Most people are surprised at what a big difference it can make to the look of your kitchen by simply changing the hinges for cabinet doors. There are thousands of different types and styles of hinges for cabinets to choose from, so everyone is sure to find one they love that fits the style of their kitchen perfectly. Changing the hinges for cabinet doors is often a quick, easy and inexpensive job which can be done in an afternoon, but the results will be enjoyed for many years to come. There are few things you can do to your kitchen which are as easy and will have such a great impact on the look of the whole room.
Why Change Hinges
Many people wonder what the point of just changing the hinges on kitchen cabinets is when they are such small things. While it’s true that hinges for cabinet doors are small in size, they can make a surprising difference to the look of the entire room. Most of the time cabinet door hinges are designed to stand out from the color of the cabinets which can draw attention to them. This is one of the reasons changing the hinges for cabinet doors can make such a startling difference to your kitchen.
Some people hate the look of their kitchen cabinets but can’t afford to get all new cabinet doors. Changing just the cabinet door hinges will help bring new life to the cabinets at a fraction of the cost. Depending on the exact style and material you want for your cabinet door hinge, they can cost anywhere from a couple dollars to a twenty or more per hinge. Most people won’t want or need anything overly fancy and can most likely replace all their cabinet door hinges for well under one hundred dollars.
Choosing the Right Hinges
Once you’ve decided to replace your hinges for cabinet doors you need to start thinking about what hinge types you’ll want to put up. It is easy to go to any home improvement store to look through their selection of hinges of visit an online store which may have thousands of different styles to choose from. Hinges can be made to be any color and their design can vary greatly. Finding the perfect fit for your taste, budget and kitchen design can take some time but it should never be rushed. Just keep in mind that you will most likely want to keep the hinges you choose for several years at a minimum.
If you don’t think you like the look of cabinet hinges at all, you can always choose to go with concealed hinges. These types of hidden hinges are installed on the inside of the cabinet door so when the doors are closed there is no visible hinge. This is a great choice for many people who either can’t find the perfect hinge for their cabinets or simply don’t like the look of hinges at all. Concealed hinges are just as effective as traditional hinges so there is really no downside to going this route if that’s what you’d like. Regardless of what type of hinges for cabinet doors you choose, make sure they are something you believe you’ll love for a long time.
Installing New Hinges for Cabinet Doors
After purchasing new hinges for your cabinets, it is simply a matter of installing them. Most anyone can install new hinges on their doors themselves or with one person to help them. Most hinges will be installed in the same spot as the old hinges so it’s just a matter of unscrewing the old ones and replacing them with the new. If you went with a different sized hinge you may have to position them a little higher or lower to create new holes but the old holes will remain covered so there is rarely an issue with that. If you have large cabinet doors it may be easier to have one person to hold the doors in place while another screws the hinges in but this is often not necessary.
Cabinet doors are not often made of extremely heavy materials, so it should not be too hard to hang the door back up on your own if needed. The most important thing it to ensure you put the hinges on your cabinet doors nice and straight. If there is even a slight error in keeping them level it can throw off the whole cabinet door and prevent them from opening or closing correctly. This is typically an easy problem to avoid by making sure to mark the spots where the screws go in carefully.
Getting new hinges for cabinet doors can be a great way to give new life to your whole kitchen and there are few kitchen projects which are less expensive and take less time to complete than this. It is possible to replace all your kitchen hinges in less time than it takes to cook a nice dinner for the family. This is a great project too, because for such a small effort, you and your family get to enjoy the new hinges for cabinet doors for years to come.
