Centering Drawer Fronts

[soonerdoc]

I'm refacing my cabinets and need some advice on the best way to center a drawer front piece to the drawer box face.

Thanks,

Doc

[Upscale]

It depends on how you're planning to attach the drawer faces to the box. I take a few brads, snip the heads off them and then push one into each side of the drawer box face leaving them about a 1/4" proud. Then I align the drawer front in place and push it hard enough to mark it.

If you're screwing from inside the drawer box into the face, I use double sided tape, stick the drawer front on, remove the drawer and screw though just enough to get it started in drawer front. Back off the screws, pull the drawer front off, remove the tape and then align the face with the slightly proud screw tips, drive them home.

[Toller]

The last time I did it, it was a real PITA. I bought some screws with big heads that go into oversized holes. The idea is that you can move it 1/8" to get them right, and the head covers the slop. Haven't tried it, but its how I will do my next drawers.

[max]

I cut the drawer fronts to fit in the opening, fit shims to keep the gaps even and then apply double stick tape to the drawer box. I can then open the drawer and drill the mounting holes (oversized) so I can then attach the fronts. max

[Peter Bogiatzidis]

Doc,

FWIW take a look at the following link to a .pdf from Blum's website. Specifically, page 24.

These look like dowel centers that are supposed to be used in conjunction with their 295.1000 drawer adjusters. I couldn't find the actual adjusters on their website, but the idea is that they are like cams that can be turned to allow fine tuning of the drawer front once you locate it in the general area with these "drawer front templates". That said, I don't see why you couldn't just use regular dowel centers to get you in the ballpark and then use oversized holes with screws and washers as others have suggested here.

I have never used these and am only trying to learn here myself. I do recall seeing these elsewhere. Most likely, if you check the usual catalogs, you may find them.

Hope this helps.

Peter.

[Robatoy]

I tape a piece of firm foam rubber in the back of the drawer box in order to cause spring-action when the drawer is pushed all the way in. Then a couple of drops of hotmelt to push the drawer front onto the box and hold it there for a sec. Then open the drawer, toss a clamp across the drawer front and box and drill pilot holes directly into back of the drawer front through the front of the drawer box.... Screw in place. If lateral motion is needed, open the hole in the box a little.

[julvr]

I use a combination -- first I use carpet-tape with a clamp to get the drawer front on the right place. I then drill pilot holes, remove the front, and drill oversized holes in the frame. You can get some washers which are made for counter-sink screws. The neat thing about them is that the backs of them aren't flat, and thus they bite into the wood of your frame, so they don't slide around.

[Ba r r y]

Thanks! Barry