Different Cabinet Door Opening Mechanisms

Spring Tapping

• Spring-loaded catches are the most affordable of all cabinet door opening mechanisms. This type of mechanism is nothing more than a simple cylinder that attaches to the cabinet opening. Push the door shut and the spring-loaded catch engages a catch or knob on the door. Tap or push on the door, the spring releases, and pops the door out a few inches. Install this simple tool on your door and you don't need handles. Also known as a push-open latch, they're easy enough to install even for novice woodworkers.

The Slider

• Sliding mechanisms allow for right and left door opening. This opener works similar to a sliding glass patio door for opening sections of countertops for food preparation, or to close off storage of small appliances such as bread and coffee makers, food processors or anything else you're not using at the moment. The doors ride along two tracks and typically lift the door forward on scissor hardware far enough to clear existing handles on cabinets to the left or right. It's one way to cover miscellaneous items on your countertops and give your kitchen a clean, efficient appearance.

Vertical Lift

• Cabinet doors don't have to swing to the left or right. Vertical cabinet door openers lift doors straight up. This type of mechanism is for full-overlay doors that fit flat against the face of the cabinet, but can be adapted to fit face-frame cabinets as well by installing blocking on the inside of the cabinet. The mechanism operates via scissor hardware that lifts the door out and up and holds it there, allowing for full access of the cabinet's contents. Tug the door forward slightly and the scissor hardware lowers the door back into place. Scissor-lift hardware can be installed on shelves to lift other appliances or bins.

Hydraulics in Action

• Hydraulic pistons have been in place for many years to assist in the opening of doors. You've probably noticed them on automobiles with a hatchback. Pistons are used to slowly push the door upward, or they can be installed to open to the left or right. The soft-closing feature makes larger cabinet doors slowly close without slamming. They install by screwing one end to the cabinet, and the other end to the door. Choose them by weight capacity and length to get the perfect movement for almost any cabinet door.

Hide And Seek

• Concealed door openers are more like hinges, but they also serve to open and close doors smoothly. Also known as a European hinge, this type of door opening mechanism fits inside the cabinet and is invisible from the outside. It works on full-overlay doors, typically without face-frames, but can be installed on face-frame cabinets with blocking or purchased to fit face-frame cabinets. Handles are needed, or you can cut 30-degree bevels around the perimeter of the door to use as finger pulls to open the doors. Soft-closing features are available on some concealed hinges that slowly closes the door.