Hardware can either make or break the way your kitchen cabinets look. If you’re existing cabinets do not have hardware on them, installing cabinet hardware is easier than you might think. Installing cabinet hardware requires a couple of tools, a little bit of time, and some good judgment.

There are several template tools that can be used to help you install the hardware on your cabinet doors and drawers. Before you attempt to try installing cabinet hardware, you must first pick out the hardware that you wish to install. If your current cabinets already have hardware on them, all you have to do is simply replace it with a newer updated hardware. To do this simply unscrew the existing knobs or pulls, and replace them with knobs and handles that are equivalent in size. If you wish to change the size of the handles that you want to use, you are likely going to have to fill the old holes, and drill new ones.

First let’s talk about installing cabinet door handles. As a general rule, when installing cabinet hardware on the top of your lower cabinet doors, and at the bottom of your upper cabinet doors, a good rule of thumb is, you want to measure up 2 inches from the bottom, and 1 inch in from the side of the door opposite of the hinges. Once you reach that spot, market with a dot or X.

You will then need to have a drill, and correct size drill bit for the size of the bolts that your hardware is using. Drill at a high speed with low pressure. The reason you want low pressure is you do not want to chip or break the back side of your door. Always drill from the outside, in.

For your cabinet drawers, you will need to measure the spacing from one side of the handle to the other. Next you will find the center of your drawer. You will need to measure from top to bottom and get a center measurement, and you will need to measure from the left side to the right side and get a center measurement. Where the two center points to meet put an X. now taking the measurement of the width of your handle where the holes we need to be, and abide back in half. Now from the center point that you have marked on your cabinet drawer you will measure to the left half of the distance of your handle with, and do the same thing to the right. You will need to make sure that these marks are level with the top of your cabinet drawer face. Finally drill your two holes, and install your new cabinet drawer handle.