The right cabinet hardware not only gives your cabinet a good finishing touch but also plays an important functional element for convenient day to day use of the cabinets. Cabinet hardware includes the list of following items:
- Door knobs, pulls and handles
- Cabinet hinges
- Drawer slides
- Cabinet organizers
- Cabinet catches and latches, etc.
All the above hardware come in different shapes, sizes, and colors and is made up of many different materials. Thus while buying right cabinet hardware there are many criteria that you need to keep in mind. Here are some pointers that will help you make the right decisions:
- Cabinet design: The cabinet design determines the type of cabinet hardware that will be required to a great extent. The following features of the cabinet will play a vital role in determining the right cabinet hardware:
- Materials used to make cabinets: The material the cabinet is made of will determine the materials of the hardware like pulls and knobs, appliance pulls, etc. For instance, if you have cabinets made of metals you will need to choose hardware made of similar metal. Also if the cabinet doors are on the heavier side, they will require hinges (full wrap) that will be able to take the weight of the doors. The hinges available online have specifications such as door thickness it is suitable for, size specifications of the hinges, etc, mentioned alongside.
- Color scheme: Cabinet hardware come in various colors and finishes like black, stainless steel, copper, brushed nickel, bronze, glass, etc. You can select the one that best suits the color scheme of your cabinet.
- Door and drawer styles: The types of drawers you want (full extension or partial extension), the amount of weight that they will carry, will determine the type of drawer slides you will need to choose. Similarly depending on whether your cabinet door opens upwards, outwards or is an appliance door, will determine the type of handle pull or knob that you will need. You can use a combination of matching pulls and knobs in different parts of cabinets.
- Cabinet Users: If the cabinet is going to be handled by multiple users, it is wise to have more durable and sturdy cabinet hardware to sustain wear and tear due to frequent usage. If you have small children that it will be good to use self closing and shock absorbing hardware (in case they forget to close the doors and drawers or bang them hard) and hardware with rounded edges to prevent injury to playful kids.
- DIY Assembling: If you plan to assemble and fit your cabinet yourself, make sure you buy hardware that are easy to handle and fix.
- Surrounding Environment: If you reside by the beach or in arid areas where metal is likely to undergo erosion in due course, then you need to choose the right cabinet hardware with material that is erosion proof (e.g. acrylic, wooden, glass, etc) or the one that is treated accordingly.
Follow these simple guidelines to choose the right cabinet hardware and create the perfect cabinet for your kitchen and bathroom which is functional and trendy at the same time.