How to Adjust Soft-Close Kitchen Cabinet Doors

Adjusting soft-close kitchen cabinet doors is a simple process that involves tightening or loosening the hinge screws to realign the door’s position. To fix uneven cabinet doors, locate the adjustment screws on the hinge plate, these control the door’s height, depth, and side-to-side placement. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver to make small turns until the doors align and close smoothly.

If your kitchen feels slightly off, it might not be the layout–it could be your cabinet doors. Even the slightest misalignment can throw off the entire look of the room. Whether you're dealing with a slightly sagging metal cabinet in an industrial-style space or traditional wooden doors that aren’t quite closing right, the fix is usually straightforward. 

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to fix uneven cabinet doors and make sure your soft-close hinges are working as they should. It's one of those small updates that makes a big difference in both function and appearance.

People adjust their kitchen cabinet doors when they’re out of alignment. When they’re not aligned, you may notice gaps, the doors rubbing against each other, or the fact that they don’t close evenly. These are all signs that it’s time for an adjustment. It’s also a good idea to adjust kitchen cabinets if they’re becoming hard to open. 

Kitchen doors may need to be removed if you’re going to repaint them, if they’re damaged, or if you’re going for an open shelving look. If you’re wondering how to remove kitchen cabinet doors, simply use a screwdriver or detach them using the latch if they have soft-close hinges.

If you’ve decided that your doors need to be adjusted, it’s relatively easy to do so. Here’s how:

1. MAKE SURE MOUNTING SCREWS ARE SECURE

   Your kitchen cabinets should have four mounting screws–two on the hinge attached to the door and two attached to the cabinet. Thankfully, there shouldn’t be any other screws on the door, so it should be easy to find them.
   
   If you find that the mounting screws aren’t secure, you can tighten them with a Phillips-head screwdriver. 

2. MOVE THE DOORS LATERALLY

   Sometimes, doors need to be moved sideways to ensure that they’re properly aligned. If that’s the case for your cabinet doors, turn the screw on the mounting plate closest to the door. 
   
   To shift the door to the left, use your screwdriver to turn the screw counterclockwise. Alternatively, if you’re shifting the door to the right, turn the screw clockwise. 

3. CHANGE DOOR HEIGHT

   If one door is higher or lower than it should be, this can also be fixed. Turn the uppermost screw on the hinge plate clockwise to move the door up, and move it counterclockwise to move the door down. Remember to check it often to make sure you’re not adjusting it too much.

4. CHANGE THE DEPTH

   When doors don’t shut correctly, this could be because they’re too close to or too far away from the cabinet. This can be resolved by turning the screw on the horizontal arm that’s farthest away from the cabinet door. 
   
   This screw is centered between the two mounting screws. Turning the screw clockwise will turn the door inward, whereas turning it counterclockwise will move the cabinet outward.

If your kitchen cabinet door hinges are older, they might not have adjustable screws. This will make it harder to adjust them. While you can try tightening the screws, this might not solve the problem. Instead, you may need longer mounting screws or a shim behind the hinges. 

Sagging doors are an indicator that the doors may be too heavy for the hinges. If that’s the case, you can replace them or add additional hinges. Adjusting soft-close kitchen cabinet doors is typically as simple as tightening or loosening a screw on the hinges. 

Once you’re done adjusting them, you’re bound to see a noticeable difference in how your cabinets look and operate. If it’s time to replace your cabinets completely, 27EStore has plenty in stock to suit any kitchen! We also carry other home improvement items to help you redo any space. Shop our selection today and let us help you with your kitchen renovation!