Where To Put Knobs And Handles On Kitchen Cabinets (With Pictures!)

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Last updated on September 11th, 2024 at 09:26 am

Rules For Cabinet Knobs and Pulls

Wondering where you should put the knobs and pulls on your kitchen cabinets? Well, look no further because I have your answer!

In general, the best placement for knobs and pulls on cabinet doors is in the opposite bottom corner of the hinges for upper cabinets and the opposite upper corner of the hinges for lower cabinets. The best placement for knobs and pulls on drawers is centered across the drawer face.

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s break into the details further so you can know exactly where to install your cabinet pulls and knobs.

Let’s dive in!

Quick Navigation: Cabinet Hardware Placement Guide

1. Best Placement For Pulls/Handles On Cabinet Doors
2. Best Placement For Pulls/Handles On Cabinet Drawers
3. Best Placement For Knobs On Cabinet Doors
4. Best Placement For Knobs On Cabinet Drawers
5. Other FAQs About Cabinet Hardware Placement
6. Final Thoughts

Best Placement For Pulls/Handles On Cabinet Doors

For most cabinet doors, the best place to put pulls is on the side of the door that is opposite the hinges. For upper cabinet doors, you want to put them in the bottom corner and for lower cabinet doors, you want to put them in the upper corner.

This placement works well for both standard cabinet doors and shaker-style cabinet doors. This placement is also the easiest and most comfortable placement for you to grab and open the cabinet doors.

Best Placement For Pulls/Handles On Cabinet Drawers

The best placement for pulls on cabinet drawers is dependent upon the drawer size and the pull size.

The general rule of thumb for pull placement on cabinet drawers is:

• One larger pull centered on the drawer face or 
• Two smaller pulls that are evenly spaced across the drawer face

If you want a single, extra-large pull then make sure it is no more than 1/2 the size of the drawer face. Just keep in mind that the larger the pools you get, the more expensive they will be.

Most of the time, if you choose pulls that are 5 to 7 inches wide center-on-center then you can get them for a low cost while still making your cabinets look more upscale. This size pull also looks great on cabinet doors so you can kill two birds with one stone by purchasing pulls within this size range.

Best Placement For Knobs On Cabinet Doors

The best placement for knobs on cabinet doors is the same as the best placement for pulls on cabinet doors.

Again, look on the side of the door that is opposite the hinges. For upper cabinet doors, you want to put them in the bottom corner and for lower cabinet doors, you want to put them in the upper corner.

Knobs typically come in 1-2 sizes and are much cheaper than cabinet pulls while still being just as convenient and comfortable to use, so they are a popular choice for a lot of people.

Best Placement For Knobs On Cabinet Drawers

The best placement for knobs on cabinet drawers is also dependent upon the drawer size (but not so much the knob size). 

The general rule of thumb for knob placement on cabinet drawers is:

• 18 inches or less drawer width –
  • One knob centered on the drawer face
• 19 inches or more drawer width –
  • Two knobs evenly spaced across the drawer face/cheating more towards the outer sides of the drawer face

The larger the drawer width, the more important it is to install two knobs so that the drawer can be easily pulled out and pushed closed without putting too much pressure on the knobs and drawer face.

Other FAQs About Cabinet Hardware Placement

Here are some other frequently asked questions about cabinet hardware to help you choose and install them with ease!

Should Drawer Pulls Be In The Middle Or Top?

In general, drawer pulls should be in the middle of the drawer face. However, for different cabinets such as cabinets with trash can pull-outs or deeper cabinet drawers, the best pull placement would be on the top for maximum functionality and looks.

What Is The Most Popular Cabinet Hardware?

The most popular cabinet hardware is a pull/handle because they look more. Upscale, come in a variety of colors and sizes, and are more comfortable to use than knobs.

Where Do Knobs And Pulls Go On Shaker Cabinets?

For shaker cabinet drawers, put one knob or pull centered in the panel if the drawer face is 36 inches or less, or put two knobs spaced evenly across the panel/ one extra larger pull centered in the panel if the drawer face is wider than 36 inches.

Final Thoughts On Cabinet Hardware Placement

There you have it!

The easiest way to determine the best placement for cabinet knobs and pulls is to buy one or two and hold them up in front of your cabinets to see what sizing and placement you like best.

The larger the pools, the more upscale, the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers will look.

Hopefully, this cabinet hardware placement guide helps make your decisions a little bit easier!

Catch you in my next post!

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