Our goal is to ensure that our customers receive visually pleasing kitchen cabinets that require minimal care and maintenance. You will be able to enjoy the beauty and appearance of your cabinets for many years to come if you follow these guidelines:

1. Caring for Cabinet Finish
2. Adjusting Cabinet Shelves
3. Adjusting Cabinet Doors
4. Care & Cleaning of Laminate Countertops

Be sure to avoid cream cleaners or any cleaning products that contain abrasives, as they will scratch the surface and dull your finish. Bleaches, ammonia, and solvent-based cleaners should not be used either.

When you are storing products containing ammonia, be sure that they are kept securely sealed and in their original containers to avoid your cabinetry becoming yellowed due to exposure to ammonic fumes.

To avoid water spots from forming on your finish, be sure to wipe the surfaces dry.

Waxes or other products designed for untreated wood are not recommended as they may change the sheen and make your finish look either too shiny or too dull.

Water spills inside the cabinet should be wiped dry immediately to ensure that standing water does not cause swelling or de-lamination of the melamine (engineered-board) core material.

Next: Adjusting Cabinet Shelves

Second, remove the clip on doors. This will make it easier to move the shelf.

To do this pull the tab at the back of the hinge towards you and gently pull the door back from the top hinge. While firmly holding the door to ensure that it doesn’t fall, repeat the same step for above. (Figure 1 & 2)

To re-install the door, line up the bar at the front of the hinge with the slots on the hinge plate and gently push on the back of the hinge until the hinge tab snaps into place. (Figure 3)

Third, locate the shelf clips, which are engineered to support the shelves and prevent them from moving either up or down. To bypass the mechanism that holds the shelf in place, you must depress the clips by using either a rounded kitchen knife or the edge of a thin screwdriver. Push the tip of the knife/screwdriver between the shelf and the portion of the clip located above it at a 45-degree angle (Figure 1).

While this is being done, use the heel of your hand to bump the shelf up with enough force to pop it free from the clip. Repeat for each clip securing a shelf. After the shelf has been dislodged, twist the empty clips out of their holes and into the new location where you would like them to be.

To reinstall the shelf, place it on top of the vertically aligned clips and push down on it until it snaps into place. Make sure that the top retainer portion of each clip is hooked over top of the shelf.

Note: Three-door cabinets or cabinets with a vertical divider between the doors will have an additional shelf chip behind each shelf.

Next: Adjusting Cabinet Doors

Previous: Caring for Cabinet Finish

The cabinet door hinges are multi-adjustable to enable free movement of the doors: in and out, up and down, or side to side. The hinge adjustment screws are accessed by removing the hinge cover or name plate. (Figure 5 & 6)

Screw # 1 is used to align the doors vertically, when in a closed position. The spaces between the doors should be parallel and even throughout the cabinetry. Turning Screw #1 clockwise will move the door edge closer to being parallel to the cabinet side gable. To adjust the doors in Figure 7 turn screw # 1 on the top hinge of left door clockwise.

Screw # 2 is used to ensure the handle side of the door rests against the edge of the cabinet gable – equally at the top and bottom. The upper and lower bumper pads should contact the side gable at the same time. Turn the screw clockwise to bring the door closer to the gable. In Figure 8 turn screw # 2 on the top hinge of the left door clockwise to bring the right edge of the door in closer to the adjacent door.

Screws #3 & #4 are used to align the doors up or down, so the top and bottom edges are even with the doors next to it. This adjustment should be done last. All screws must be loosened on each hinge to make this adjustment, then move the door up or down to align with the door next to it. To adjust the doors in Figure 9 move the right door up or the left door down, depending upon the height of the adjacent doors. Tighten all screws once adjusted.

Next: Care & Cleaning of Laminate Countertops

Previous: Adjusting Cabinet Shelves

Avoid sliding heavy or rough objects along the surface of your laminate countertops, as they will scratch and chip if they are subjected to such treatment. The use of a cutting board is a wise measure to prevent scratching, as countertops are not impervious to the blade of a knife.

Hot objects, such as pots, pans, or appliances (toaster, deep fryer, slow cooker, etc.), should not be placed directly on the laminate surface. Trivets or insulated pads should be used at all times to prevent any delaminating or scorching of your countertop.

To clean your countertop, you should normally use only a mild detergent and water solution applied with a soft cloth or sponge. If difficult stains cannot be removed using this method, a soft-bristled brush can be used with a more concentrated solution. If the stain still persists, use a paste made of baking soda and water applied with a soft-bristled brush, scrubbing gently for 10 to 20 strokes.

Stubborn stains that resist the above methods may require the use of undiluted bleach or nail polish remover. Apply these substances directly to the stained area for no more than two minutes and then rinse the area thoroughly with warm water. After rinsing, wipe the surface dry with a soft cloth.

Abrasive pads and scouring pads or cleansers should not be used, as they may permanently dull and scratch your finish, which may make your countertop more susceptible to staining.

Previous: Adjusting Cabinet Doors