’t have to get a matched group, but it does make for a nice cohesive look for your kitchen.
Before you leave the store, check for screws! Some kitchen hardware comes with screws, but some does not. Be sure get matching screws, or you’ll be making another trip later. Cabinet knobs generally need one screw (sometimes two), and drawer pulls often need two screws per drawer. You may need washers; check the package on your knob/pulls to see. MAKE SURE that you get pulls and knobs with the same hole pattern as your old ones!
You’ll also need a screwdriver. Kitchen cabinet knobs and drawer pulls usually install with a smallish phillips-head screwdriver. If your home toolbox doesn’t have one yet, grab one at Walmart, (They cost less than a dollar).
Once you get home, you’ll need to remove all the old knobs and pulls. Just unscrew them (counter-clockwise). The screw is on the inside of the drawer or cabinet and when you’ve unscrewed it all the way the knob/pull will fall right off. (Consider saving the screws, you may be able to use them to put on the new knobs/pulls, if they are the same size!)
Now you’ll probably notice a bunch of grunge right around the hole where the knobs and pulls came off. That’s the accumulated ‘stuff’ that your family’s messy hands deposited as they opened drawers and cabinets throughout the years. Ick! Drawer and cabinet fronts are harder to clean with knobs and pulls sticking out of them, so there will never be a better time than now to clean them. Scrub that mess off with some soapy water and it’ll really brighten them up.
Now it’s time to install your new hardware. Line up your new pulls and knobs over the holes (see why you needed to get the same hole pattern?) and push the screws through and twist them by hand to get them started. Then use your screwdriver to tighten them (clockwise) the rest of the way.
After the first few, you’ll get into a rhythm, and soon the whole kitchen will be finished. This quick and easy project can really revitalize your kitchen. Updating your cabinet knobs and drawer pulls is one of the most satisfying one-day DIY projects.
Enjoy your beautiful kitchen!
