By Paul Bianchina
Got a cabinet door in the kitchen that keeps sagging to one side? Is that drawer in the bathroom vanity still sticking, despite trying to lubricate it with toothpaste? There are all sorts of little nuisances that can occur with the doors and drawers in your home's cabinets, and here are some repair ideas for a few of the more common problems.
Cabinet Doors
Sagging cabinet doors are a fairly common occurrence, and the larger and heavier the door is, the more likely it is to sag. Sagging typically results from the hinge trying to pull away from the frame of the cabinet, and while this can occur at any of the hinges on the door, gravity dictates that the weight of the door will make the topmost hinge the most likely to fail.
Unscrew the hinges from the frame, and retain the screws. Using a 1/8" drill bit, drill a clean hole into the cabinet at the location of each of the screws, then glue in a small piece of 1/8" hardwood dowel - larger holes and matching dowels can be used if needed. When the glue has dried, trim the dowel off flush with the cabinet, drill a small pilot hole into the end of the dowel, and reinstall the door with the original screws.
A door that will not stay closed against the face of the cabinet is another common occurrence, and the method of repair depends on the type of hinge you have. First, sight along the edge of the door to see if it's warped - if it is, adjusting the hinges probably won't help, and you'll either have to have a new door made or use a cabinet door latch (see below). If the door is straight and the hinges mount to the inside edge of the cabinet faceframe, try loosening the screws in the cabinet and sliding the door in or out. If the hinges mount to the face of the cabinet, placing a thin piece of shim behind one or more of the hinges may do the trick.
European-style cabinets, which do not have a face frame, typically employ a sophisticated hinge that has a number of adjustments in it. Typically, you will need to remove a small decorative cap on the face of the hinge - pop it off with a small screwdriver - to access the adjustment screws underneath. Turning the different screws in or out will move the door in different directions.
Cabinets with older hinges can often be repaired by replacing the hinges with newer, self-closing ones - the force of the self-closer spring will usually hold the door tight against the cabinet. There are dozens of self-closing hinges available, so look for ones that fit the style of your cabinets and obscure the old screw holes.
When all else fails, you can resort to a simple door latch. Door latches come in many different styles and include corresponding magnets that mount to the door and the cabinet; rollers that mount on the cabinet and grab onto a round pin on the door; friction catches that mount on the cabinet and grab onto a metal tab on the door; and bullet catches which have a small, spring-loaded ball that engages into a recessed ring. Pick the style that best suits the look and construction of the cabinets.
Cabinet Drawer Repairs
Before you can effectively repair the operation of a drawer, you need to first repair the drawer itself. Remove the drawer from the cabinet, and examine it carefully for damage. Check to see that there are no large cracks in the wood, that the wood is not warped, and that all of the joints are tight.
Wood that is cracked, warped, or badly worn will need to be replaced. Depending on the drawer's construction and the materials used, you may be able to separate the pieces of the drawer by tapping them apart with a rubber mallet, and make a new piece to replace the old one. If the drawer is in too bad of a condition, or if it won't come apart without damaging it further, your best bet would probably be to take it to a cabinet shop and have a whole new one made to match - they can typically salvage the drawer front to eliminate the problems with matching grains and stain colors.
If the drawer itself is okay and you're still having problems with its operation, replacement or repair of the guide system should solve the problem. Most cabinet drawers operate on metal guides, which support and guide the drawer in and out of the cabinet, and also keep it aligned properly. The most common type of guide today consists of a pair of metal channels attached to the side of the cabinet, with a matching pair of rails that are attached to the drawer. Some older styles have a single rail along the bottom of each drawer opening, with a plastic guide that's attached to the drawer itself.
With either style, you need to check the connection points where the guides are attached. Check for loose or missing screws - you may need to use the dowel trick outlined above. If parts of the guide are held by staples, you may need to replace them with screws. For European style cabinets, adjustments to the guides will typically need to be done by inserting thin shims between the guides and the cabinet and/or the drawer. If readjustment won't work, a complete replacement of the guides will probably be necessary.
All of the repair parts you need - including complete new guide systems - should be available at any home center or hardware store.
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