I ahve no idea I dislike panelled appliances so never do them . I would think the panel should not be that heavy since it is just a panel so I guess it would have been better to have a lighter panel. I guess it would be a big issue if the screws actuall penetrsted the door too much .

I think the drawer itself is heavy, not the wood panel. Maybe the problem was that the screws didn't penetrate the metal door front.

First, glue is stronger than the lignin in wood and epoxy is much stronger. So if it is properly repaired, preferably with an epoxy product, it will likely be stronger than it was.

Having said that, I am struggling to visualize the problem. Can you take pictures?

ETA: It sounds like you are saying the handle is screwed into the panel door. The handle should be bolted onto the panel door. Screws, without epoxy, are never going to work.

Is any splintered area going to show if there is patching done and the handle is put back on?

Really we need to see pics of the issue just like the ones posted above.

What I am assuming… the OP bought handles that are designed to be screwed in, rather than bolted on (see image below). The screws didn’t have enough bite and pulled out.

I wouldn’t even screw in handles for drawers but it would probably be fine. It isn’t going to work for an appliance panel, there is just too much weight and over time it is going to fail. The installer needs to use a sex bolt instead of screws.

I can't take pics till the weekend. I will post then, hopefully you all will respond.

My bet? This, AND THE SCREW?

Panel Requirements

Overlay and flush inset panels must be a minimum of 5/8" thick to support mounting the handle.

• Panel thickness does not include the backer and spacer panel.

Hi Jan, I don’t quite understand what you mean by ’and the screw.’ The overlay panel
is 5/8th” but I am not sure that he used the spacer panel. Can we tell by looking?

If they repair it with an epoxy it will be stronger than it was before. They should replace the screws with bolts and use a female receiver. These are sometimes called binder bolts, or barrel bolts but typically known as s ex bolts.

Alternatively, they can use a threaded insert, but these are a lot more difficult after an epoxy repair because the insert needs to be headed before threading (which can be done with a lighter, but still).

Bry911, Patricia and chispa, the photos have been added above. Bry11, my instinct is that you are right about bolts rather than screws. i suppose I could take the pull to an appliance store and ask for the right bolts? i coukd ask the cabinetmajer to switch them all.

Palimpsest, i thunk the body ofvthe pull would cover the splintering.

Thanks, bry11!

Any hardware store will have the right bolts. Finding them in a good metal match may require heading to Amazon. I prefer them on large drawers, but there is typically not a need for bolts on doors as they are just not that heavy. The exception, of course, being appliance doors.

See my above edit about the threaded insert. I prefer bolts over threaded inserts but both will be fine.