Build custom jigs that guarantee perfect kitchen cabinet handle alignment.
Time A half day
ComplexityIntermediate
Cost$10 - 25
Introduction
Learn how to install cabinet handles precisely using custom jigs that ensure uniform placement across every door and drawer in your kitchen.
Installing handles and knobs on kitchen cabinets seems like a straightforward project. Sure…Drill a few holes screw in the handle or knob and you are done! Until…you have to install 27 knobs and 8 handles with handles spaced out in metrics measurements. Having to take out the measuring tape and ensure each one is correct leaves a ton of room for human error. For just this repetitive kind of project is exactly why carpenters turn to a jig. You make one jig with all your spacing figured out and use it over and over without having to pull out the measuring tape. Not to mention, relieving a ton of pressure to be accurate every time. Trust me, if you happen to install just one handle crooked, it will haunt you every time you walk into your kitchen.
Here are the steps for making a very basic sliding handle jig for pulls and a corner jig for knobs. It will make your life easier, and those handles and knobs will be installed in half the time.
Where to place handles on cabinets
The handles are most often placed in the middle of the drawer, top to bottom and side to side. Sometimes, they are also installed 1/3 down from the top and centered side to side.
If a handle is being used on a door, it is usually installed on the opposite side of the hinges, placed in the middle of the stile, with the top of the handle aligned with the bottom edge of the top rail of the door on base cabinets. On uppers, the bottom of the handle would then be aligned with the top edge of the bottom rail of the door.
Tools Required
- 1/4" drill bit
- 18ga. nail gun
- 8/32" drill bit
- Drill
- Drill press
- Measuring tape
- Miter saw
- Small level
- Square
Materials Required
- 1” screws
- 1/4” metal inserts
- 18ga. brad nails
- 3/4” scrap plywood or hardwood
- CA glue
- Star knob w/ hardware
- Wood glue
Project step-by-step (16)
Step 1
Cabinet Handle Jig
Cutting List
| KEY | QTY. | PART | DIMENSIONS |
| A | 1 | Face | 3/4″ x 2-1/2″ x 12″ |
| B | 1 | Cap | 3/4″ x 2-1/4″ x 2-1/2″ |
| C | 1 | Stop | 3/4″ x 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ |
| D | 1 | Slide | 3/4″ x 1″ x 15″ |
| E | 2 | Wing | 3/4″ x 2-1/2″ x 5″ |
Step 2
Layout screw placement for handles
Cut all pieces of wood according to the cut list above. Feel free to adjust the measurements to accommodate the size of your cabinet hardware or drawer fronts.
On the front slide (D), find and mark for center. Then, mark out the measurements and placement for the screw holes of your handles. This is the most crucial part of the whole jig and must be accurate. If dealing with handles that have metric measurements, be sure to use a metric measuring tape or ruler.
Step 3
Cut a slot for the handle
Use a 1/4-inch straight router bit to cut a channel all the way through the center of the face (A). Cut this in a couple of passes and adjust the slot’s length to work with the heights of your drawer fronts.
Then, switch to a 3/4-inch straight router bit to cut a wider, 3/4-inch slot to countersink the nut on the back of the handle, 3/16-inch deep.
Step 4
Nail the wings to the slide
Use wood glue and 18-gauge brad nails to nail the wings (E) to the underside of each end of the slide (D). Position the wings (E) flush to either end of the slide (D). These two pieces must be joined before you go to the drill press for the next step. Be sure not to nail to close to the laid out screw holes for the handle.
Step 5
Drill the holes
For accuracy when drilling holes for your handles, use a nail set to mark the exact location. This will help your placement of the drill bit at the drill press.
At the drill press, first drill a 1/4-inch hole in the exact center of the slide (D) for the knob. Next, drill 1/4-inch holes through both the slide (D) and wings (E) where you have marked for handle screw placement in the first step.
Then, switch to a 3/8-inch drill bit and drill a hole dead-center on the top cap (B). This hole will serve as a “peephole” to make it easy to find the center mark on the drawer front when you position the jig.
Step 6
Make a hook at the top
To create a hook for the jig to snugly sit on the top lip of the drawer front, nail the top cap (B) flush to the top edge of the front face (A). Then, nail the stop (C) to serve as the stop and create the hook.
Step 7
Install metal inserts
When selecting the metal insert size, make sure an 8/32-inch drill bit fits through it snugly, but with sufficient room to prevent damage to the metal insert over time.
Insert the metal inserts in the drilled holes laid out for your handle. Place one in the front slide (D) side of the hole and another in the back wing (E) side of the hole, in order to guide the drill bit through the hole. Use a mallet or hammer to ensure the metal inserts sit flush to the wood surface. Secure the inserts with a few drops of CA glue along the outer edge on both sides.
Use a piece of scrap wood to verify that an actual handle works with the insert placement before proceeding.
Step 8
Pre-drill locking holes
When using the jig, once you determine the exact placement of the handles by shifting the slide (D) up and down in the channel, you’ll want to lock that position in place – especially if you have many drawer fronts of the same height. Pre-drill two holes through the front face (A) that you can use to lock the face to the slide (D) with 1-inch screws.
Step 9
Assemble the jig
Insert the T-bolt for your knob through the back of the front face (A) slot and into the front slide (D) center hole. Once these two are joined with the knob you can adjust your knob up and down according to the measurement and placement of your drawers.
Your jig is now done being made. It’s time to go to the drawer where you will install the handles and set the jig in place.
Step 10
Using the jig
To use jig on the drawer front:
- Find and mark the center of the drawer front on its top edge. Place the jig so it hooks over the front of the drawer front. Using the “peephole” drilled in the top cap (B), align the center of the jig and the drawer front.
- Use a clamp at the bottom end of the jig to secure it plumb on your center mark and prevent it from moving while you drill.
- Use a level to ensure the front slide (D) is level. Use a small square to verify you have a right angle between the front face (D) and the front slide (A).
- Lock down the exact placement with 1-inch screws in the pre-drilled holes on the front slide (A).
- Drill holes through the drawer front (and drawer box front if needed) using the metal inserts as your guide.
Step 11
Knob Jig
Cutting List
| KEY | QTY. | PART | DIMENSIONS |
| A | 1 | Face | 3/4″ x 2-5/8″ x 2-5/8″ |
| B | 1 | Side | 3/4″ x 2-5/8″ x 2-5/8″ |
| C | 1 | Base | 3/4″ x 2-5/8″ x 3-3/8″ |
Step 12
Cut and drill the components
Out of 3/4-inch material, cut the face (A) and side (B) of your knob jig into squares the same width as the stiles and rails of your cabinet doors.
On the front face (A), mark an “X” to find the center. Then, use a 1/4-inch drill bit on the drill press to drill through the center.
Step 13
Install metal inserts
Install metal inserts in the hole drilled in the face (A). Place one insert on the front side and one on the back side of the hole to guide the drill all the way through the center hole.
Follow the same process for inserting the inserts as with the drawer pull jig.
Step 14
Assemble the jig
Use wood glue with 18-gauge brad nails to secure the side (B) to the front face (A) to make an “L”.
Then, secure the base (C) to the bottom of the “L” made by the face (A) and the side (B). Ensure all pieces are square to each other when nailing. You may have to adjust the size of the base (C) to work with the widths of your face (A) and sides (B).
Step 15
Using the knob jig
- Use a clamp to hold the jig so the side (B) and base (C) sit snugly in the corner of the cabinet door, and the face (A) is flush to the surface you are drilling into .
- Drill the knob hole through the center hole in the face (A) with an 8/32-inch drill bit. To place the knob on the opposite side, simply rotate the jig 90 degrees and repeat.
Note: When finally securing knobs or handles with their screws, never use a drill to prevent the screw from snapping.
Step 16
FAQ
Are knobs or handles better for kitchen cabinets?
In a kitchen, You will most often find handles on drawers and pulls or knobs on doors. You may choose what you prefer most. Different styles may work with one or the other.
What is the best way clean cabinet handles and pulls?
Never use an abrasive or chemical spray to clean handles or drawer pulls in a kitchen as they may scratch or damage the finish. Water and dish soap is often the best option to breakdown the grease and spills yet, not effect the surface.
What’s the difference between handles and pulls?
Handles, usually with two set points for screws are most often used for horizontally oriented drawers. Pulls or knobs with one set point for a screw, is most often used for vertical doors. Handles and knobs are used on both uppers and lowers.
