Tips on Adjusting Cabinet Doors on Office Furniture
- Aristrokraft.com explains that if the cabinet doors look crooked, it may be due to improper installation of the cabinet itself. Each cabinet must be "plumb," or level and square, to get proper hanging of the doors. Sometimes a properly plumbed cabinet can become twisted or "racked" over time and need to be repositioned. Use a level on the side and bottom of the cabinet to check alignment. Leveling can be accomplished by loosening the screws in the back of the cabinet and inserting shims, or tapered pieces of wood, behind the cabinet until proper leveling is complete.
- When the cabinet doors are closed, if they do not line up across the same line, you will need to adjust alignment. Most hinges offer one to four position adjustment settings. Open the crooked or sagging cabinet door and loosen the screw of the hinge. Slide the door up or down as needed to align to the other door. This process may take several attempts to "tweak" it to the proper position. Tighten the screw securely when aligned.
- If the gap between two cabinet doors is more than 1/8 inch, Aristrokraft.com recommends adjusting the hinges or adding spacers, depending on the type of hinge the cabinet has. There are two types of hinges. Full overlay hinges are on doors that overlap the cabinet totally, and partial overlay hinges are on doors that cover the frame of the cabinet partially. A full overlay hinge does not need a spacer and allows you to loosen the screw to adjust the door closer or farther away from the other door. The partial overlay hinge has a plastic spacer that can be moved as needed for adjustment of the door. Tighten the screw of the hinge after you have the door positioned correctly.
- Avoid pressing or putting excess weight on the cabinet doors, which will cause misalignment. Keep cabinet doors closed when not in use, and avoid slamming them shut.
- If following these tips does not properly align the cabinet doors, or if any screws or hinges are missing, seek a professional cabinet installer or contact the cabinet manufacturer for advice.