Update Cabinet Hardware, Hinges, and Drawer Slides

A. Finished-Project Specification

Deliverable: one complete cabinet-hardware update for the defined cabinet run — new pulls or knobs installed at every included door and drawer, at least one hinge and mounting plate replaced and adjusted, at least one drawer-slide set replaced and adjusted, and every updated door and drawer cycled and inspected for alignment, fastening, and finish condition.

B. Component Schedule

Component	Quantity	Material	Finished Size	Preparation
Pull or knob	Per door/drawer in scope	Manufacturer-specified	Per verified hole-center spacing	Compatibility confirmed against panel thickness before drilling
Hinge and mounting plate	1 pair minimum (per replaced door)	Manufacturer-specified, matched overlay/inset	Cup diameter and plate height per manufacturer spec	Dry-fit before boring; verify opening angle and closing action
Drawer-slide set (left/right pair)	1 set minimum (per replaced drawer)	Manufacturer-specified, matched load rating	Length and setback per verified opening	Handedness and mounting geometry confirmed before installation
Mounting screws	Per hardware manufacturer count	Manufacturer-specified drive and length	Per panel thickness	Length verified not to bottom out or protrude

C. Fastener and Hardware Schedule

Joint	Fastener/Hardware	Notes
Pull/knob to door or drawer face	Manufacturer-supplied machine screw, verified length	Must not bottom out, protrude through the face, or crush the panel; test-fit before final tightening
Hinge cup to door	Manufacturer-supplied hinge screws	Set without stripping or splitting the door edge; cup bored to manufacturer diameter and depth only
Mounting plate to cabinet interior	Manufacturer-supplied plate screws	Installed level and parallel to the cabinet edge from the verified reference line
Slide member to cabinet and drawer box	Manufacturer-supplied slide screws	Installed square, aligned, at matching setback on both sides

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Compatibility	Replacement hardware confirmed compatible with existing cabinet construction, door weight, and drawer load before removal begins
Hole quality	No enlarged, torn, or blown-out holes on any panel; sacrificial backing used where breakout risk exists
Layout consistency	Every pull or knob installed at the same verified location relative to its reference edge across the full cabinet run
Hinge fit	Overlay, reveal, opening angle, and closing action match the approved hinge system; door hangs plumb with consistent reveals
Slide fit	Handedness, length, setback, and load rating match the specific drawer; drawer travels smoothly without binding or racking
Operation test	Every updated door and drawer cycles repeatedly under normal approved load without collision, binding, or hardware loosening

E. Preparation — Inventory and Compatibility (Steps 1–6)

1. Inventory cabinet boxes, doors, drawers, existing pulls, knobs, hinges, slides, catches, overlays, insets, reveals, and damage. Record each item on the hardware inventory, noting the cabinet run or room, door and drawer count, and any cracked rail, split face frame, or failed drawer-box joint observed.
2. Confirm the cabinet material, thickness, edge construction, door weight, drawer load, hinge type, cup or mortise pattern, slide type, length, travel, and mounting clearances. Measure and record each value directly on the hardware inventory before selecting final replacement hardware.
3. Select replacement hardware compatible with existing construction or an approved retrofit system. Confirm the selected pulls, knobs, hinges, and slides match the recorded overlay/inset, cup size, hole pattern, length, and load rating; if no compatible match exists, identify the required retrofit plate or adapter before proceeding.
4. Do not drill new holes until handle centers, hinge geometry, slide clearance, and conflict with existing holes are verified. Compare the new hardware's hole-center spacing and mounting geometry against the existing panel and mark any conflict with an existing hole for resolution before drilling.
5. Photograph and label every door, drawer, hinge, slide, and hardware location. Assign a matching label to each door and its corresponding cabinet opening so that every component is reinstalled in its original location.
6. Protect countertops, floors, cabinet finishes, appliances, and adjacent walls. Establish a padded, stable work surface for removed doors and drawers before beginning removal.

F. Removal and Inspection (Steps 7–10)

1. Remove doors and drawers as required and support them on padded stable work surfaces. Remove doors and drawers only for the components included in this update, keeping labeled hardware and fasteners with their matching component.
2. Remove old pulls, knobs, hinges, slides, catches, and fasteners without enlarging or tearing the substrate. Back out fasteners fully before removing hardware; do not pry hardware loose while fasteners remain engaged.
3. Inspect for stripped holes, cracked rails, loose face frames, split doors, damaged drawer boxes, and prior misalignment. Record every defect found and compare it against the approved scope's repair limits.
4. Repair only minor accepted substrate damage using a method compatible with the new hardware load. Stop and refer any defect that exceeds the approved repair limit rather than installing new hardware over an unsound substrate.

G. Pull and Knob Layout and Installation (Steps 11–16)

1. Prepare a full-size template or commercial jig for pull and knob locations. Set the jig or template to the exact hole-center spacing of the selected hardware.
2. Establish a consistent reference from door and drawer edges rather than transferring from distorted existing holes. Reference the template from the same edge — top, bottom, or side — on every door and drawer in the run.
3. Mark and verify every location before drilling. Mark each location with the template clamped in place and verify the mark against the recorded reference dimension before removing the clamp.
4. Clamp sacrificial backing to reduce breakout and drill with the correct bit and controlled depth. Clamp backing material flush against the exit face of the panel at every marked location before drilling.
5. Test one pull or knob installation before drilling the remaining components. Drill and install the first pull or knob completely, verify fit, hole quality, and fastener seating, and correct the template before continuing if any defect is found.
6. Install pulls and knobs with compatible screw length that does not bottom out, protrude, or crush the panel. Hand-tighten each fastener to full seating and verify the pull or knob sits flat without rocking.

H. Hinge Replacement and Door Adjustment (Steps 17–21)

1. Identify hinge overlay, inset, reveal, opening angle, closing action, cup size, plate height, and screw pattern. Confirm each value matches the replacement hinge's manufacturer specification before dry-fitting.
2. Dry-fit the replacement hinge and mounting plate. Verify cup engagement, plate alignment, and door swing clearance before machining any new recess.
3. Machine new hinge recesses only with the approved jig and only where cabinet thickness permits. Confirm the door material is thick enough for the specified cup depth before boring; do not bore a cup that would break through the opposite face.
4. Install hinges and plates without stripping screws or splitting door edges. Pilot the mounting-plate screw locations where the cabinet material requires it, and seat every screw fully without overdriving.
5. Hang the door and adjust height, side, depth, reveal, and closing action progressively. Make one adjustment at a time and recheck the reveal at each edge before making the next adjustment.

I. Drawer-Slide Replacement and Adjustment (Steps 22–25)

1. Identify drawer-slide handedness, length, setback, side or under-mount geometry, rear support, and required clearances. Confirm the replacement slide set matches every recorded value before installation.
2. Install cabinet-side slide members from level and parallel reference lines. Mark the reference line at the recorded setback and verify it with a level before fastening either slide member.
3. Install drawer-side members square, aligned, and at matching setbacks. Verify the drawer-side member sits square to the drawer-box front before fastening.
4. Reinstall the drawer and adjust engagement, reveal, travel, and soft-close or self-close action. Engage the drawer-side member with the cabinet-side member and verify full, smooth travel before final adjustment.

J. Testing and Documentation (Steps 26–29)

1. Verify doors and drawers do not collide with walls, appliances, adjacent fronts, plumbing, or each other. Open every updated door and drawer to its full travel and check for collision at every adjacent surface.
2. Cycle every updated door and drawer repeatedly under normal approved load. Operate each door and drawer through at least ten full cycles and note any binding, rubbing, or hardware loosening.
3. Inspect hardware alignment, fastener security, hole quality, reveals, closing action, slide support, travel, pinch points, and finish damage. Record the result of each check against the Acceptance Standards table.
4. Document hardware models, drilling template, adjustment settings, and any cabinet defects outside the repair scope. File the completed hardware inventory, adjustment record, and any deferred defect for the owner's records.