Drawer handle tightening in Exeter
Professional drawer handle tightening services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
15-30 mins
Location
Exeter, Devon
Drawer handles tightened throughout your home. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom - every loose handle secured properly. No more wobbling, rattling, or handles about to fall off.
That Rattle Every Time You Open a Drawer
You pull a drawer handle and it rattles before it opens. Some handles are visibly loose. One's hanging at an angle. Another feels like it's about to come off in your hand.
You've been meaning to tighten them. You did two handles 3 months ago. There are 38 more to go.
💡 Pro tip: Loose handles damage drawer fronts. The wobbling enlarges screw holes in chipboard until screws won't hold at all. Regular tightening is cheap prevention vs expensive repair or replacement.
Drawer vs Cupboard Handles
| Type | Usage | Loosens Faster? |
|---|---|---|
| Drawer handles | Pull outward every use | Yes - constant pulling force |
| Cupboard handles | Pull + swing door | Moderate - varied forces |
| Knobs (twist/pull) | Multiple directions | Varies - depends on use |
Drawers generally loosen fastest - especially heavy pan drawers.
What You Get
🔧 Systematic Service
- Every drawer handle checked
- All cupboard handles checked
- Loose screws tightened properly
- Worn holes repaired if needed
- Crooked handles realigned
📦 Common Fixes
- Standard tightening (obviously)
- Matchstick/glue for stripped holes
- Longer screws if originals too short
- Missing screws replaced
- Handles repositioned if crooked
✅ Solid Handles
- No rattling
- Secure and stable
- Properly aligned
- Smooth operation
Pricing
| Job | Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Full kitchen (20-40 handles) | 20-30 mins | £60 |
| Kitchen + bathrooms | 30-40 mins | £60 |
| Whole house | 30-45 mins | £60 |
Based on £60 minimum callout. I'll do every handle in your house for one visit - much more cost-effective than per-handle pricing.
Stripped Screw Holes - Repair Methods
When holes are worn and won't hold screws:
Matchstick method (works 80% of time):
- Remove handle and screws
- Put wood glue on matchsticks
- Jam matchsticks into holes, snap flush
- Wait 30 mins for glue to dry
- Reattach handle - screws bite into new wood
Longer screw method:
- If drawer front thick enough
- Use screws 5-10mm longer
- Bite into fresh material deeper in
Reposition method (last resort):
- Move handle up/down 5mm
- Drill new pilot holes
- Plug old holes with filler
- Attach in new position with fresh wood
Common Problem Areas
✅ Kitchen drawers - especially heavy pan drawers
✅ Cutlery drawers - opened most frequently
✅ Bathroom vanity - moisture + regular use
✅ Bedroom drawers - kids yanking them
Why Choose Us for Drawer handle tightening in Exeter?
All handles solid
No rattling or wobbling
Prevents damage to fronts
Full kitchen done quickly
What to Expect
Step 1: Survey
Quick check of every handle - how loose, any damaged, screw holes still good or worn out.
Step 2: Systematic Tightening
Work through every drawer, every cupboard, tightening screws, checking alignment.
Step 3: Repairs
Any handles that won't tighten (stripped holes) - repair properly so they hold.
🔧 DIY Tips
Tightening handles yourself is genuinely easy - just tedious:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- Screwdriver (Pozidriv or Phillips, depends on screws)
- Or electric drill with screwdriver bit
- Matchsticks + wood glue (for repairs)
- 30-45 minutes of patience
🔨 How to tighten
- Open drawer - access screw heads inside
- Check both screws - most handles use two
- Tighten each screw - firm but not crushing
- Test handle - should feel solid, not rattle
- Move to next handle - repeat 40 times
- Don't skip any - do them all while you're doing it
🔨 For stripped holes
- Remove handle - both screws out
- Glue matchsticks - into each hole
- Snap flush - or trim with knife
- Wait 30 minutes - let glue dry
- Reattach handle - screws bite into matchsticks
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Over-tightening chipboard (cracks it, makes worse)
- Only doing handles you notice (do them all!)
- Using wrong screwdriver (strips screw heads)
- Not repairing stripped holes (just tighten → strip further)
💡 Pro trick: Do this twice a year - spring and autumn when clocks change. Takes 20-30 minutes, prevents handles getting really loose. Much easier to maintain than repair later.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🏠 Flat-pack furniture? IKEA, B&Q, Wickes cabinets all use thin chipboard that doesn't hold screws brilliantly. Not a defect - just needs regular tightening. Some customers have me do it annually with other maintenance.
New kitchens: Even new fitted kitchens need handle tightening after 6-12 months. Fitters tighten them once, then daily use works them loose. First re-tighten is important.
Handle replacement: If handles are broken (not just loose), I can fit new ones if you've bought them. Matching existing handles can be tricky if they're discontinued - worth keeping spares.
While I'm there: Other furniture needing attention? Door handles, knobs, anything else loose? I'll check and tighten everything for the same callout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do drawer handles keep coming loose?
You pull them every single day - sometimes hard, sometimes at angles. That constant force gradually loosens screws. Cheap flat-pack furniture with thin material makes it worse - not much for screws to bite into. Totally normal, just needs periodic tightening.
Can you tighten all the handles in my kitchen at once?
Yes - that's exactly what this service is for. Most kitchens have 20-40 handles total (cupboards + drawers). I go round systematically tightening everything. Takes 20-30 minutes, much better than you doing two and giving up.
What if the screw holes are worn out?
Common problem in chipboard. I can plug the holes with matchsticks and glue, move handles slightly to fresh wood, or use longer screws that bite into new material. Various tricks to make stripped holes hold again.
My drawer handle actually came off - can you fix that?
Yes - the screw holes have completely failed. I'll repair them (see above) and reattach the handle properly. If the handle itself is broken, you'll need a replacement, but I can fit it for you.
How often should I tighten drawer handles?
Once a year is sensible - same time as checking smoke alarms. Prevents them getting really loose and damaging screw holes beyond repair. Much easier to maintain than wait until handles are falling off.
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