There are fewer more jarring household sounds than slamming kitchen cabinet doors. Thankfully, there is a simple solution to this common issue many have in their home – soft close hinges. These hinges slow down kitchen cupboard doors when they shut so they close smoothly and silently – reducing unwanted banging and crashing in the kitchen. We have outlined three easy steps on how to fit soft close hinges in your home.
1. Position the soft close hinge
Above the upper cabinet hinge, position your hinge ensuring that you align the hinge flush with the face of the kitchen unit. The hinge should be positioned so that the rubber-tipped closer arm is sticking out from the cabinet by approximately half an inch. This should slow your kitchen door down enough to prevent it from slamming when it is shut.
2. Mark and screw
Once you have found the perfect position for your soft close hinge on your flat pack kitchen units, hold it in place and mark where the screw holes are. Lightly tap these holes with a hammer to create small pilot holes where you will drill your screws in. Then, using the screws provided, position your soft close hinge over the marked holes and drill the hinge into the cabinet.
Hopefully, you can drill your screws in successfully first time. However, if you accidentally strip your screw into the incorrect position and can’t remove it with a screwdriver, there are steps you can take. When you need to know how to fit a soft close hinge, here are some easy tips to remove a poorly installed screw:
- Add material – layer some tape, steel wool or tough green part of a sponge over the screw to increase the grip you can get with the screwdriver.
- Heat the screw – using a heat gun or propane torch, heat the screw so that the metal expands and it’s grip is loosened.
- Make it a flathead – with the help of a hacksaw you can carve out a flathead top in your screw and use a flathead screwdriver to remove it.
3. Test and adjust
Now that you have your soft close hinge attached to the cabinet, test it out to check it is working properly. If it is, you should see that the door is stopped from slamming against the frame and, instead, is slowed down and shuts smoothly. Check that the cabinet door is flush against the other doors when it is shut. When fitting soft close hinges, if the hinge sticks out slightly then you will need to remove your it and reposition it accordingly to prevent this. Similarly, should the hinge not slow the door down enough to prevent it from slamming, then you will need to reposition your hinge so that the stopper sticks out from the door slightly further.
We offer a range of hinges for your cupboards such as standard 110 degree as well as 30 degree soft close hinges. Our range covers all types of kitchen cupboards and drawers to complete your kitchen. Browse our full range of hinges and get in touch today to see how our team can help you create the kitchen you deserve.
