Hackers Help: Change out Galant handles?

Jules Yap·
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Hi! Has anyone had problems with the GALANT handles?

I have a GALANT cabinet and the handles are unpleasant to use. The edge is so thin and sharp, it digs into your hands when you use them.

galant handles
GALANT | IKEA.com

I am not crafty and can’t figure out a way to either fix or replace them.

What suggestions do you have?

~ by Alex

***

Hi Alex

Too bad the GALANT handles are giving you problems. 

Galant handle

As far as I can see from the assembly manual, the GALANT handles are screwed onto the back of the door panels with screws. You can remove the 2 screws and detach the handles. Problem gone!

So in its place, you can just have a cut-out as a handle.

But doing so will expose the particleboard, which is never a good idea, especially for an area with a lot of wear and tear.

You can consider finishing the exposed edges with wood putty or iron on edge band. Ironing it may be an issue though. You can also try some form of moldable glue like Sugrushow?id=QBHTto57RYc&bids=434320 to create a softer cushion for your fingertips.

Alternatively, if you can find some suitable pulls to fit the opening, that would be awesome too.

Let us know how you decide.

Happy hacking,

Jules

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Jules Yap
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8 Responses

  1. Spray paint them with rubberized paint like Plastidip or Flexseal. Tape off any areas that you don’t want to get paint on, like the part that connects to the wood, so the sizing doesn’t decrease ever so slightly since paint will add a microlayer to take away from how those 2 pieces might fit together. You can also lightly hand sand the handle insert edges before painting which would further smooth them. Just don’t use an electric sander as they are plastic and might shave off too much material or crack it. Maybe a Dremel tool on a low setting would be ok to hit the edges but I wouldn’t use a palm sander or anything heavier duty for such detail work.

    Reply

  2. Wow lots of great suggestions!! Thanks everyone! And thank you Jules 🙂 Really cool to see the variety of ideas everyone has. The idea of putting some kind of putty or rubber into it seems the easiest.. replacing the piece will be hard since the shape is so particular! For now, I took them off but the particleboard is so rough. Looking forward to trying your suggestions!

    Reply

  4. I don’t see how Jules ‘s idea helps you close the door. Have you considered a long handle mounted on the surface above and below the existing handle. There are many choices both IKEA and elsewhere. The ability to slide past would be lost.

    Reply

  5. I wonder whether there is some kind of 3D printed handle design available to fit the Galant? The link below is an article about 3D printed replacement parts for Ikea furniture designed for people with disabilities, although you don’t need to have a disability to appreciate the idea of adapting things to fit the preferences of the user, and it points out that if you can find a design you want you can take it to a 3D printing service.
    https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/12/18261893/ikea-thisables-3d-printed-add-ons-people-with-disabilities

    Reply

  6. Okay – never mind my earlier comment! I visually misunderstood what these handles look like. (I saw convex instead of concave!) I think it would be possible to line them with a rubber adhesive tape though, just to eliminate sharpness, if nothing else. Looks like they are not deep enough to comfortably use though, so its a design flaw. Removal may be the only clear solution. Good luck!

    Reply

  7. The simplest thing may be to get some adhesive rubber (it seems to come in a variety of products online, some with padding). Trim it carefully to shape and stick it on to one or both sides of the handle. May not be the most beautiful, but if the rubber matches the color of the cabinet it should not be obvious.

    A more engineered option could be slicing a slot in an attractive little block of wood or plastic and just gluing it over the galant handle.

    Reply

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