How to Accurately Attach Kitchen Door Handles

So, the new replacement kitchen doors have arrived. You have carefully unpacked them and checked that you'd got the sizing and the hinge positions right before removing the old kitchen cabinet doors. You were surprised how easy it was to 'split' the hinge, remove the old door and attach the new doors to the cabinets. You have adjusted the hinges so that the doors open and close sweetly. You've made sure that all the doors and drawer fronts are level and the gaps between them are parallel and equal. And now for the new handles which you'd bought. So, you start fixing the handles on and realise - one mistake - if you get one handle too high, not straight or further from the door edge than its neighbours and all your hard work and the look of your new kitchen will be ruined.

How do you ensure that every handle or knob is fitted in EXACTLY the same place on each of your kitchen doors and drawer fronts? It may seem an impossible task to drill so many holes with such accuracy but it is actually quite easy to achieve once you give it some DIY thought. Here are three methods that make fitting the door handles and knobs accurately a piece of cake.

1) Make a template. Most knobs are attached by one bolt, whilst most handles require two bolt holes. Measure where you would like the first handle or knob to be. Use a metal tape measure and measure the distance from the top of the door and then the distance from the non-hinge edge of the door. Be accurate - remember the adage 'measure twice and cut once'. Take a piece of stiffish card and place its top right hand corner in the top right hand corner of the door. Now, transfer your knob/handle measurements to the card and make a hole in the card where the two measurements meet. This hole should be smaller than the drill hole required, but obviously large enough for a pencil to be inserted to make a mark. This way you can use one side of the template for right hand opening doors and the other side for left hand opening doors. Remember that most handles or knobs go towards the top of the door on base units (non hinge edge of course), towards the bottom of the door on wall units and centrally (both vertically and horizontally) on drawer fronts. You may require three templates: one for wall unit doors, one for base unit doors and one for drawer fronts, depending upon your taste. It's then a simple job of marking with a pencil where the holes should be drilled on each of the new doors.

2) Use two marking gauges. A marking gauge is used in joinery to scribe a parallel line on a piece of wood. There is a square block (known as a stock) which has a thumbscrew that locks down on an adjustable stem which carries a sharp metal point or spur. In our project one marking gauge is used to carry the vertical measurement, whilst the other carries the measurement from the edge of the door. "If I need to drill two holes per door do I need three marking gauges?" I hear you ask. The answer is "no" because you can mark the top hole on each door and then reset the vertical marking gauge for the bottom hole so that you can mark the bottom hole on all of the doors. Similarly with drawer fronts, set the vertical marking gauge for both holes and mark the left hand hole on all the drawer fronts with the horizontal marking gauge. Then reset it for the right hand hole and mark all the drawer fronts again. Marking gauges cost about £10 each from DIY stores.

3) Use a handle jig. Replacement kitchen door companies often sell a device called a handle jig which allows you to do the same as 2) but with just one tool rather than two. Basically it is set for both top and bottom holes (if two are required) or the horizontal holes of the drawer front and a set distance from the door edge. As with our template, it is reversible for left and right hand opening doors. These handle jigs are very easily adjustable even for the longest bar handles. As both top and bottom holes are set at once this is a much quicker method than using the two marking gauges. Handle jigs are available at a very similar price, about £25.

One final tip: drill the holes a couple of millimetres larger in diameter than the bolts require. This will give you a small amount of adjustment so that you can get your handles 'bang on' level.



Paul Trafford is employed by Lark and Larks, suppliers of fitted kitchens and replacement kitchen doors to the trade and public. From kitchen cabinets to door handles, contemporary taps to ceramic sinks, Lark and Larks supplies all the fittings and accessories needed to create or refurbish a complete kitchen.