The kitchen is the hardest-working room in most homes. Cupboard doors are opened and closed hundreds of times a week, drawers carry heavy pots and cutlery, and everything is exposed to steam, heat, spills and the occasional flood from a leaking dishwasher. It is no surprise that kitchen cupboards wear out long before the rest of the kitchen. The good news is that most kitchen problems can be fixed without replacing the whole kitchen.

We repair and refresh kitchen cabinetry in homes and rentals across Warragul, Drouin, Trafalgar, Yarragon and the surrounding Baw Baw district. Whether it is one dropped door or a full refresh of hinges, runners and handles throughout, we can help you get years more use out of your existing kitchen.

The most common kitchen cupboard problems

Sagging and misaligned doors

Cupboard doors that hang crooked, rub against each other or will not close properly are usually the result of hinges that have worked loose or drifted out of adjustment. Modern concealed hinges have three adjustment screws for height, depth and side-to-side position. A quick adjustment often transforms the look of a kitchen. Where the hinge screw holes have stripped out of the particleboard, we repair the holes with dowels or inserts before re-fixing.

Broken hinges

Hinges eventually fail, particularly on heavy or tall doors such as pantry doors. Older kitchens may have hinge types that are no longer made. We match replacement hinges where possible, or convert to a current hinge type with a new mounting plate.

Failed drawer runners

Drawers that stick, drop, drag or come off their runners are another common complaint. Older roller runners wear out, and the plastic wheels crack. We replace runners with matching sizes, or upgrade to full-extension soft-close runners where the drawer construction allows.

Broken drawer fronts and boxes

Drawer fronts come loose from the drawer box, and drawer bottoms drop out under heavy loads. We re-fix fronts, glue and reinforce drawer boxes, and replace drawer bottoms.

Swollen particleboard

Moisture is the enemy of particleboard. Cabinets under sinks and beside dishwashers often swell where water has got into the board, causing the base to bulge and hinges to pull out. Small areas can sometimes be cut out and patched or sealed. Badly swollen carcasses may need replacement panels or a new cabinet. Before any repair, the source of the water must be fixed; if a tap, trap or dishwasher hose is leaking, a licensed plumber needs to repair it.

Peeling edges and laminate

Edging strips on doors and benchtops come loose with heat and steam, especially near ovens and kettles. We re-glue or replace edging where it is available.

Damaged kick boards

Kick boards along the bottom of cabinets get kicked, mopped and soaked. They swell, warp and fall off. We replace them with new boards and fit new clips.

Kitchen refresh: small changes, big difference

If your kitchen is structurally sound but looks tired, a refresh can make a surprising difference without the cost and disruption of a renovation. Options include:

• New handles. Replacing dated handles is one of the cheapest and most noticeable updates. If the new handles have a different hole spacing, we fill the old holes or choose handles that cover them.
• Soft-close upgrades. Adding soft-close hinges and runners makes a kitchen feel more modern and reduces wear on doors and carcasses.
• Door adjustment throughout. Aligning every door so gaps are even and doors sit flush.
• Replacement doors. New doors made to measure by a joinery supplier can be fitted to existing carcasses. We measure, order through you or a supplier, and fit and adjust the new doors.
• Painting cabinets. Some cabinet types, particularly older timber or painted cabinets, can be repainted. Laminate and vinyl-wrap doors require specialist primers and are not always suitable.
• Kick boards and end panels. Replacing damaged kick boards and end panels tidies the base of the kitchen.
• Silicone and splashback seals. Renewing the seal between benchtop and splashback, and around the sink, keeps water out. See silicone and caulking.
• Shelving and storage. Adding shelves, pull-out bins and organisers inside cupboards.

Pantries

Pantry cupboards often carry the heaviest loads in the kitchen. Shelves bow, shelf pins break, and tall pantry doors drop. We replace shelf pins, add support battens under heavy shelves, fit new shelves and adjust or replace hinges on tall doors. For walk-in pantries, we can add extra shelving on wall-mounted brackets.

Rental kitchens

In rental properties, kitchen cupboard repairs come up at almost every routine inspection and end-of-lease. Common items include broken hinges, loose handles, a failed drawer runner, a swollen sink base and a missing kick board. We work through these lists for landlords and property managers in Warragul and Drouin and provide before and after photos. See our property managers page and end-of-lease repairs.

Laundries, vanities and other cabinetry

The same hardware and materials are used in laundries, bathroom vanities, built-in robes, study desks and entertainment units. We repair hinges, runners and doors in all of these. See also bathroom fixtures.

What we do not do

Plumbing (taps, sink wastes, dishwasher connections) must be done by a licensed plumber. Electrical work (power points, rangehoods wiring, under-cabinet lighting connections) must be done by a licensed electrician. Stone benchtop cutting and installation is specialist work. Full kitchen design and installation is done by kitchen companies. We can work around these trades and fix the cabinetry before or after their visits.

Our process

1. Photos and description. Send us photos of the problem doors, drawers and cabinets, and a list of what you would like done.

2. Parts identification. Where possible, we identify hinge and runner types from photos and the marks on the hardware, so we can bring the right parts on the first visit.

3. Written quote. A clear scope and free quote. No prices are published online.

4. Repair visit. We protect benchtops and floors, empty cupboards as needed (or ask you to beforehand), and work through the list.

5. Final check. Every door and drawer is opened and closed with you to check it runs smoothly and sits correctly.

How to look after your kitchen cupboards

• Wipe up water around the sink and dishwasher promptly.
• Do not hang wet tea towels over cupboard doors.
• Avoid overloading drawers; heavy pots belong in deep, well-supported drawers.
• Use the kettle and toaster away from edging and upper cupboards, where steam and heat cause peeling.
• Tighten loose handle screws early, before the holes strip out.
• Check under the sink every few months for slow leaks.

Why local kitchens wear the way they do

Many homes in Warragul and Drouin were built during periods of rapid growth, and some kitchens were fitted with budget hardware that wears quickly. Older homes in Trafalgar and Yarragon may have solid timber kitchens from decades ago that are still sound but need new hardware. In damp winters, condensation inside poorly ventilated kitchens adds to particleboard swelling. Running the rangehood while cooking, and keeping the kitchen ventilated, makes a real difference.

Areas we serve

Kitchen cupboard repairs in Warragul, Drouin, Trafalgar, Yarragon, Nilma, Darnum, Rokeby, Buln Buln, Neerim South and Longwarry. See our service areas and all services.

A typical kitchen repair visit

Here is how a common job runs. A family in Drouin has a kitchen about fifteen years old. Three upper doors hang crooked, the pantry door has dropped, two drawers have failed runners, the kick board under the sink has swollen and fallen off, and the handles are dated.

Before the visit

From the photos, we identify the hinge brand and the runner type and length, and confirm the handle hole spacing. We bring replacement hinges, runners and kick board material, and the family picks new handles from a supplier.

On the day

Benchtops and floors are protected. The family has emptied the affected cupboards. We start with the doors: adjusting the hinges on the upper cupboards so gaps are even and the doors sit flush, then replacing the two worn hinges on the pantry door and repairing the stripped screw holes. Next, the two failed drawers are removed, the old runners unscrewed, and new soft-close runners fitted to the drawer boxes and carcasses. The swollen kick board is replaced and the clips renewed. Finally, the old handles are removed and the new ones fitted, with the old holes filled where the new handles do not cover them.

Final check

Every door and drawer is opened and closed, and the kitchen is cleaned down. The result looks like a different kitchen, with no demolition and no weeks without a sink.

Repair, refresh or replace?

Not every kitchen is worth saving, and we will tell you honestly. As a rough guide:

• Repair makes sense when carcasses are sound and dry, and the problems are hardware: hinges, runners, handles, kick boards.
• Refresh makes sense when the layout works for you and the carcasses are sound, but the doors and handles look dated. New doors and handles on the existing carcasses change the look at a fraction of the cost of a new kitchen.
• Replace makes sense when carcasses are badly swollen or collapsing, the layout does not work, or you need new appliances in different positions. That is a job for a kitchen company.

Hardware brands and parts

Most kitchens in local homes use hinges and runners from a handful of major hardware brands, and parts are widely available. Older and imported kitchens sometimes use less common hardware. When exact matches are not available, we use adaptor plates or convert all doors on a run to a current hinge so they look and operate consistently.

Selling or renting your home

Buyers and tenants open cupboard doors and pull out drawers at inspections. Doors that hang crooked or drawers that stick give the impression of a poorly maintained home. A morning spent aligning doors, fixing runners and replacing tired handles is a small investment before listing.

Frequently asked questions