Cabinet doors won't close

Question

I had a my kitchen painted and many of the doors do not close properly. The painter said that is the way they are. Can they be fixed? They look beautiful but I need them to close properly.

Cindy Hagemann · Answer

You might need to change the hinges and closures. Look at the ones that do not close and see where they do not fit to close correctly.

Phil a · Answer

You didn't show a picture or say how they are not closing. There are 2 main kinds of cabinet doors. Those that close over the opening by laying on the surface of the cabinet (flat) and those that actually insert an edge into the opening (offset). If the first kind, it's usually the hinges have paint inside, keeping them from closing. If the second type, the paint was put on too thickly and the door edges are now bigger than the opening and won't fit into the opening so they stick or jam. The fix for the first is removing the hinges and cleaning or replacing. The fix for the second is sanding or scraping down the offset edge where they stick until they fit. Good luck. Let us know what you do. Phil

Liz · Answer

If they didn't put the doors on the same cabinets they came off of, things won't line up properly.

William · Answer

The spring mechanism has failed or become weak. You can replace the hinges or install magnetic catches that will hold the doors closed.

Debbie/Dragonfly Treasure · Answer

If they closed properly prior to painting, sounds like your painter needs to fix

Peggy Lankford Bailey · Answer

From experience, depending on what the kind of wood the doors are made of, if you take the doors off and lay them flat, the wood may absorb some moisture from the paint and warp slightly.  And, most importantly, be sure to mark the doors when you take them down, to be sure they go back to the same cabinet opening.

Donna L. Woods-Clements · Answer

It could also be as simple as re-aligning the hinges.

Danielle Odin · Answer

Personally, I would take that opportunity to change and realign the hinges.

Donpaulin · Answer

As one answer indicated, more info is necessary. Are the doors full overlay, 3/8' overlay, or does all of the door fit inside the frame? And, do they stick at the top/bottom or only at the closing side?

In any event, assuming two coats of paint on all edges, this  amounts to the equivalent of EIGHT coats inside the frame, so the doors have 'grown' that much.  Again w/o full info, the most likely solution lies with the hinges - perhaps recessing slightly into the frame. Tell me more, please!

Linda Lemiere-Zile · Answer

My girlfriend painted her cabinets and then hers did not fit so she sanded the edges down more than the size they were previously and then re-painted and they fit just fine. So yes painting  coats on each side will make them not fit. I am surprised your painter didn't know that!

Linda Lemiere-Zile · Answer

Glad you got it taken care of!!

Gloria Zadrozny · Answer

My son painted his Cabot doors got new hinges now they don't close properly and looks uneven at top on son..,what to do

Cabinet doors won't close

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Cabinet doors won't close

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