Give Interior Sliding Glass Doors An Upgrade Using An Overlooked Cabinet Essential

Have you been staring at your sliding glass doors, wondering why they look so, well, bland? Before you switch out the entire trim or look into a completely different door option altogether, you may first want to examine the handles. Believe it or not, the hardware on doors and furniture pieces can actually have a huge impact on the overall feel of the piece. 

It may seem like the bulky handles that typically come on sliding glass doors can't be replaced like you might switch out a regular door handle. However, many of these can actually be unscrewed and replaced with a more suitable cabinet pull to help add character to your sliding glass doors without a major renovation. To accomplish this trick, you will need a screwdriver, new cabinet handles with a large backplate, and strong mounting tape. If you are able to find a cabinet handle whose mounting holes match the existing holes on the door, then you may even be able to skip the tape step and simply screw the new handles into place. If not, then the new cabinet handles will need a larger backing plate to cover the holes so the door does not look unfinished. It is important to note, at this point, that this trick is only suitable for interior sliding glass doors or ones that have locks separate from the handles. This is because cabinet handles don't have built-in locks and are therefore not a safe replacement for exterior entrances. Let's examine some key tips for giving sliding doors a modern upgrade using cabinet pulls for both practical use and visual appeal.

A great example of this particular trick is one shared by Instagram user @caromin.home. They posted about being frustrated with the bulky, awkward nature of their existing sliding door handles. So, they unscrewed the handles, grabbed some sleek black cabinet pulls, and attached those in place using heavy-duty mounting tape. While the strong tape is designed to hold a lot of weight, it is a good idea to look for cabinet handles made of sturdy materials that will be able to withstand the heavier weight of the door.

As shown in the Instagram video, you may also want to remove the piece of hardware that the door slides into. However, this is not necessary in instances where the sliding door slots straight into the trim, such as with many sliding pocket doors. It is also important to clean the place where the old handles were before taping on the new ones. This is for multiple reasons. First, a clean surface will allow the mounting tape to adhere better, making it less likely to come off in your hand while you are sliding the door. In addition, cleaning the area will help to give it better visual appeal. You don't want your clever hardware swap to be outdone by a layer of dust and grime, after all. If you are unsure which cabinet pulls to use, try looking into which styles would go well with your door color. For example, the trim color for sliding glass doors for a natural look — wood — goes particularly well with stylish cabinet pull options in bronze or matte black.