Ten-minute fixes: cabinet hinges, door handles and the wobbly chair

Houses loosen. Doors get opened fifty times a day, chairs get leaned on, towel bars get pulled. Almost all of it is a screw that has backed out a quarter turn, and almost all of it is a ten-minute fix with a screwdriver and the right bit.

1. The cabinet door that does not close flush

Modern cabinet hinges have two or three adjustment screws. The one closest to the door edge moves the door in and out; the one in the middle moves it left and right; the mounting screws move it up and down. Turn a quarter at a time and close the door between turns. If the hinge itself is loose on the cabinet, tighten the mounting screws first. The hinges are usually Phillips #2 or Pozidriv, and a locking screwdriver arm, like the one on the Kelvin 23, keeps the bit square in the head.

2. The door handle that spins

Lever handles are held by one or two small set screws on the underside of the lever, often hex or Torx. Find the screw, snug it, and the spin stops. If the whole plate rotates, there are two longer screws under the plate or behind a decorative cover. Household Torx sizes are among the bits on the Kelvin 36.

3. The wobbly chair

Turn it over. Tighten every bolt or screw you can see, snug not tight. If a leg joint is loose and there is no fastener, work a little wood glue into the joint, wipe the excess, and leave it under weight overnight. Felt pads on the feet level a chair on an uneven floor more often than any carpentry.

4. The towel bar or toilet-paper holder that pulls off the wall

These mount on a hidden bracket held to the wall by two screws, with a set screw on the underside of the bar that clamps it to the bracket. If the bar is loose, the set screw has backed out. If the bracket is loose, the wall anchor has failed and needs replacing with a larger one.

5. The drawer that sticks

Pull the drawer out fully and look at the runners. A screw backed out on the runner is the usual cause; a glide that has slipped is the second. Tighten, then rub a candle or a bar of soap along a wooden runner.

The rule for all of them

Snug, not tight. Most of these screws thread into particleboard, plastic or a drywall anchor, and all three strip when over-torqued. Stop when it stops.

The tool

One multitool handles every job on this list. The Kelvin 17 covers an apartment, the 23 covers a house, and the 36 covers the house plus the bottle of wine afterwards.

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