How do you tell the difference between a left hand and right hand cabinet door?

Telling the difference between left and right cabinet doors can seem tricky, but with a few simple tricks it becomes easy. As you probably know, cabinet doors need to open in the correct direction to avoid collisions. So figuring out if a door is left or right handed is important during cabinet installation and replacement.

What’s the Difference Between Left and Right Handed Cabinet Doors?

The main difference between left and right handed cabinet doors is which way the hinges are mounted and which direction the door swings open. Here’s a quick overview:

• Left hand cabinet doors have hinges mounted on the right side of the door (when facing the cabinet). The door swings open from right to left.
• Right hand cabinet doors have hinges mounted on the left side of the door (when facing the cabinet). The door swings open from left to right.

So a left hand door will open towards the left, and a right hand door will open towards the right. The side the hinges are on determines the swing direction.

How to Tell at a Glance

When you’re standing in front of a cabinet, there are a few quick ways to identify left vs right doors:

• Look at the hinge side – if the hinges are on the right, it’s a left hand door. If the hinges are on the left, it’s a right hand door.
• Look at the door swing – if it opens to the left, it’s a left hand door. If it opens to the right, it’s a right hand door.
• Look for markings – some doors have “L” or “R” stamped near the hinges indicating left or right hand.

So just glancing at the hinge location or swing direction is an easy way to tell. Here are some examples:

Door Picture	Left or Right?
	Left hand – hinges are on the right side of the door
	Right hand – hinges are on the left side of the door

As you can see, just looking at which side the hinges are mounted on is an instant indicator if the door is left or right handed.

What About Double Doors?

With double doors, the left/right hand orientation applies to each door separately. For example:

• A set of double doors with both hinges on the right are left hand doors.
• A set with both hinges on the left are right hand doors.
• A set with the left door having hinges on the right, and the right door having hinges on the left, is called a left/right set.

The left door always opens first, then the right door. So pay attention to each door’s hinge side to determine if it’s a left, right, or left/right set.

Does Hinge Side Matter?

Getting the hinge side correct is important for a few reasons:

• Avoid collisions – Doors banging into each other or walls is annoying. Proper left/right orientation prevents this.
• Accessibility – The door swing should make access easy, not block it.
• Consistency – Uniform cabinet door swing improves kitchen flow.
• Convenience – Opening towards the workspace is ideal in most cases.

So while a door *can* be mounted on either side, getting left vs right correct makes using the cabinets much more convenient and comfortable.

What if I Buy the Wrong Ones?

If you realize you’ve bought the incorrect left/right doors, all is not lost. You have a few options to remedy the situation:

• Return or exchange – If feasible, return the doors for the correct hand.
• Remount hinges – Hinges can be moved to the other side to flip swing direction.
• Use as is – You may be able to use doors in another area where swing direction doesn’t matter.
• Sell online – Sell locally via Craigslist or eBay to recoup some cost.

To avoid surprises, always confirm hinge orientation when ordering replacement doors. Cabinets can be used with improper door swing in a pinch, but it’s not ideal.

Tips for Identifying Handing

Here are some additional tips for figuring out left vs right cabinet doors in any situation:

• Pretend you’re inside the cabinet looking out to see which way doors swing.
• Face the cabinets and point your thumbs out – left thumb = left door, right thumb = right door.
• Look at surrounding cabinets to determine door swing consistency.
• Refer to the original plans or order paperwork if available.
• Call the manufacturer if still unsure – they should have handing records.

Taking a systematic approach helps avoid mixups. When in doubt, seek out definitive documentation or contact the maker.

Special Considerations by Cabinet Area

While general left/right handing applies everywhere, here are some special considerations for certain cabinet types:

Kitchen Cabinets

• Wall cabinets – Typically right hinged so doors open away from corner.
• Base cabinets – Left or right depending on kitchen workflow.
• Corner cabinets – Left/right combo allows full access.
• Lazy susans – Swivel avoids handedness issue.

Bathroom Vanities

• Single sink – Right hinged allows water dripping into sink.
• Double sink – Center doors open away from faucet.
• Linen cabinets – Left hinged to access towels easily.

Closets

• Full height – Right hinged makes grabbing clothes convenient.
• Reaching high shelves – Left hinged puts hinges out of the way.
• No standard rule – Builder preference.

So door swing in some areas comes down to ergonomics and intended use.

How to Change Hinge Side

If you need to move hinges to convert between left and right doors, follow these steps:

1. Remove hinge screws and detach hinges from cabinet and door.
2. On door, plug old screw holes and drill new pilot holes opposite side.
3. On cabinet, if old hinge plates don’t cover holes, install hinge face plates.
4. Mount hinges on opposite side using new pilot holes.
5. Test door swing and make any adjustments.

Just swapping hinge sides is a quick, reversible way to change door hand without completely disassembling cabinets. Face plates give a clean look.

Conclusion

Identifying left vs right cabinet doors is important for functionality and preventing conflicts. By remembering a few simple checks such as hinge location and opening direction, you can quickly tell the difference.

Pay special attention to door handing when replacing doors or installing new cabinets. Taking a methodical approach and seeking documentation or professional advice helps ensure proper configuration.

While an improper left/right door can work temporarily, correcting door orientation provides much smoother, more convenient access. So get the opening direction right for increased comfort, safety, and aesthetics.