Where To Put Handles On Shaker Cabinets?

Whether we build a brand new kitchen or renovate the old one, shaker cabinets can give it a versatile look. The placement of the handles and knobs on shaker cabinets has a great role in the look. Opening or closing the cabinet drawers also becomes convenient if the handle is correctly placed.

So, where to put handles on shaker cabinets? It is usually most common to put handles or knobs in the middle of the recessed part of the panel. But handles can also be placed on the sides. 

In this guide, we will elaborate on this topic to give everyone a clear idea of where to put handles to maximize convenience and aesthetics. Let’s get started.

What Is A Shaker Cabinet?

A shaker cabinet is nothing too alien compared to regular cabinets. It just has a signature design composed of five panels. All the panels have their names to identify where you can put the hardware easily.

The main characteristic of this cabinet is the center panel, which is recessed to give the cabinet a subtle look. At the same time, there will be clear lines on all four sides to make the cabinet look sleeker and more modern. 

And the good thing is this cabinet also fits very well in retro kitchens. This versatility of shaker cabinets made them very popular among homeowners. A lot of different hardware can be installed, like knobs or pulls on shaker cabinets.

This hardware can give the same cabinet a new look every time you replace the hardware. In some cases, plain slabs are also combined with shaker cabinets to bring some variety to the kitchen.

You might need to know about the parts of a shaker cabinet to learn the correct placement of handles. So, here is a quick overview.

Whah Parts Are In a Shaker Cabinet?

Though there are five panels on a shaker cabinet, they are divided into three categories. Here you go.

• Center Panel: This is the recessed part of the cabinet that sits at the center. In the case of a cabinet door, this can be pretty large. But in cabinet drawers, the center panel will be smaller.
• Rail: These are the horizontal panels of a shaker cabinet. Both the top and the bottom panels are called the rail.
• Stile: The vertical panels on both sides of the center panel are called stiles. These panels touch the rail to make a uniform border around the center panel.

Where to Put Handles on Shaker Cabinets?

We will talk about putting handles on shaker vs flat panel cabinets. So, let’s keep the discussion separate.

Where to Put Handles on Cabinet Doors?

As you get the maximum pulling force if the handle is placed on the opposite side of the hinge, you should put handles on the sides. Here are different ways of putting them.

On Lower Corners

If you consider the overhead doors, putting the handle or knob on the lower corner will allow you to easily reach the handle. Installing knobs will have no issue. But you can install handles vertically or horizontally. Experts say installing them vertically will give your kitchen a more modern look.

At the Center of the Stile

This place is suitable for under-the-counter doors. As you can reach these doors easily, installing the handle on the vertical center of the stile will make everything look more aligned.

You need to take the right measurement to install a handle or knob on this place. A shaker drawer jig might help you easily find the right place and correctly install the handles. Check it out.

On Upper Corners

You can also install handles or knobs on the upper corner of cabinet doors if they are positioned under the countertop. This makes reaching the door even easier as you don’t need to bend too much.

In this case, you can install the handle vertically or horizontally. But vertical handles are more common and look better in general.

Where to Put Handles on Cabinet Drawers?

Besides cabinet doors, you will also have a lot of drawers in your kitchen. So, where do you put drawer pulls on shaker cabinets? There are two ways of doing this. Let’s explore.

On the Center Panel

This is the most common way of installing handles or drawer pulls on a cabinet drawer. If you measure properly using the jig mentioned above, the handle will be perfectly aligned and make your kitchen look neat.

On the Top Rail

You can also install a handle or a knob on the top rail of the drawer. In that case, you should determine the horizontal center of the rail so that the handle doesn’t look odd on the drawer. 

Pro Tips to Put Handles on Shaker Cabinets

You might want to follow these tips to make your kitchen renovation a lot more beneficial.

• If you are working with extra-large drawers, it can be difficult to open or close them with just one handle or pull. In that case, you need to install two handles or pulls.
• Don’t install the handle on the very edge of the door or drawer panel. Leave some space between the handle and the edge. Otherwise, pulling the handly strongly might break the panel.

Final Words

There is no doubt that shaker cabinets turn your kitchen into a sight worth seeing. But a little mistake in putting the handle on the cabinet door might ruin the whole beauty. Besides, it can also be difficult to open and close the cabinet doors.

We showed where to put handles or knobs for maximum convenience and beauty. You can work your way out while keeping these placement ideas in mind. And always use the right tool to install handles or knobs on shaker cabinets.