Care & Maintenance
Cabinet Repair & Touch-Up
Updated 3 min read
The short answer
Most cabinetry complaints are adjustments rather than damage. Doors drifting out of alignment, drawers running rough and loose handles are all ten-minute fixes with a screwdriver. Finish damage is the category where DIY most often makes things worse — particularly on shop-sprayed catalysed finishes.
What to attempt, what to hand over
| Problem | DIY? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Door out of alignment | Yes | Six-way hinge adjustment screws |
| Door not closing fully | Yes | Depth screw on the hinge; check for obstruction |
| Loose handle or knob | Yes | Tighten from inside the door |
| Drawer running rough | Yes | Clear debris from the runners; check for overload |
| Drawer front misaligned | Yes | Most fronts have adjustment on the fixing bolts |
| Small paint chip | Sometimes | Touch-up paint if you kept some; blend carefully |
| Scratch in a clear finish | Sometimes | Wax stick or touch-up pen for shallow marks |
| Damage to a sprayed catalysed finish | No | Blending requires a finisher and the right product |
| Water-swollen MDF | No | Not repairable — the component needs replacing |
| Failed edge banding | Rarely | Short runs can be re-adhered; widespread failure needs replacement |
| Sagging shelf | No | Material or span problem — needs a design fix |
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Adjusting a concealed hinge
European-style concealed hinges have three adjustment screws. Two minutes and a screwdriver fixes most alignment complaints.
- Identify the screwsTypically one at the front for side-to-side, one at the rear for depth, and one in the mounting plate for height.
- Adjust side-to-side firstThe front screw moves the door left and right. Get the gap even against the neighbouring door.
- Then depthThe rear screw pulls the door closer to or further from the carcass. Fixes a door that sits proud.
- Then heightLoosen the mounting plate screws slightly, move the door, retighten. Adjust both hinges together.
- Work in small incrementsQuarter turns. Close the door and check after each adjustment rather than making one large change.
- Do the whole runAlignment is judged by the gaps between doors, so adjust across a run rather than one door in isolation.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
- My cabinet doors have gone out of alignment. Is something wrong?
- Almost certainly not. Houses settle and move seasonally, and doors drift as a result. That is precisely why quality cabinetry uses six-way adjustable hinges — a couple of minutes with a screwdriver restores alignment, and it may need doing every few years.
- Can a water-damaged cabinet be repaired?
- Plywood that got briefly wet and dried out is often fine. MDF that has swollen is not repairable — the fibres have expanded permanently and no amount of drying reverses it. The affected component needs replacing, and the leak needs fixing first.
- Should I keep leftover paint from my project?
- Yes, ask for a small quantity and label it with the room and date. It is invaluable for touch-ups on site-painted work. For shop-sprayed catalysed finishes it is less useful, since matching sheen and texture by hand is difficult — but knowing the exact product and colour helps a finisher enormously.
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