One of the simplest ways to update the look of your kitchen or bathroom cabinets is by adding a new set of cabinet knobs or pulls, along with some decorative cabinet backplates, to the doors and drawers. By installing cabinet knob backplates behind your knobs or cabinet pull backplates behind your pulls (there will be a difference in the location of the holes), you can add more interest to your cabinet hardware and can easily change the whole look and feel of your cabinets.
Another benefit to adding backplates for cabinet knobs and pulls is that it can easily hide any existing holes that are left by the previous knobs or pulls that were on the cabinets. So, rather than having to search for the same size or type of knob or pull that you had before, you are free to choose any type of cabinet knob or pull that you like, and the backplate will take care of covering up the holes. This is one of the biggest reasons that people decide to install cabinet backplates behind their new knobs and pulls.
A cabinet backplate can also protect your cabinets from excessive wear and scratches around the most used portion of the cabinet – the area immediately surrounding your cabinet knobs and pulls. By adding a cabinet hardware backplate behind the knob or pull, you offer added protection to your cabinets, so that each time you open or close them you don’t have to worry about wearing away the finish, or scratching or denting the wood or other cabinet material.
Installing cabinet hardware backplates is easy to do. Just as with the installation of cabinet knobs and pulls, you simply have to determine where you want your cabinet backplates to be placed and then mark the area so you can drill a pilot hole for the screw or screws. Some backplates for cabinets are simply positioned behind the new knobs or pulls and the two pieces are screwed to the cabinet as one unit (this can usually only be done if the backplates and knobs or pulls are from the same manufacturer and are designed to go together so the holes line up properly).
Other cabinet backplates are first screwed to the cabinet, and then the knob or pull is separately screwed through the hole or holes in the backplate. While this is easily done with a cabinet knob backplate, because the hole is always in the center of the plate whether or not the backplate is made to go with the knob or not, it is not as easily done with a cabinet pull. If you are planning on installing cabinets pulls over the backplate, you will more than likely have to buy the cabinet pull backplate that goes along with the particular type of pull you are using so the holes line up properly.
Another important point to keep in mind when installing cabinet backplates, along with knobs and pulls, is that you have to make sure that the screws used for the knobs and pulls are long enough to go through both the backplate and the cabinet door or drawer as well. This means that if the knob or pulls come with included screws, you may have to go out and buy longer ones to complete the installation properly.
Whether you decide to buy and install cabinet backplates to add a more decorative look to your cabinets or to hide holes left by previous hardware, you can find some interesting hardware designs to enhance the look of your kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
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