How to Change Out Drawer Pulls – 2 ½ inch drawer pulls are most common
Simple home repair projects can go awry if you don't know the techniques to get things right the first time. Think of changing out a pair of 2 1/2 inch drawer pulls on your cabinets. While that seems like it should be something easy enough to do, if you don't follow a few simple tricks of the trade you could find yourself making a lot of unnecessary holes in your cabinets and have a mess that you have to patch and refinish when the day is done.
So, let's go over some basics. Obviously you first have to figure out which 2 1/2 inch drawer pulls you want, and then decide which drawers or cabinets they will be going on. While you may think you can just eyeball the job, that's not true. If just one of your 2 1/2 inch drawer pulls is a little off when the job is done, it will stand out.
Now you need to get a pencil to mark where the holes are going to go. There is an old saying that warns to measure twice and cut once. That goes for cases where you are about to drill holes in your cabinets as well. If you have a traditional level or a laser level, use it.
You need to start measuring where the 2 1/2 inch drawer pulls will be going from side to side. If you want them in the middle of the drawer, figure out how far it is from either edge to the hole in the pull and mark that space. Then make a couple of dots, or a line, marking the middle of the drawer from top to bottom. Usually you want the exact center of your knob to be where those two measurements collide.
Once you believe you have the right placement for your 2 1/2 inch drawer pulls, use an awl or other sharp pointed object to make a little hole where the center of the screw will be going in the pull. This is a guide for you to know you are in the right place when you start drilling.
The drill bit you use should be about the same size as the screw that is going to go into the drawer. Now it's time to make your holes. You may need to put a piece of wood on the back on the drawer if the wood is thin, to give it a little support as the drill cuts through. You can attach the wood with a clamp or two. If you don’t have that added support on a thin frame, you may split the wood.
Now, put the screws through the wood and into the pulls and if everything was done correctly, your drawer should be ready for action.
Tip: If you notice there is too much slack between the screw and the pull, it may be because those screws were made for a thicker drawer. It's not a big deal you just need to go to the hardware store, purchase shorter screws and try again.
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