DIY False Drawers With Tilt-Out Hinges

Almost all kitchen sink base cabinets have them. Mounted just below the sink on the face of these cabinet are false drawer fronts that match the working drawers on the remaining kitchen cabinets. False drawer fronts are necessary as full-sized drawers cannot be mounted in the cabinet due to the additional space needed to accommodate the kitchen sink bowls. Tilt-out hinges can be installed on a false drawer front, giving access to the narrow space in front of the sink bowls for storage of small items.

Phillips head screwdriver
Tilt-out drawer front hinges (2)
Nail
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Open the cabinet door under the sink to access the backside of the false drawer front. Make pencil marks along the edges of the opening behind the false drawer front onto the backside of the drawer front. Loosen the retaining screws on the brackets on the backside of the drawer front with a Phillips head screwdriver. Keep the drawer front from falling by holding it with one hand while you finish removing the screws with your other hand. Remove the drawer front from the cabinet. Remove the remaining screws in the brackets. Remove the brackets from the drawer front opening in the cabinet.
- 2
  Position one of the tilt-out hinges at one side of the drawer front opening in the cabinet. Ensure the leading edge of the hinge is even with the exterior vertical surface of the base cabinet. Make pencil marks on the edges of the opening through the center of the slotted screw mounting holes in the hinge. Remove the hinge for now.
- 3
  Make small dimples on the pencil marks with a nail tapped with a hammer so that the hinge retaining screws will thread into the wood easier. Reposition the hinge and drive in the retaining screws with the Phillips screwdriver. Repeat to install the hinge on the opposite side of the opening.
- 4
  Position the drawer front onto the cabinet. Line up the pencil marks on the backside of the drawer front with the cabinet opening to ensure it is in its original position. Make pencil marks through the center of the slotted mounting holes of the hinge onto the backside of the drawer front. Remove the drawer front from the cabinet for now.
- 5
  Make small dimples on the pencil marks that denote screw hole locations on the backside of the drawer front with a nail tapped with the hammer. Reposition the drawer front and drive in the retaining screws through the hinge mounting holes and into the backside of the drawer front with the Phillips head screwdriver.
- 6
  Test the operation of the tilt-out hinges by pulling out on the top edge of the drawer front. Loosen the screws where the hinges attach to the cabinet or to the drawer front if adjustment is needed. Slide the drawer front as the slotted mounting holes will allow to make slight adjustments. Tighten the screws.

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