How to fit drawer fronts

[Marineboy]

I'm gradually upgrading the kitchen by installing Blum soft close drawer runners in the MFI cabinets and making drawers out of 12mm ply with 6mm bases. So far I have replaced the original drawer fronts as a temporary measure but have started making replacement ones out of 18mm MDF which I intend to rout in some kind of decorative way and then paint and varnish or seal.

My question is, what is the best way of fitting the drawer fronts (overlaid on the cabinet sides) so that I can achieve perfect alignment and even gaps between drawer fronts top and bottom and sides? I did think of drilling oversize holes through the drawer box so that the screw into the front has a couple of mm play on each side and up and down so as to allow for final adjustment before tightening but this seems a bit of a clumsy solution and wondered if anyone else has any ideas or experience.

 

[Glynne]

On jewellery box drawers, I drill holes into the drawer box front and then insert th drawer into the casing. Then either use double sided tape or hot melt glue to fix the drawer front so it is central to the casing. Carefully remove the whole drawer and fix using screws.
You can always use shims to ensure your drawer front is exactly central if you don't trust doing it by sight alone.

 

[Marineboy]

Thanks Glynne, the idea of using double sided tape did cross my mind but I think the hot melt glue would be better. I don't however understand your suggestion of shims, surely these would only work on an inset drawer not overlaid on the carcase sides?

 

[Stormer1940]

Thanks Glynne, the idea of using double sided tape did cross my mind but I think the hot melt glue would be better. I don't however understand your suggestion of shims, surely these would only work on an inset drawer not overlaid on the carcase sides?

It's so you get a uniform joint around the drawer front. Shims are thin pieces of material of varying thickness. so if you choose to have a 2mm gap at one end you shim it with a 2mm shim and then plane/cut the other end until you have the same on the other end checking using another shim of the same thickness. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Marineboy]

Yes got it now, I can see it will work on overlaid fronts using the gap between adjacent drawers rather than the drawer and the carcase.

 

[MatthewRedStars]

It's the method I use - but be aware the shims can hold the drawer artificially high, so when the lower shims are removed the drawer can droop by a mm. Just be aware, and don't jam the shims in.

 

[Marineboy]

Thanks Matthew, useful tip.

 

[Beau]

First way I would do it just measure the offset from the draw sides but if this is problematic you could try this. Drill holes for screws for draw fixing under size. Put screw in until just tip of screw protrudes and then press the front on while aligning it. Then drill out holes so slightly oversize to allow any wiggle room.

 

[chippy1970]

I use clamps and packers to keep the fronts in place then but a few screws through the drawer box into the fronts. You can put a few dabs of adhesive on or use long bolts right through for the knobs for extra security.

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Marineboy]

Thanks Beau and Chippy - I like the idea of just-protruding screws, I don't have any clamps which are narrow enough to fit so that's what I'm going with.

 

[chippy1970]

Thanks Beau and Chippy - I like the idea of just-protruding screws, I don't have any clamps which are narrow enough to fit so that's what I'm going with.

Yeah those drawers were internal so I left a much bigger gap to use as a hand hold. On normal drawers I'd maybe use a dab of super glue , double sided tape or the screw method mentioned

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[ColeyS1]

Mitre mate a few blobs on the drawer front, press and hold then put the screws in after. Last time I did drawer fronts I put a few things in the drawers so the runners were settled.

Coley

 

[Yetty]

What about using Drawer Front Adjusters? These give +/- 2mm adjustment. Hafele sell them, as well as others, but all seem pretty similar in operation. Some are 20mm diameter, others 25mm. Great for insert drawer fronts. Of course, if using the "better" drawer runners, these may provide the adjustment options anyway!

 

[Marineboy]

Hi all, some different ideas for me to ponder, thanks to all for your contributions.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Another method is to install the drawer front with a pair of flange head screws, Spax being one brand, through an oversize hole drilled into the drawer box front. For instance, if you use a 4 mm diameter shank flange head screw, drill a pair of 6 or 7 mm diameter holes in the drawer box. Fit the drawer front with the flange head screws, make adjustments to the gaps at sides, bottom and top, tighten the screws to hold the front in place, then install an appropriate number of countersunk head screws to finally lock the front in place, e.g., if using 4 mm diameter c/s screws, drill a matching 4 mm diameter clearance hole through the drawer box front. Slainte.

http://www.hafele.co.uk/shop/p/flat-hea ... 75808/5868

 

[Marineboy]

Thanks Richard, never thought of using flange head screws, more elegant than a screw and washer. Awesome website of yours too!