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Kitchen drawers are used and so regularly that they're likely to stop up dissentious themselves or even yous, given enough fourth dimension. So, yous are probably wondering how to catechumen your kitchen drawers into a soft close. It can brand the drawers safer, and quieter too. Virtually kitchen drawers, specially older ones, just don't come with the equipment. And so, we've advisedly researched if kitchen drawers tin be converted to a soft close system.

It is absolutely possible to convert existing kitchen drawers into a soft close upgrade. Rather than purchasing an entirely new set of drawers, you can simply purchase and install the hardware alone. This way, you can keep the pigment and fashion of your current set of kitchen drawers. The new hardware includes special sliders and mechanisms that will demand to be installed on both the cabinet and the drawer box through some bones steps:

  1. Remove the old drawers
  2. Uninstall old hardware
  3. Install soft shut hardware

Soft-close upgrades will protect both you lot and your kitchen drawers, but the installation tin exist very fourth dimension-consuming and even a little challenging. So, go along reading to learn how to properly install soft shut hardware, how much it costs, and the correct fashion to make adjustments after.

Three white kitchen drawers inside a white themed kitchen, Can Kitchen Drawers Be Converted To Soft Close?

Contents

  • What Is The Difference Between Soft Close And Self Close?
  • How To Convert Drawers To Soft-Close
    • Step 1 - Remove the Quondam Drawers
    • Step Two - Uninstall Old Hardware
    • Footstep Three - Install Soft Close Hardware
    • Add the Drawer Box Dorsum in
  • How Do You Adjust The Speed On Soft Close Drawers?
  • How Much Does Information technology Toll To Install Soft Close Components?
  • Can Kitchen Cabinets Exist Converted To Soft Close?
  • Summary

What Is The Deviation Between Soft Close And Self Close?

Well-nigh of the time, these two kinds of hardware are spoken of interchangeably. Experts such as Accuride explain that there may only be a slight difference, involving their catching mechanism at the far end of the slides.

A self-closing drawer has a small leap and piston organisation that catches your drawer around an inch earlier it shuts. Meanwhile, soft closing drawers use a damper, which instead catches your drawer at least 2 inches before it closes. Notwithstanding, both systems are basically designed to foreclose your drawer from slamming shut, and they tin even exist found for sale online with the same name.

Click here to find this 10 pack of soft/self-close drawer slides on Amazon.

How To Convert Drawers To Soft-Close

A soft closing oak kitchen drawer

Step One - Remove the Quondam Drawers

The existing drawers in your dwelling house probably accept an ordinary ready of metal or plastic sliders, which are what permit the drawer box to glide back and forth. So, in order to remove the drawer, you're going to demand to trigger the release levers underneath the drawer box.

Usually, they are orangish in color, but this can vary from i brand to the next. Pull the drawer box all the way out, gently clasp the release levers, and so lift the drawer upwardly. The box should freely pry from the current sliders.

Y'all may as well want to consider removing whatever obstacles that would keep you from having more free, open space as you motility on to the next pace.

Step Two - Uninstall Erstwhile Hardware

Once the former drawers and obstacles are out of the way, you lot can begin to remove the slide hardware. This can be found on both the interior walls of the kitchen cabinets and on the exterior of the drawer boxes.

Well-nigh of the time, these sliders are simply held together by screws. These are generally traditional screws, which don't require more than a typical screwdriver. You might want to group all of the screws and matching hardware together in marked sandwich bags. This volition make it easy to call back which hardware corresponds with which drawers and pieces.

Stride Three - Install Soft Shut Hardware

Soft close drawer systems come in ane of ii slightly unlike options. The subconscious sliders are installed directly underneath the drawer box, which requires special clips. The other is mounted on the side of the drawer box similar usual, so these tend to exist less expensive.

Maybe the well-nigh crucial matter to become right during this step is keeping your drawer level when you install the new equipment. In lodge to practise so for side-mounted hardware, you should probably use a drawer slide jig.

This is a triangular tool that is specifically designed to make sure your drawer remains perfectly level. The drawer slide jig has 1 tab that holds onto the face frame of the base cabinets, while a lower tab connects with the side of the chiffonier interior.

Click here to see these drawer slide jigs on Amazon.

That volition save y'all a lot of headaches later on when you would otherwise need to make endless adjustments or even reinstall the hardware. Bear in mind that you will besides need "face frame clamps" to hold the drawer slide jigs in place.

Click here to find these confront frame clamps on Amazon.

While the jig is in place on either side of the drawer, you can rest the new slides into position. At present, your hands are completely complimentary to begin screwing in the soft-close slides. You may want a power drill to speed up the process if yous programme on installing many drawers in your kitchen. Also, think that the larger side of the soft-close slides should face up abroad from the drawer box.

Add together the Drawer Box Back in

With the new hardware installed, you will demand to replace the kitchen drawers you're converting. The first thing yous'll need to do is reverse the direction of your drawer slide jigs. Remove the clamps, turn the jigs effectually, and clamp them to the face frame again while facing outward.

Now you lot can evenly marshal the drawer boxes with markings on the jig to make them level again. Make certain the drawer boxes line upwards with the small, interior drawer slides of the soft-close organization. This will allow you to add in the new screws, working from the nearest hole to the deepest one.

If the drawer confront looks awkward or tilted, you can read the post How To Adapt Kitchen Drawer Fronts in order to easily arrange the position.

How Exercise You lot Adjust The Speed On Soft Close Drawers?

Most of the fourth dimension, y'all will find that soft-close drawer mechanisms offer a congenital-in adjustment tab. This will commonly be ready to the highest possible resistance when you first install the new slides. Yous will have to lower this tab, which can easily be done using a conventional screwdriver.

Go along in mind that each notch of the adjustment tab tin can create a serious deviation in speed. So, yous rarely get to select any kind of middle ground for your speed.

How Much Does Information technology Cost To Install Soft Close Components?

A white kitchen drawer with kitchen utensils inside

Naturally, the price is subject to alter based on the number of drawers you want to catechumen. On average, it costs around x or twelve dollars for the hardware for each drawer. If yous shop online, y'all'll find that you tin purchase around 10 pairs for a hundred dollars.

But this tin can change based on the brand or the business. Full-extension sliders tin price more than, besides. You tin can read the post How Far Exercise Kitchen Drawers Come Out? to learn more about the limits of your drawer sliders.

Yous will too have to consider the tools you may demand. That may include a drawer slide jig, face clamps, a power drill, and a screwdriver. This may cost around a hundred dollars more, assuming y'all don't accept a ability drill or screwdriver on mitt already

Can Kitchen Cabinets Be Converted To Soft Close?

It is admittedly possible to purchase special, soft-shut hinges that will provide the aforementioned advantages as the drawer systems. The process for installing soft close cabinet hinges is quite similar to the steps necessary when working with drawers.

Yous can unscrew the existing cabinet doors, then lay them apartment and remove the old hinges. But, here you may demand side cutters to remove any plugs that worked with the old mounting plates. Again, you'll demand to align the new hinges so they're level with the cabinet door edges. And so, y'all tin can screw in the new hinges.

Click here to detect these snap-on soft shut hinges on Amazon.

All the same, it's really possible to find snap-on adapters which tin be fixed correct on standardized hinges. While this won't work for every hinge, it tin can save y'all a lot of tools and assembly if you happen to have uniform kitchen cabinets.

Summary

While it may take a lot of time and effort, it can actually be worthwhile to upgrade your current kitchen drawers with soft-shut technology. Whenever your morning feels rushed, you won't have to worry about shutting the drawer on your finger. If you have kids, this is especially useful. You lot also don't have to worry about the drawer chipping, either. Now that you know how to install soft close hardware, and what it'll price you, it'll be an easy decision to choose between new slides or leaving your kitchen equally is.