Cabinet Hardware – Switch to Steel

Whether you’re looking for a more modern look in your kitchen or just want some cabinet hardware that will stand up to your family’s abuse, you may want to consider steel.

Once you hear the name, you’ll likely understand that steel cabinet hardware is stronger than many other hardware pieces you’d select for your home. Being a strong metal, steel hardware will be able to handle kids running around the house banging things against it, banging on cabinets, and the other ordeals they are going to put it through.

Also, the silver metal of steel is at the top of current trends for kitchens and cabinets, being wonderfully modern pieces. If you’ve already bought or are considering buying steel appliances, think about how great your kitchen will look when your cabinet hardware matches the appliances.

Before you start shopping for steel hardware, you should make a list of what you need to get the job done right:

Type: There are many types of cabinet hardware. From knobs to pulls and handles, you need to make some decisions about the type of hardware you want for your kitchen. If you’re renovating and adding these pieces to cabinets already in place, you’ll need to choose pieces that will fit the old cabinets, unless you want to do some refinishing work.

Style: While cabinet hardware is made to be functional, it’s as much about decor these days. Take a look around at the other items in your kitchen, and make sure the hardware pieces you’re considering fit in with the rest of the feel. For example, if you’re going for a modern decorating style, you don’t want ornate steel hardware; you want something sharp and elegant.

Action: If you’re retrofitting new hardware into existing cabinets, you need to know what size parts you need. If you have knobs, this isn’t much of a problem as there is only one. But, if you have handles or pulls, you will have two holes that need to line up. So you need to take a measurement of the space between those two holes. This is the same amount of space between the entry points on the new pulls. A smart rule of thumb is to take one of the old pieces of hardware and compare it to the new pieces being considered.

Numbers: This may seem like common sense, but many people forget to accurately count the number of knobs and pulls they need before heading to the store. Once they get there, they guess how many, and often get home to start installing their hardware to find that there aren’t enough parts to complete the task. Start at one side of the room and count all the pieces. Write down this number and take it with you.

A sturdy modern set of steel cabinet knobs and pulls isn’t far off. With just a few screws and a little planning, you can have a kitchen that looks new again and stronger than ever.