Grab your screwdriver and get to work
Kitchen cabinet hinge adjustments let you fix misaligned doors caused by loose mounting screws, humidity changes, improper installation, or daily wear from opening and closing.
Cabinet repair costs average $300 when professional help is needed, so tightening your existing screws and making small adjustments yourself can help you avoid higher expenses.
Adjust your cabinet door position by turning the hinge screws clockwise to move the door up or inward and counterclockwise to move it down or outward.
Hiring a local cabinet repair professional takes the guesswork out of replacing worn hinges and realigning stubborn doors when your adjustments don't solve the problem.
It can be annoying when your cabinetry doesn’t open and close properly. However, it’s only natural for your cabinet doors to become misaligned over time, especially if you’re opening and closing them all day. Luckily, learning how to adjust your cabinet hinges is a quick and easy process. Here’s a handy guide to everything you need to know about adjusting your cabinet hinges, so you can easily operate your doors.
A well-fitted cabinet door opens and closes so easily that you may not even realize how much work it takes to properly align a door. It’s far more noticeable when things go wrong: A door may not close properly, develop large gaps, or sit crookedly against the cabinet. It’s important to resolve these cabinet door issues to keep them in tip-top shape and functioning correctly. Cabinet doors become misaligned for several everyday reasons, including:
Sometimes cabinet doors aren’t installed properly (or are even installed upside down). New cabinet doors may need adjustment to fit correctly and avoid issues.
Depending on the climate, cabinet doors may swell or dry out due to humidity levels. This effect usually warps doors away from alignment and creates issues over time, even if they were properly installed.
Over time, the screws in the hinges may loosen, changing the door’s position or making it swing open when it should stay closed.
Poor habits like leaning on cabinet doors or slamming them will knock doors out of position and require some fixes to get them back in place.
First thing’s first: You’ll need to determine the type of cabinet door hinge you have before attempting to fix anything. While virtually all contemporary cabinets are made with adjustable hinges—allowing you to realign the door by moving it side to side, up and down, or in and out— some may have older hinges that don’t have adjustable screws.
Check that each of the hinges has two or more screws, plus the mounting screws, before proceeding. If you’d like your cabinets to close quietly, consider installing soft-close hinges on the doors. You’ll also need a Phillips-head screwdriver (#2 screw tip) to align existing hinges or apply new ones.
It’s important to start by determining what’s wrong with your cabinetry before you start adjusting the hinges. Often, the issue is simply that the mounting screws have become loose (which is an easy fix). However, you could also be dealing with loose hinge holes or cabinet doors that are too heavy for the existing hinges. These issues will require a bigger fix.
When you open the cabinet door, you should see two screws on the part of the hinge that’s attached to the door and two screws on the part of the hinge that’s attached to the cabinet. Use your Phillips-head screwdriver to tighten these screws clockwise until the door is secure.
If tightening the mounting screws didn’t solve the problem, then you need to make adjustments to the hinges. If your door is lower or higher than it should be, look for the screws on the hinge that let you move the door. To move the door up, turn the screw clockwise; to move it down, turn the screw counterclockwise.
If you need to move the doors sideways, turn the screw on the mounting plate that’s closest to the door. Keep closing the door as you work to check the alignment and make adjustments as needed. Alternatively, if the depth of your doors is off somehow, adjust the screw that’s farthest from the cabinet door (the one that’s located between the two mounting screws). Turn it clockwise if you need to move the door inward or counterclockwise if you need to move the door outward.
Some cabinet doors open vertically, with users pulling the doors up or down to reveal the cabinet space, a helpful option when storing larger objects like big pots. For lift-up cabinets and similar designs, you’ll find the hinges are also oriented vertically and are larger or have larger mounting plates for greater protection.
Fortunately, hinge adjustments work similarly for these doors, with some minor variations because of the new hinge position. However, there’s an added factor of “tension” or how easily the door stays open before swinging shut. Over time, vertical doors may lose their tension—you can tell there’s a problem if the door refuses to stay in place when it’s partially opened. These cabinets typically have a dedicated screw to control this tension. Consult your manual or look up similar hinges online to find where the screw is located. By tightening this screw, you can increase tension and control the door’s behavior.
If you’ve tried to make the proper adjustments and your cabinets are still misaligned or sagging, it may be time to consider replacing the hinges. Some cabinet hinges are too old for adjustments, or the current hinges may not be able to support the weight of the door. Either way, it’s likely a good idea to replace the kitchen cabinet hardware altogether.
To replace the old hinges with new ones, you’ll need to remove the entire cabinet door. Use your screwdriver to remove all of the hardware, and then remove the screws from each hinge that attaches to the door. Remove the hinges from the cabinet frame and gently pull the door away.
Then, you can attach the new hinges to the door. Measure two inches up from the bottom of the door and two inches down from the top of the door, and mark both of these spots. Then you can use these marks to ensure that the new hinges are straight. Finish by re-attaching the doors.
Don’t hesitate to consult a professional cabinet repair person near you if you need new hinges and don’t feel comfortable replacing them, or if you’ve tried to adjust your existing hinges and they’re still sagging or loose. The average cabinet repair job costs $300, but a cabinet repair contractor can provide the most accurate estimate for loose or broken hinges.
Terrible experience. Walls/trim/floors/cabinets/doors all have drip marks, overspray, etc. Tiling at the fireplace had to be redone by another vendor due to incorrect and shoddy install by Profect. Contractor had his children in our house while he was on site without prior authorization or...
Profect painting & exteriorsMy kitchen cabinets look brand new thanks to Custom Paint Jobs LLC. Their refinishing is exceptional.
Custom Paint Jobs, LLCIf I could give 10 stars for Kitchen Tune Up, I would. I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Kitchen Tune Up and the entire team involved in the process of my kitchen project. They went above and beyond as far as service and quality with my cabinets, paint, countertops, and...
We live in a condo and had space to add a tall cabinet. The problem was the space was already occupied by our catsâ litter box. We needed to still keep the litter box in that same corner. Beiler Custom Cabinets was able to work with our need and design request. What was created was an...
Beiler Custom Cabinets, LTDAbsolutely amazing, Rob and his team are extremely efficient and professional. Pink Dumpster Rentals, Demolition, And Hauling is a go to for getting my property cleared up so we can pursue the upgrades we want to make on our home.
Pink Dumpster Rentals, Demolition, And HaulingThey work that 360 did on my kitchen cabinets is nothing short of amazing. I still cannot believe the difference from before and after. Jon and Jeff were both so incredibly professional throughout the whole process and their communications with me were constant and consistent. These guys...
360 Painting ColumbusI had a variety of projects around my house. The work was done quickly and correctly. I was kept informed of every step during the projects and they followed up with me to make sure it was all good.
House DoctorsPhil understood the style I wanted and suggested options for materials (unlike the standard kitchen folks who kept pushing the same cabinets everyone buys). He stepped through all the decisions about the details with me, using his computer program to show the differences between the choices....
Baker Group RemodelingI had a great experience with this company. They installed a small TV on the wall of my kitchen between two cabinets. Team came out and did a very thorough inspection and quote. The rep who installed the TV had to do some extra work to snake the cords behind the wall from the top cabinets...
The Theater PeopleI couldn't be more pleased with the job Ryan and his team did! My old oak kitchen cabinets now look like brand new white ones. They were able to provide an estimate based on my photos that was far below other companies I checked with, and that was the final price too. They were able to come...
Rhino Painting & Color Consulting LLCFrom average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Get a clear estimate of cabinet repair costs. Learn what impacts pricing, compare repair types, and find ways to save on your next cabinet repair.
Is it time for new cabinet doors in your kitchen? Let’s explore the costs of new cabinet doors so you know exactly what to expect.
Learn how to adjust cabinet hinges to fix crooked, sagging, or misaligned doors. Follow this simple guide to tighten screws, realign doors, and replace hinges if needed.
Understanding how to measure cabinet hinges is essential for any homeowner looking to replace or upgrade their cabinetry. Learn how with this DIY guide.
There are many types of cabinet hinges, but the ones you can choose from will depend on the construction of your cabinets. Learn more here.
You don’t need to be a DIY doyen to learn how to install soft-close hinges on your cabinets. And this task cuts down on slamming while protecting the framework.
