Cabinet Hardware Guide

The Definitive Guide to Cabinet Hardware

Buying hardware for your cabinets can be a very daunting process. There are so many factors to consider before making that purchase. At My Cabinet Hardware, we fully understand how difficult this process is and want to help you make the best selections for your needs.

The first choice you will want to make: Find your design style.

If you are not sure what design style (theme) that you are going for, keep reading and we will try to help you figure that out!

Traditional designs - Includes classic styles and is the most common design style. Hardware in this design category will work well with design elements from various centuries and design styles from different country influences. French Country, some hints of Victorian influence, global design, etc. can all work well in a traditional style home.

Transitional design - This design style is gaining in popularity. It takes the traditional elements and gives them a modern twist. While not fully traditional and not completely modern, transitional design is the happy medium between them both.

Modern design - These styles tend to use clean and sleek lines, polished surfaces, and neutral color palettes. Check out our Modern Theme items.

Coastal design - This look in inspired by the sea. Cool tones and nautical influences take shape in this design style. Look for items in our Ocean & Nautical Theme.

Art Deco design - This design style came to life in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Lots of cool/pastel colors, mirrored accents and rounded design elements.

Craftsman design - Uses wood and clean lines to make its statement. This design style originated at the same time as the Arts and Crafts design movement, and Frank Lloyd Wright really brought this design style to life in the United States. You can find Craftsman Theme hardware here.

Victorian design - This design style is very ornate and with lots of flourishes. Here are the items that we carry in the Victorian Theme.

The second choice you will need to make:  Knobs or pulls?

This is such a great, common, question! As with all aspects of your hardware selection, this will all depend on personal preference. 

The most common selections include a mix of knobs and pulls. This is seen in every design style and can work well in all kitchens and bathrooms.

The next option is to use knobs only. This is good if you want to keep the hardware smaller and more minimal. This can work well in most areas, but we will caution people against using knobs only on heavy or larger doors or drawers. The single screw installation of a knob might not be able to support the weight of a heavy cabinet door or drawer and may break over time. 

A third option is to use pulls only. This option is most often seen in modern design style applications. To achieve a sleek, modern look, select a pull with clean lines.

The third choice you will need to make:  What finish are you looking for?

There are many factors to think about when selecting a finish. Do you have other finishes or colors that you would like to match in the space? Do you want your hardware to match the faucets or appliances? Do you want your hardware to tie several colors and finishes together? Do you want your hardware to be an accent piece for your cabinets?

If you are looking for your hardware to match your faucets or appliances, there are some great collections available in either stainless steel or satin nickel. The satin nickel finish is very close to stainless steel and is a great choice to work well together. If you have chrome faucets, there are lots of choices in polished chrome hardware. One thing to consider, especially in a kitchen, the shiny, polished finishes will show dirt and grime more easily than their brushed or satin finished counterparts.

If you are looking to tie several finishes together, chat with us and get some design assistance! Here is an example: A new kitchen is designed with white kitchen cabinets, grey walls, grey and white quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a grey-toned backsplash. We might recommend hardware in a pewter finish. The pewter finish will bridge the stainless steel appliances with the greys in the countertop, walls, and backsplash.

Are you looking for your hardware to stand out and be a statement piece? Check out the copper, honey bronze, and grey options - they are the newest "it" colors!

The fourth choice is:  What size hardware are you looking for?

This decision will be based on a few things. When considering the size of the hardware, the first thing to think about is do you have existing holes in your cabinets or are they brand new with no drill holes? If you are trying to use existing drill holes, you will need to know the drill center of those existing holes. You can try to choose a backplate to cover your existing holes and drill new ones. The second thing to consider is what design style are you trying to achieve in your space? The most common “rule” of cabinet hardware is that your hardware should be about 1/3 the length of the drawer it is being put on. For cabinet doors and drawers alike, the most common sizes for pulls are 3" (76mm), 3 3/4" / 96mm, 5 1/16” / 5.04” / 128mm, and becoming more popular is the 6 5/16” / 160mm length. Some very modern styles use longer sized pulls and, in some designs, the pulls run the entire face of the cabinetry.

And one more thing to think about:  Drill center and total length are not always the same thing. Bar pulls, for example, have a much longer total length than their drill center. Keep total length in mind when selecting your hardware.

Now that you have chosen your type, finish, and size of hardware, what comes next?

Now we get to start choosing the hardware itself! Here comes the fun part! Let’s talk about styles of hardware now.

Knobs - Knobs generally have one screw and thus one drill hole.

Round - Just as they sound! You can find some knobs that are more octagon shaped in here too.

Oval - Ovals can be true oval shaped or even football or egg shaped.

Square and Rectangle - Squares and rectangles are becoming more popular in transitional and modern style designs.

Ornate - Knobs in this category can be birdcage styled or have lots of design flourishes.

Pull Knobs - These are longer and function more like a pull. Many of these are "T" shaped.

Novelty Knobs - Looking for something in the shape of a butterfly or a fish? These are what you're looking for!

Pulls & Handles - Pulls and handles typically have 2 screws and 2 drill holes. The distance between the installation screws is called the drill center.

Bar - These types of pulls do not connect to the cabinetry at the ends of the pull. Bar pulls have a longer total length than their drill center measurement. Bar pulls have a sleek design aesthetic and work well in Transitional and Modern spaces.

Straight - This style is the most common style for pulls. These have a squared off look and the connect to the cabinetry at the ends

Curved - Similar to straight pulls, but these pulls are rounded where the straight pulls are not. Curved pulls will typically connect to the cabinetry at the ends of the pulls.

Wire - These are the most basic of pulls. They would fall into the straight pull category.

Drop or Bail - These pulls are typically hinged so they can be raised when in use and then “dropped” when not in use. They are most commonly seen on furniture pieces but can look equally as gorgeous on kitchen drawers. Drop or Bail pulls should exclusively used in a horizontal application and would not hang properly if installed vertically or on a cabinet door.

Pendants and Rings - These are actually knobs as they have only one screw, but they function like more like a pull. These have a droplet or ring that can be raised to open the cabinet or drawer.

Cup Pulls - Pulls like these are typically half-moon shaped. They will sit flush with the cabinetry on the top and side and are open at the bottom.

Tab and Finger Pulls - These pulls are installed on the back of the cabinet door or drawer. The can be installed on the top or sides of the cabinet and are intended to be opened with your fingertips as opposed to your whole hand. These tend to be very modern and sleek in their design.

Appliance Pulls - Appliance pulls are heavier and can withstand the weight and continued use on large and heavy drawers and doors. They are also made for, as their name suggests, use on appliance fronts too!

Backplates - These can be used to cover scars from previous hardware, to cover old drill holes that you want to cover up without filling the old holes and drilling new ones, or to add a more decorative element to your hardware and cabinets. In the installation information below backplates are discussed.

Now let’s talk materials:

The most commonly used materials are zinc, brass, and pewter. Pewter is used mostly in custom made-to-order pulls.

Zinc

Stainless Steel

Brass

Pewter

Bronze

Glass

Acrylic

Crystal

Plastic - great for beach homes that see a lot of corrosion from the salt water. If you live on the beach, you might just need to replace your hardware more often than someone that doesn’t live on the coast.

For those that have a nickel allergy look for materials that do not contain brass, carbon steel, or zinc. For more assistance, please reach out to us for help finding something that will work.

Lastly, let's talk about installation of your new hardware. Check out this handy guide from Amerock.