What to Know Before Selecting A Latch Style

You know you want cabinet latches to safeguard the hazardous items in your home, but you may not know how to select from the wide range of styles that exist. The first step in selecting a cabinet safety latch is to determine what type of cabinets you have.
Some cabinets are frameless, which is also called European style, while others are set into a frame and may have a partial or full overlay, or a partial or full inset. If you aren't sure which style you have, check with your local home improvement or hardware store and describe your setup to a salesperson there and see if they can guide you. You should also take a close look at your drawers to see if there is one layer of wood or two at the face of the drawer, since this can affect how a cabinet latch will attach.
Finally, consider whether your cabinet has a lip that reaches beyond the front of the cabinets and determine how much room exists between the top drawers and where the countertop starts. Once you have all these facts at hand, decide how many latches you will need. Generally, people put a cabinet door latch on all of their cabinets and drawers that are below waist-level to keep their children out, but the decision is yours depending on what will work best for your needs.