Cabinet Handles

[Jak Kelly]

Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong forum, but I did not see any better choices. My question is there any standard when installing knobs or handles on cabinetry? I ask because my mother-in-law wants me to install knobs and handles on her cabinets. They had this house built themselves, it has some really nice oak cabinets, raised panel doors. At first they did not want any knobs or handles, but over time they have changed their minds. I do not have a lot to do, one decent sized kitchen and one master bathroom, but I would like it to be done right! I plan on taking some small scraps of MDF with me and form up some type of revesible jig, so i can make sure or certain that left and right are the same. But are there any standards, tips, suggestions that you experienced cabinetry guys might have???

[Sam Murdoch]

Standars - I don't know for sure but I think not. It is really a matter of what you think looks right. If you don't know - or don't trust your eye - it's worth studying photos of cabinetry and getting a sense of scale relative to proportions of the door stiles (and style) and of the knobs/pulls you will install. Having said that here is my "typical" preference:

1) Knobs on cabinet door with rails and stiles and panels are set so that the center hole of the knob is just below the rail stile intersection so that it appears that the top of the knob is flush with the edge of the rail (uppers and lower cabinets).

2) Pulls on such doors I set so that the bottom or top of the pull is flush with the rail/stile intersection. Top and bottom depends on wether you are installing to upper or base cabs.

3) Sometimes tall doors - say of cabinets that sit on the counter top - I set the knobs/pulls to be about 1/4 to 1/3rd up from the bottom of the door.

4) Drawer fronts - 1 knob or pull go in the center of the width but not necessarily in the center of the height.

5) Drawers wider than 21" should get 2 knobs /pulls unless you are using a longer than normal pull (longer than 3" to 4" centers). Then follow the placement as for # 4.

OK - my opinion. Hope that helps. Lots of other ways to do this but the above "typically" work well for me and should be a good starting point for you.

[Chris Padilla]

I think it is mostly what looks right and secondly what is functionally appropriate. If it looks right high up but you foresee it a struggle to open, you may need to lower it.

If, for example, a drawer front has a symmetrical design to it or something, the center might be the best place for a knob or pull.

On that note, deciding between knobs or pulls needs looked at as well.

[William C Rogers]

I don't know of any standard. I ended up using the Rockler jig. You can make this jig, however I was pressed for time. It works fine for cabinet doors and is reversible. I had to lay out all the drawers. The Rockler jig uses a spring loaded center punch to make the hole locations. Somerfield also makes a jig, more expensive that does drawers and doors. I looked at the cabinets at Lowes to get an idea where the handles were placed on their cabinets.

[Jak Kelly]

Thanks for all the help and input, I managed to make 2 simple jigs out of MDF for the task; one for the doors and one for the drawers, worked out well. Even left the jig at the in-laws house so if needed in the future.