As everyone knows, it hasn't been the easiest to shop in stores these days, us here in Ontario are on our 3rd lockdown and restrictions are tighter then ever. I have ordered handles and the wait time is 3 or more weeks and I just don't have the patience to wait that out so I've been getting creative with some DIY solutions. I thought I would share because it not only will save you the hassle of waiting but it also gives your pieces a unique and custom look and is often a much more affordable solution. I sometimes find that some pieces I refinish have odd sized handles and it can be difficult, expensive and time consuming to find options that fit so, I know I will continue to use some of these handle options even when stores do reopen!
Option 1: Wooden Handles
This was the my first attempt at a DIY handle and I loved how they turned out- they're not just a functional piece but became the statement of this dresser. We had some leftover hardwood flooring that we utilized but any piece of scrap wood you have hanging around you could take advantage of and even paint if it's not in the greatest shape.
To build these handles specifically, I started with slicing off the ridges on the backside so that the wood would lay flush on the drawers using our table saw. Next, I sliced off the back portion of the grooved side so that the front edge would have a lip making it easy to grab the handles.
I then measured the height of each drawer and cut the handles appropriately so they would run flush from top to bottom. Once all of the cuts were made I used 60 grit sand paper to take off any extra grooves and then went over that with 120 and then 240 grit paper to really smooth out the edges. If you are wanting to paint or stain your wood this would be the time to do that, I was really happy with the finish on mine so I left it as is and moved onto the next step, fastening them onto the drawers. The previous handles on this dresser had two holes per knob about an inch apart and I lucked out in being able to reuse these holes. Typically, screws for handles have a flat end but I wanted to use regular screws to simply grab the wood so I found the right length needed and tested on a scrap piece of wood to see if pilot holes would be needed in order to prevent the wood from cracking. Luckily, I was able to skip this step as well but I highly recommend you test your own piece to see how your wood reacts. Using a speed square I clamped the handle over the preexisting holes and then just simply secured with 2 screws. Super simple and easy and you can customize it with any colour or shape of handle you desire!
Option 2: Leather Handles
Leather handles are a new trend in hardware and I thought to myself "That would be easy to make myself!" So, I ordered a roll of leather strapping and used some bolts I had around the house to create these handles. I first took the leather strap and cut it to the length I wanted ensuring that I left enough room in between the bolts to easily grab the leather. Next, I cut each end of the straps using sharp scissors to give a unique look but you could also leave it in a clean straight edge, round the edges or have it the opposite of mine like a "v" shape. Next, I marked out where the holes would be with a pencil, if you have a leather punch this will be super easy for you to create the right sized hole. For myself, I didn't have one so I used a drill bit, held both sides of the hole as firmly as I could to prevent the leather from twisting and drilled the holes. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect but it actually worked really well! I then fed the screws through the holes in the leather and was able to screw the bolt to the screw to secure in place. Another super easy option that only cost me about $15.00 and I have lots left over that I can use on future projects!
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