Cabinet Hardware Installation: How to Choose the Right Size and Placement

Installing new cabinet hardware isn't as hard as it sounds. With the right tools and a few simple preparations, you can even add hardware to brand new cabinet doors without messing up. Here are the things you should know about size and placement, as well as a tool to help you get the job done accurately.

Choosing the Right Size and Placement for Cabinet Knobs and Pulls

If you're outfitting drawers, choose one knob or pull if the drawer is less than 18 inches wide. If it's more than 18 inches wide, you'll need two. Space them about 1/6^th of the length of the drawer from each end. Make a slight adjustment with spacing until you're comfortable.

Omnia Stainless Steel Pull

You should choose knobs with a diameter no more than 1 ½ inches, and no less than 1 inch. You can ignore this rule if you plan on using wood knobs, which can be a little bigger. Always match the size and style to your drawers as well as the cabinets.

1 1/2 inch Allison Knob


Richelieu Hardware 1 7/8 Maple Knob

Always place pulls or knobs in the horizontal center of a drawer, and slightly higher than the vertical center. If they are centered vertically, they will appear slightly too low. Imagine standing in front of the drawer, looking down at it. It would appear too low, and also feel a little too low when you grab it to give it a pull.

Corner template - Image from Lowes.com.

Use a Template to Position the Knobs or Pulls

Don't be intimidated by the thought of adding new cabinet knobs or pulls to your cabinets. There are transparent templates that will help guide you for exactly where to make the holes.

These templates are sold at hardware stores. There are templates that fit around corners, or straight ones, depending on where on the cabinets you drawers you want to place the hardware.

To use a template, place it up against the edge of the cabinet, identify where you need to make the hole, in relation to the edge of the cabinet. Being able to see through this template makes it very easy. Mark through the hole in the template with a pencil. Do this so that the hole/s will be in the exact same spot on each cabinet door.  

Helpful Tips for Installing Cabinet Knobs and Pulls

So you have some brand new cabinet knobs or cabinet pulls that will go great with the new look you've chosen for your kitchen. Now you're faced with the task of installing them. Don't let this intimidate you! You do want to take your time and be extra careful, but it's not as hard as it sounds.

You either have brand new cabinets and drawers that have never had holes drilled into them before, or you've filled in the holes in your old cabinets and made them fresh for an all new knob installation. This is an important first step, because you don't want any old holes visible.

Things You Will Need

Make sure you have all of your supplies together before you get started:

A tape measure, Sticky tack, A drill, Drill bits the same size as the screws you're using, A piece of cardboard, A pencil.

Decide on Placement

Placement of the knobs or pulls is important, because being able to grab them and open the cabinets or drawers comfortably and easily is 100% of their function. Not only will you need to be able to grab and open them easily, but so will everyone else in the house.

Centered isn't always best – it really depends on the nature of the cabinet doors and drawers themselves. You can test the positioning of the knobs or pulls by putting some sticky tack (it won't damage the surface of the cabinets) on the hardware where they would be touching the cabinet, and stick them on. Try out a few positions until the look and feel right on each cabinet.

Laurey Mission Bay Pull in Antique Pewter

Make a Template

Once you have that figured out, you can make a hole stencil based on the positions and the holes of the knobs or pulls. This is especially helpful if you have pulls where more than one knob needs to be drilled to install each one.

Use your cardboard for this. Take one pull and place it on the cardboard where it will be touching the surface of the cabinet. Mark right next to the side of the pull with the pencil. Poke a hole through the carboard where you marked with the pencil. Use these holes as a stencil for marking the cabinets where you will be drilling.

Amerock Allison Knob in Antique Brass

Make a Pilot Hole

Carefully make a pilot hole on the pencil marks with a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the one you will actually be using to drill the holes for the screws. A pilot hole doesn't go all the way through, but only gets the hole started, so the drill doesn't damage the wood.

Make Sure the Drill Bit is the Right Size

Use a drill bit that is the same size as the screws. Too big will cause the knobs or pulls to be too loose, and too small will end up splitting the cabinet wood from the holes you drilled.