Fitting kitchen unit doors and handles
Kitchen unit doors and handles are straightforward to fit because in most cases the unit manufacturer will have provided pre-cut holes in the doors for hinge positioning. In a similar way, the hinge plates that fit onto the base or wall unit are also fixed into pre-drilled holes. It is therefore a logical process of following instructions to fit the correct item into the correct holes. Handle positions are also pre-marked and therefore you just need to check that you are lining up with the correct marks for your particular handles. If you are fitting doors as a progression of fitting new units as a whole, you can be certain that the manufacturer will have supplied all the necessary fittings and fixings. If you are fitting new doors to existing units, then make sure that the new door sizes will fit onto your basic units. This idea is a great way of revamping an old kitchen without totally replacing everything, but you just need to check that the doors will be the right size and that they are supplied with hinges and hinge plates.
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1. Doors for wall and base units require hinge plates to be fixed in pre-drilled holes on the hinging side of each unit. |
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2. Simply fit the hinges into the pre-cut holes in each door and screw in place with the screws supplied. |
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3. Attach the doors to the hinge plates. The hinges just slot onto screws on the hinge plate. The screws are then tightened to hold the door in place. |
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4. Always drill pilot holes through the pre-marked handle positions. Clamp a block of wood to the door to prevent the drill bit splitting the wood as it exits. |
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5. Screw handles in place tightening gradually, and check they are aligned with adjacent door handles. |
Kitchen door and handle fitting tips
- Be as accurate as possible when drilling holes for kitchen unit handles. If you don’t drill through the door exactly horizontal, you may find it difficult to fit the handle screws.
- The drill bit you use for the pilot hole should be very slightly larger in diameter than the handle screw.
- Some handle screws may need cutting down in length. Use a junior hacksaw for this.
- Pay particular attention when choosing the correct pre-marked positions for your handles. There may be different marks that correspond to different sizes of handle.
- You can make fine adjustments to align the kitchen doors, by screwing or unscrewing the adjustment screw on each hinge. Hinge plates also have some adjustment if you need to move a door up or down.
- If you are revamping your kitchen by fitting new door and drawer fronts to your existing units, B&Q offer a good range in this area.
