Cabinets

Your cabinets are designed to provide years of functional storage and aesthetic appeal. Whether wood, wood veneer, or composite, proper care extends their life and maintains their appearance.

Wood Variations

If you selected wood or wood veneer cabinets, expect natural differences in grain patterns and color variations. These are characteristics of natural wood, not defects.

How It Works

Cabinets consist of several components that work together:

• Cabinet boxes - The structural frames mounted to walls
• Doors and drawer fronts - The visible surfaces
• Hinges - Allow doors to open and close smoothly
• Drawer glides - Enable smooth drawer operation
• Hardware - Handles, knobs, and pulls

Your Design Studio selection sheet records the brand, style, and color of cabinets in your home.

Routine Maintenance

Task	Frequency	Time Required
Wipe down surfaces	Weekly	10 minutes
Clean with lemon oil or polish	Every 3 to 6 months	20 minutes
Lubricate hinges and glides	As needed	15 minutes
Tighten loose hardware	As needed	10 minutes
Check for moisture damage	Seasonally	10 minutes

Cleaning Wood Cabinets

For wood or wood veneer cabinets:

• Use lemon oil or polishes with scratch cover
• Follow container directions
• Use products maximum once every 3 to 6 months to avoid excessive build-up
• Wipe in the direction of the wood grain

Lubricating Hinges and Glides

If hinges catch or drawer glides become sluggish:

• Apply a small amount of silicone lubricant
• Work the door or drawer back and forth to distribute
• Wipe away excess lubricant
• This improves performance immediately

Hardware Tightening

• Check screws on knobs, pulls, and hinges periodically
• Tighten with appropriate screwdriver
• Don't over-tighten, which can strip screw holes

Troubleshooting

Door Not Closing Properly?

Quick Checklist:

1. Check if hinges are loose - tighten screws
2. Look for debris preventing closure
3. Check if door is warped (measure with straight edge)
4. Verify hinges are adjusted correctly - most are adjustable

Common Issues

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Door won't close	Loose hinges	Tighten hinge screws
Door misaligned	Hinges need adjustment	Adjust hinge screws
Drawer sticking	Debris in slides	Clean drawer slides
Drawer sluggish	Dry slides	Apply silicone lubricant
Hardware loose	Normal use	Tighten screws
Warping	Heat/moisture exposure	Relocate heat sources

Adjusting Cabinet Hinges

Most modern cabinet hinges have adjustment screws:

• Side-to-side: Adjusts door position left or right
• Up-and-down: Raises or lowers the door
• In-and-out: Moves door closer to or away from cabinet

Make small adjustments, test, and repeat until aligned.

What to Avoid

warning

• Don't use paraffin-based spray waxes - Damages the luster of wood finishes
• Don't wash cabinets with water - Damages luster and can cause swelling
• Don't use abrasive cleaners - Scratches surfaces
• Don't place heat/steam appliances under cabinets - Causes warping and damage
• Don't hang on doors or drawers - Can damage hinges and glides

Protect from Heat and Moisture

Damage to cabinet surfaces and warping can result from appliances that generate moisture or heat near cabinets:

• Crock pots
• Toaster ovens
• Coffee makers
• Other heat/steam producing appliances

Solution: Place such appliances in locations not directly under a cabinet, or use protective barriers.

Related Topics

• Countertops - Countertop care and maintenance
• Caulking - Maintaining caulk seals around cabinets
• Condensation - Managing humidity that affects cabinets

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Warranty Coverage: See Cabinets Standards for coverage periods and exclusions.