Styles are constantly changing. The problem is that it can be pretty unrealistic to change the look of your home any time styles change. Remodeling your home every few years is expensive. Luckily, there are a few things we can do to update the looks in our homes without completely remodeling. For example, it may not be realistic to replace your cabinets, but it’s pretty easy to replace just the hardware. And that tiny piece of metal can make quite the difference in style. If you decide to replace your current knobs with different knobs, the process is usually pretty self-explanatory. And you can use the same hole, so there’s not much work to be done. But if you’re going to switch knobs to handles or pulls, then it can get a little more complicated (still pretty easy, though). Knobs only require one hole and handles require two. The last thing you want is an ugly hole right behind your beautiful new cabinets.

So you have two main options: 1) fill the holes or 2) cover the holes. For option one, read the rest of the article. For option two, go the easy route and use a backplate! You can buy handles with backplates already attached or you can buy backplates that match any handle style you have. See the two photos below as examples. Also, keep in mind that backplates look great on drawers, but be more careful when it comes to cabinet doors. Some look great and others look funky.

Okay, if you hate the backplate look (how could you?!), then here’s what you should do to fill those holes in! Just follow the steps below, and you should be good to go! (Click here for ideas about how to choose the rights cabinet hardware.)

Necessary Tools:

1. Drill and Drill Bits

You’ll probably want a standard drill bit to make a pilot hole. Then you’ll also want the drill bit that fits the type of screws you’ll be using. Most likely it will be a Phillips head (aka cross-head) tip.

2. Template or level

This handy template will make your life so easy while you install your new handles! As a side note, it also works for cup pulls and knobs. It saves you from doing some measuring and basic math, which is quite the perk for someone like me. And it even comes with a standard drill bit. You can also use a level if you don’t want to spend a few bucks on the template. Or you can even make a homemade template using a paper, pencil, and ruler.

3. Hardware

Obviously, you’ll need the actual handles (aka pulls) and screws. Most of the time, when you buy the handles, the necessary screws come with them. But keep in mind that depending on the thickness of your drawers or cabinet doors, you may need longer or shorter screws than what is provided. If that’s the case, just measure the thickness of your drawer and go to your local hardware store with your pulls and the screws that it came with. Tell an employee that you want the same size screw diameter, but longer or shorter length, depending on the thickness of your drawer and the depth of the screw hole in the handles. (Another idea is to bring the screws from your old knobs with you to the hardware store because those are already the right length that you’re looking for.)

4. Pencil

Once you line up the template (or level) to the drawer, you’ll need to make a small mark so you know where to drill when you move the template. A pencil is always handy to have around during any DIY project.

5. Screwdriver

You’ll need a screwdriver to remove the hardware you are replacing. You’ll also use it to install the new hardware.

6. Wood Filler

You’ll need to fill in the hole from the old knobs, unless you are installing cup pulls that will cover the hole anyway. If you’re installing handles though, there’s really no other way around it. With handles, you may be able cover the knob hole on some cabinet doors where you’re installing the handles near the corner. But this won’t work on drawers where the knob was installed right in the middle of the door.

If your cabinets are (or will be) painted, then use any wood filler or wooden dowels to fill the holes. Once that’s done, sand it down to be flush with the cabinet door and then paint over the spot to match the rest of the cabinet. See this blog post for photos and directions.

If you don’t plan to paint your cabinets, then use Timbermate Wood Filler, since it comes in 14 different shades to chose from (or you can even mix shades to get the perfect one). Click here to read more about Timbermate.

Steps:

1. Using a screwdriver, remove the current hardware from your drawer (lefty loosey). Tip: Save the screws that you remove because they are probably about the length of the screws that you want for your new pulls too. They may not be the diameter that you need, but even if they aren’t, you can use them as a model for the correct length.
2. Measure the distance between the two screw holes on your pull. Or, to avoid measuring, place the cup pull on the template to figure out which two columns of holes you’ll be using. Note: this particular template only works for pulls with screw hole distances of 128 mm, 96 mm, or 3 inches.
3. For Drawers: Line up the template on the drawer. Line up the top of the template with the top of the drawer. Then line up the template's center hole with the hole in your drawer left over from your old knob. This will center the template horizontally on your drawer. If you have a drawer that hasn’t had any hardware installed yet (or, if you’ve already filled the hole), then measure horizontally to find the center of the drawer, and mark it with the pencil. Note: if it’s a long drawer (more than 2 feet), then you’ll probably want to install two handles. In this case, you’ll still need to find the center of the drawer and then you’ll install each pull halfway between the center of the drawer and the edge of the drawer. For Cabinet Doors: You probably won’t be horizontally centering the pulls for cabinet doors. Instead, it will be installed on the side of the door opposite its hinges. See the chart below for more details.
4. Now that your template is centered horizontally, you need to place it vertically. For drawers, this will be the exact center, just like it was horizontally. For cabinet doors, it will depend on the placement of your cabinet. It can be centered vertically, but usually it’s near the top or bottom of the cabinet. If it’s a low cabinet, the handle will most likely be installed at the top. And if it’s a high cabinet, then it will be installed at the bottom. See the chart below for ideas.
5. Once the template is in place, use the pencil to mark where you will be putting your two new holes.
6. Using the standard drill bit, drill the pilot holes where you marked.
7. Install the cup pulls! Figure out if the screws go in from the back (inside of the door face) or the front (outside of the door face). This part is easy, just remember, righty tighty, lefty loosey.