How to Change the Direction of a Refrigerator's Entrance Door From the Right to the Left Side

Your refrigerator doors may be reversible.

The problem with single door refrigerator is the width of the door. When open, the door takes a lot of precious kitchen space. If you have ever wished that your refrigerator door would open from the opposite side, you may be in luck. Many brands of this type of refrigerator come with reversible doors. Check the opposite side of your refrigerator and the door for screws or plugs that may cover screw holes. If your unit has these, you may be able to reverse the door in just a few minutes.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4-inch drive socket set
• 1/4-in drive ratchet wrench
• Phillips screwdriver
• Flat-blade screwdriver

Instructions

1. Pull straight out on the toe grille underneath the refrigerator door and place it aside.

2. Remove the screws from the top freezer door hinge on the top of the refrigerator with a 1/4-inch drive socket and ratchet wrench. Lift the hinge straight up and place it and the screws aside.

3. Remove the screws from the opposite side of the top of the refrigerator with a Phillips screwdriver. Replace these screws in the former hinge screw holes on the opposite side of the top of the refrigerator and tighten them. Note that the center hinge on some models pulls double duty, as it acts as a bottom hinge for the freezer door and the top hinge for the refrigerator door.

4. Open the freezer door and lift it straight up and off of the combination hinge and place it aside.

5. Lift the hinge pin and the two gaskets straight up from the combination hinge and place them aside. Remove the screws from the combination hinge with the socket and ratchet wrench. Place the hinge aside. Open the refrigerator door and lift it straight up off the bottom hinge. Place the door aside.

6. Remove the screws from the bottom hinge on the refrigerator with the socket and ratchet wrench. Transfer the hinge to the opposite side of the bottom of the refrigerator. Line up the mounting holes and replace and tighten the screws.

7. Remove the screws that attach the refrigerator door handle to the door with a Phillips screwdriver. Pry out the decorative plugs on that cover the screw holes on the opposite side of the door with a flat blade screwdriver. Line up the mounting holes on the handle with these holes and replace and tighten the screws. Push the plugs into the holes on the opposite side of the door where the handle used to reside.

8. Line up the hole in the bottom of the refrigerator door with the hinge pin on the bottom hinge. Lower the door and close it. Remove the screws from the opposite side of the refrigerator from where the combination hinge was removed and replace them in the former combination hinge screw holes. Line up the mounting holes in the combination hinge with the holes on the opposite side of the refrigerator and replace and tighten the screws. Replace the hinge pin and the two gaskets.

9. Remove and replace the handle on the freezer door to the opposite side of the door in the same fashion as the refrigerator door. Line up the hole in the bottom of the door with the hinge pin on the top of the combination hinge. Close the freezer door. Place the hinge pin in the top hinge into the hole on the freezer door. Replace the two screws in the hinge and tighten them.

10. Push the toe grill into position until it snaps into place.

References

• Appliance Aid: Refrigerator Door Reversal Instructions