Cabinets are meant to last for decades. However, there are circumstances that can ruin them long before they are supposed to deteriorate. Certain accidents, for example, can greatly damage various parts of the cabinet.
Now when your cabinet breaks, you have two options: replace the cabinet with a new unit, or repair it. The first option is definitely easier. However, financially speaking, fixing a broken cabinet may be a better option.
There are many ways to repair a broken cabinet, and these basically depend on the actual parts damaged and the level or degree of damage. A slightly damaged cabinet is generally easier to repair than a heavily broken one. Damage to the smallest parts of the cabinet is also easier to repair compared to damage to the larger parts.
Door and hinge problems (ineffective door swinging, doors leaning to one side, etc.) are among the easiest to fix. Sometimes tightening the hinge mounting screws easily solves the problem. If this doesn’t work, you can try replacing the hinge screws with larger and longer ones. If the screw holes or mounting locations are already badly damaged, you can try moving the hinges to a different location where the wood is stronger.
Broken cabinet drawers are pretty easy to fix too, especially if they’re just stuck or stuck. Tapping the drawer lightly is often an effective way to put the drawer slide back in place. Sometimes it is only necessary to replace the runners. If the problem is with the slide, then it must be determined whether the problem is with the screw holding the slide or with the slide itself. If one or more screws holding the slide have fallen off, replacing the screws may solve the problem. But if the slide itself is already broken, you have no choice but to replace the slide with a new one.
A broken cabinet frame or damaged cabinet lumber will likely require more work. If the damage is minor and in a part that is not too exposed, you can reassemble the broken pieces and glue them together with wood glue. For more serious damage, the large piece of broken wood can be replaced with a freshly cut piece of the same species of wood. An alternative is to use an epoxy wood repair kit to seal the broken area.
So if your kitchen or bathroom cabinet is broken, assess the damage first before replacing the cabinet with a new unit. If the damage is minor, you can save a lot by repairing it instead of buying a new one.