How to Repair Cabinets: Fixing Common Hardware Issues
Over time, frequent use can take a toll on kitchen and bedroom storage units. When doors sag, drawers stick, or carcass joints loosen, you rarely need to replace the whole unit. In most cases, a straightforward cabinet repair involving the right hardware fixings and replacement fittings will restore full functionality. This guide covers practical solutions for the most common mechanical cabinet problems.
Fixing Loose and Torn-Out Cabinet Hinges
Concealed cup hinges bear a significant amount of weight, and the screws securing the mounting plate can pull free from chipboard or MDF carcasses. If a screw hole has stripped, trying to tighten it will only make the damage worse.
Using Stainless Steel Hinge Repair Plates
When the carcass material around the mounting plate is completely blown out, a hinge repair plate is the cleanest trade solution. These flat metal brackets screw directly into the sound timber surrounding the damaged area, providing fresh, pre-tapped threaded holes for your hinge plate.
- Remove the damaged hinge mounting plate from the carcass.
- Position the repair plate over the damaged holes, ensuring correct alignment with standard 32 mm system spacing.
- Secure the repair plate using short countersunk wood screws into solid carcass material.
- Reattach your hinge mounting plate directly onto the reinforced repair bracket.
Plugging Stripped Screw Holes
If the timber is only slightly stripped rather than blown out, you can fill the void. Insert a hardwood dowel or matchsticks coated with quality wood glue into the hole, trim flush once dry, and pilot drill a new hole for the original screw.
Replacing Broken Concealed Hinges
If the door itself drops even when the screws are tight, the internal spring mechanism or adjustment thread inside the hinge arm may have failed. To repair cabinet doors effectively, replacing the hinge is usually the best route.
Standard European-style hinges use a 35 mm diameter cup drilled into the back of the door at an industry-standard depth (usually 11.5 mm to 12 mm). When sourcing replacements, check whether your door setup is full overlay, half overlay, or inset, as this determines the crank of the hinge arm. Swapping like-for-like ensures you can reuse the existing 35 mm hole without recutting the door.
Curing Sticking or Sagging Drawers
Drawers that jam, drop, or refuse to close smoothly usually suffer from worn internal bearings, bent metal tracks, or loose fixings along the internal carcass walls.
Replacing Drawer Runners
When roller runners or ball-bearing slides wear down, replace them in pairs to keep the drawer box level. Follow these basic steps:
- Remove the drawer box by releasing the front clips or extending the runner past its retaining catch.
- Unscrew the old carcass runners and drawer-side profiles.
- Measure the depth of the cabinet carcass and the length of the existing runner (commonly 250 mm to 550 mm in 50 mm increments).
- Install the new runners, checking with a spirit level to ensure both sides sit entirely parallel before refitting the drawer.
Tightening Loose Carcass Joints
Flat-pack furniture relies on cabinet connectors such as cam-and-dowel fittings or corner blocks. If a cabinet wobbles or pulls away from the wall, inspect the internal fixings. Cam locks can crack under stress, while expanding bolts may work loose inside chipboard. Replace broken eccentric cams with matching diameter parts (typically 15 mm) or reinforce the internal corners with metal angle brackets to stabilise the carcass.