Cabinet Knobs Vs. Cabinet Pulls – Make Your Choice

When buying new cabinets, or even when renovating old ones, many design questions spring to mind, and until all of them are answered, there is no way to move on with the project. After choosing the style and color of your cabinetry, you will have to choose as install pulls or knobs on it. In general, they’re used for the same thing (opening doors), yet depending on how you plan to be using your cabinets, one option might end up being the better one after all.

If you’re buying pre-assembled and finished furnishing items or cabinets, it is pretty much a guarantee that a standard set of knobs will be included. They’re generally uninspired, and fortunately are held in place with either only one screw or bolt, which means they’ll be easy to remove and replace with some quality items.

On the other hand, cabinet pulls are long bars shaped after the letter "c" where the edges are attached to the door/drawer. The main difference between pull bars and knobs is the space they occupy; pull bars are connected to the door by two extremities and take up more space on the cabinet’s face, while knobs hold on a single hole and can remain practically invisible, if that was the wish.

In order to help you get decided as to which to choose, here are some pros and cons of the afore-mentioned doorknobs and pulls.

One way to decide what to go for is to see how many cabinets have to be outfitted with handles. If there is a lot furniture to equip, then I recommend that you go for the knobs, seeing how they require only one hole to be installed, compared to the two holes required by the pull bars.

However, if what you’re aiming for is comfort, and you’re willing to put in the extra amount of work, go for the pulls. They’re much more comfortable to use, especially for people with arthritis or something alike, since they require less grip strength than knobs to open the doors.

In the end, you will end up making your choice based on what you’re looking for. If aesthetics is what worries you, chances are that knobs are what you need, since they come in many more decorative varieties than the pulls, but aren’t as comfortable to use.









Melissa Roy writes article on Iron door hardware at Antique brass door knobs and Century cabinet hardware pulls.