Installing Safety Latches On Cabinet Doors

Notice the elongated adjustment holes

There are many different styles of safety locks for cupboards. Depending on the brand, installing kitchen cabinet door latches could take five minutes each or less. This of course is determined by your level of skill with a few household DYI tools.

We have provided a few videos further down the page that we found to be very helpful in showing how to install these childproof locks.
There is also one that demonstrates the importance of testing to see how secure the kitchen doors are after the installation.

Plastic-Spring Loaded, Clip and Magnetic Safety Latch Brands

• Popular Brand Names
• Secure-A-Catch
• Prime Line Products
• National Manufacturing
• Kidco
• Gerber
• Emmay
• Rev-A-Lcok
• Rev-A-Shelf
• Tot Lock
• Safety 1st

Tools Needed:

*Electric Drill (optional)
*Drill Bit
*Phillips Screwdriver
*Pencil

Some child proof kitchen cabinet latches come supplied with a template and others get installed through a process of trial and error. You may find that the brand you are using will have double face tape on the parts. Never only rely on the adhesive. You must install the screws for the highest level of safety.

There are always two basic components to align in the installation process, a bracket and the spring loaded latch.

Drilling makes it easier to install the screws

Brief Overview of The Installation Process

1. Position one of the safety latch parts into position on the cabinet door and either attach it with the double face adhesive tape (provided with the lock) or mark the position with a pencil.
2. Pre-drill the locations of where the screws will be installed. Only drill the elongated holes first.
3. Temporarily secure the parts with the screws provided.
4. Adjust the parts so that the doors lock securely.
5. Drill for the final set screws that get installed through the holes on the bracket or latch that are not elongated.

Poor Quality Childproof Cabinet Latch Video

Installing magnetic cabinet latches is more challenging than installing the spring loaded plastic push down bracket styles. There is less tolerance (margin for error) with the magnet styles.

The advantages to using the plastic arm, spring loaded kitchen cabinet door lock is that you can open the door with one hand. This way if you have a small child in your arms, you don’t have to put them down in order to release the lock.

Not all door and drawer safety latches are safe. I would recommend that after the installation of one lock is complete that you test the mechanism with plenty of pressure. Kids can apply large amounts of force when they are rocking back and forth using their body weight to their advantage.

Smart moms recommend installing safety locks on all of your kitchen cabinet doors and drawers. If you have a stack of drawers, never leave the bottom one accessible as a play area. Children can actually use it like a step on a ladder.