Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
laurarw

Clever ways to stop fridge door from bumping corner?

Laura Weller
11 years ago

Ok, we knew this was going to happen.

Our fridge is a side by side, and sits next to a pantry and a small cabinet. We have created a sort of "built in" look for it with a spacer, a wood facade, and shelves above. It looks great. This was, believe me, the *only * place the fridge could be in the kitchen. We spent hours--days--KD, DH, contractor, me, and there was no other, better option.

We knew the freezer door would hit the pantry, which sort of juts out. Again, the pantry could not be modified. The corner probably holds the house up, or contains a bomb, or the secret to eternal life, and for whatever reason, unless I wanted to sell my children, I couldn't mess with it.

I have a water and ice dispenser in the fridge door, and it seems to me that since they are black, there ought to be some clever way to put something soft but fairly invisible to the eye on this black dispenser, to soften the gentle bumps against the corner.

Anyone?

Comments (24)

  • chiefneil
    11 years ago

    I put a little round clear silicon bumper on the corner, not the fridge. You might also just use some foam tape and paint it either black if on the fridge or wall color if you stick it on the wall.

  • Laura Weller
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Those are both good ideas....

  • bahacca
    11 years ago

    I was thinking a silicone type bumper as well.

  • marcolo
    11 years ago

    I know exactly what you need to do. However, due to your excessive sense of humor, I'm not going to tell you.

  • liriodendron
    11 years ago

    Somebody here a while ago had invented (or linked to the inventor) of a webbing strap thingy that was installed between the body of the beast and the bottom edge of the door that prevented (by the needed whisker or two) the door smacking the obstruction. Perhaps a Google search will turn it up.

    Otherwise I would go with a little clear silicone blobby thing. Maybe connected to a vulgar whoopee-cushion style noisemaker so that when Marcolo's visiting and sneaking down late at night to help himself to the left-over pie you can catch him in the act and force him to tell you his (better) idea.

    L.

  • decordummy_gw
    11 years ago

    In the long term it may be better to just sell the children (says she as her 'grown' child is fishing in the fridge right after dinner dishes are done).

  • Mizinformation
    11 years ago

    I'm not as smart nor elegant as chiefneil and bahacca, so instead of putting the silicone bumper on the corner, we essentially did the same thing on the fridge. We have a newish 36" Samsung FD fridge that is living in the dining room during the kitchen remodel, and one door hits a corner on a wall. On the fridge we hung a plastic clip with a magnet on the back (meant for hanging notes or messages on the fridge), and clipped a 3-inch cutout from an old foam sleeping pad. Works great, unless someone bumps it out of position. Not the prettiest to have a blue foam square as the only decoration on the fridge door, but it kept the fridge from denting!

  • pricklypearcactus
    11 years ago

    I put a little clear round silicon bumper (from Home Depot) on a corner where my washer door bumps. It's hardly visible and saves my washer door. I had no children to sell, so I had to live with the wall where it is.

  • SaraKat
    11 years ago

    I have one of those felt sticky things that are for the feet of chairs to slide on hardwood. My refrigerator door runs into the pantry door adjacent to it. It's works well, doesn't even seem noticeable except to us.

  • Laura Weller
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I had no idea how prevalent this problem was!

    Here I thought I was the only one with an awkward corner in the kitchen. I guess I will keep the children for now, and make a trip to Home Depot.

  • suzanne_sl
    11 years ago

    We used the little acylic bumpers in several places. This one is most like your fridge issue:

    It keeps the pantry door from smacking the edge of the counter. We put another bumper on a doorway molding to keep the utility closet door from banging, and on the bar stools to keep them from banging the counter when people practice their swiveling moves.

  • andreak100
    11 years ago

    I'd offer to buy the children if it weren't for this blasted kitchen remodel that we're about to undertake. All our money and more is tied up there...so, you will be keeping your children and your corner.

    But, yeah, those little silicone bumpers are probably the best bet. We have those in several awkward bumping places in our house that can't go away. They are fairly tiny and not too annoying.

    BTW, thank you for your post...it made me laugh. Precisely what I needed :)

  • poohpup
    11 years ago

    Love hearing these ideas. I had wanted to purchase metal bar stools but didn't want them banging into the granite counters and chipping them. Ended up buying wood ones instead. Love the creative ideas people have come up with to solve this issue.

    The way my children are fighting right now, I am willing to sell them and offer up the proceeds to lauraxx so she can deal with the mysterious corner that is causing all these problems. Just wanted to put that option out there.

  • likewhatyoudo
    11 years ago

    lol - thanks for that I needed a smile tonight.
    "Again, the pantry could not be modified. The corner probably holds the house up, or contains a bomb, or the secret to eternal life, and for whatever reason, unless I wanted to sell my children, I couldn't mess with it."

    I used the felt floor things for bottoms of chairs. I keep meaning to get the clear ones, someday I will remember!

  • suzanne_sl
    11 years ago

    LOL, my MIL used to threaten to put the children out on the curb for the Gypsies, which is a threat she evidently learned from her Australian (via Ireland) mother. There weren't any sidewalks or curbs where my husband grew up; maybe there were some in Melbourne along about 1900. I recall vividly my mom threatening to call Abby Rents and get some cages if we wouldn't stay in bed when we were home sick with the mumps all at the same time. She didn't recall this later, but I never forgot. Does Abby Rents deal in cages for unruly children? I just told mine I would string them up from the rafters by their thumbs. We don't actually have any rafters. I wonder if Cave Moms threatened to throw the small fry out for the wolves if they didn't settle down?

  • Shira S
    11 years ago

    We use the silicon bumpers too

  • ellendi
    11 years ago

    Another silicon bumper vote. We have a few in various places. I am so glad I read this post as I thought the KD did poor planning.
    I know that for cabinets there are metal thingies that you can install. I actually ordered them but when they came I realized I did not want to screw anything in my cabinets.
    I was hoping for an option of somthing you can put right on the inside hinge that would only allow the door to open to 90 degrees. Is there anything like that out there?

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago

    Are you really sure you need those kids? Think of the college you wouldn't have to pay for and what you could put into your kitchen and house!?

    I also vote for the clear plastic bumper bubbles. I had a problem, though, with them migrating on my kitchen cabinet doors. Perhaps to Austria where the gypsies migrate?

    I had one cabinet door that opened and hit another cab that was out further on the wall. In that case, like the original idea, I put the bumper on the stationary cabinet. So far so good.

  • Jumpilotmdm
    11 years ago

    How much are asking for the children?

  • socalsister
    11 years ago

    What brand of refrigerator do you have? Apparently GE fridges come standard with a door stop that you can adjust to avoid hitting a wall (or cabinet, in this case). Other brands probably have this option as well. Check the manual for your fridge...

  • Laura Weller
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Haven't checked in for a while...I'm glad people enjoyed the post!

    The fridge I have is a Kenmore side by side with zero hinges (???) Maybe if it breaks I will get another that has better, smarter doors.

    Kitchen is *almost* done, save for one cabinet that was the wrong size. I am told this is a fairly common problem.

    After the last few days, I think I would have to pay someone to take my teenage daughter off my hands. Yikes.

    Although to give her credit, after whining insistently about how the kitchen re-model was wreaking havoc on her life and sanity, she now says it is "pretty cool."

    Which is high praise indeed.

  • Kathy Robinson
    last year

    I am having the issue with these nice wooden swivel stools from Ballard’s. My dear FIL used to be the worst offender! You can see we have wood and finish damage so I am thinking about putting a washable linen slipcover over the backs. 4 grands under the age of 7 can be quite destructive!!

  • Joseph Babcock
    last year

    Some fridge models you can lock the hinge so it only opens 90 degrees (often used against walls).