The kitchen is one of the most heavily used areas of a home with its cabinets being one of its central and most used features. Kitchen cabinets are used daily which makes them subject to wear and tear with small parts that may become easily damaged. Replacing cabinets can be an expensive project but fortunately, many common problems can easily be fixed by the homeowner. The following is a list of the most common problems with tips for do-it-yourself cabinet repairs and cabinet restoration.
Adjusting Hinges and Latches
The hinges and latches on a cabinet are responsible for holding the door in place and are a commonly needed cabinet repair. If a cabinet door appears misaligned, this can often be fixed by adjusting the screws of the hinge. Hinges typically have depth screws that adjust the depth of the door and side screws that allow it to move side to side when loosened. By adjusting these screws, you can change the depth of a cabinet that is not flush with the others and straighten doors that appear crooked. If a door is straight and flush but sits higher or lower than the other doors, the mounting screw can be adjusted to raise or lower the door.
The latches are what hold a cabinet door closed and if a latch cannot do this, it either needs to be replaced or adjusted. Adjusting the latch is as easy as loosening the screws and moving it in or out until it catches the door and holds it shut. Replacing a latch is just as easy. Simply unscrew the latch to remove it and screw the replacement back in and adjust it until it is working properly.
Drawer Slides
All kitchen cabinet sets also include drawers that pull open by moving on slides. If a drawer does not pull open properly, the first step should be to lubricate the tracks. To do this, pull the drawers out and clean the tracks before coating them and the rollers lightly with spray lubricant. If the drawers are still difficult to open after lubrication, then the slides may need to be replaced. This is done simply by unscrewing the slide from the bottom of the drawer and replacing it with an identical slide.
Touch Ups
In addition to these minor problems, kitchen cabinets may also get nicked or scratched due to heavy use. However, small nicks and scratches can be fixed without doing a full cabinet restoration by using a stain-filled touch-up marker. Simply dab stain from the marker over the scratch and wipe off any excess that is not absorbed. It is recommended to start with a stain that is lighter than the cabinet finish because the scratch can absorb too much stain and appear darker. Deeper scratches may require a filler pencil to fill in the scratch.
By following these do-it-yourself kitchen cabinet repair and cabinet restoration tips, you can save yourself the cost and the hassle of replacing your cabinets.