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Building a Cabinet With Touch Doors

December 8th, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments

Usually cabinets that have touch type doors do not have any handles or knobs on them. This style cabinet generally has an inset door design where they are mounted to be flush with the cabinet face.

It is important when designing or gathering the materials to build the cupboard with that you purchase free swinging style hinges. There’s nothing more frustrating than installing the door and then realizing that you needed to have hinges that were not self closing.

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Do not get in a hurry and make sure that you use a small pilot drill bit for the screws because the Phillips heads on the ones supplied with the touch latch mechanism are very small. You will be able to use a number two Phillips head bit if you are using a cordless or electric drill.

My biggest word of caution is that you should take your time when you are installing these touch latch door push, spring loaded parts on the cabinet. There is very little room for making adjustments to these little plastic parts. If you take your time, the installation will go smoother than if you get in a hurry.

If you are planning on having some type of shelf in your cabinet be sure to make them shallow enough for the cabinetry doors to miss the shelves. The touch latch seems to depress about one quarter of an inch in most cases.

If you have a very large door, you may want to consider using two of these plastic spring parts on the cabinet. There is a product that is made with two barrels on one touch latch. They were originally designed for a two door cabinet and that is its most common use, but the double spring really helps push large doors. Actually I don’t think I have really ever seen a large door touch latch.

So, this is not a difficult item to fix to your cabinet and door. The installation of a touch latch only takes inserting five screws. Oh, be sure to only use the oblong holes at first until you get the door adjust correctly. Once you have everything in perfect alignment, then screw the final set fasteners in place.

One last tip that will help with installing this door touch, push latches, always check the operation of the mechanisms at the store when you are purchasing them. On many occasions, I have gotten back to my shop and the darn things are not working properly.

Let’s do a quick review.

1) Take your time.
2) Only use the adjustable oblong predrilled holes when you first mount the touch latches.
3) Prior to leaving the cabinet supply company, check the touch latch to make sure that it is working properly.
4) You must use free swinging hinges, not self closing ones.
5) Allow about three eights of an inch clearance for when the door is being pushed inward.
6) Use a small drill bit to pre drill the holes with for the extra small screws.
7) If you need an extra heavy-duty pusher for your cabinet door purchase the double touch latch.

Well, have fun with your push cabinet door installation project and as always allow plenty of time to do things right the first time.

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