Dad protects his peace by DIYing noise-canceling bumpers on the kitchen cabinets when his family refuses to respect his rule to stop slamming the doors: ‘I hate loud noises’

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Apr 15, 2026 7:15 AM EDT

Families make it hard to find true peace and quiet. 

Although every parent loves the tumultuous nature of their chaotic houses, relishing in the pitter-patter of little feet, while dreaming of a kitchen full of guests, every adult equally relishes silence. Ahh, the soul solace of unencumbered silence cannot be matched, but for many parents, whose lovable children, boisterous cousins, and close-knit aunties n' uncles are always around, silence is just as intangible as it is delightful. Alas, a balancing act is born in every household, especially when one family member can't stand the noise.

A dad cherished his chillness, but because his wife insisted they cheap out on their kitchen hardware, cupboard door slams made his post-work mood far from tranquil. Without the soft-closure hinges he dreamed of, each family member's culinary adventure was broadcast loud and clear to the whole house. And after a long day in a noisy workplace, this man was just looking for some quiet at home. 

When nobody respected his wishes, he took matters into his own hands with a few handy dad moments, some cleverly placed foam bumpers, and a specific goal in mind: a hushed household. 

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  • Man coming home from work and looking very tired.
    via Dean Derobot

    Man coming home from work and looking very tired.

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • [I'm] super gluing rubber bumpers on my kitchen cabinets because my family cannot understand what "don't slam the cabinets when I'm in the kitchen" means, and saying that the next step was removing the doors.

    I hate loud noises. Lucky me I work at a very noisy job. I like money more than I hate noise.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • Plus I wear double hearing protection. Earplugs and noise cancelling ear muffs. My wife and I have been married for fifteen and a half years.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • For our tenth anniversary I surprised her with a kitchen remodel. We had Formica countertops from the fifties.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • Plywood cabinetry. The people from That 70s Show would have felt at home. I had done some shopping with my sister to make sure I wasn't going to over promise and under deliver.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • I had been saving for this since we bought the house. The only thing that mattered to me was soft closing cabinets.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • My wife agreed and was super happy with the budget. Then she changed plans and rather than put in her own money from her job she just got the extra things she wanted and cut out the hinges we had agreed on.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • Married couple having a disagreement about finances and design in their kitchen.
    via Vitali Gariev

    Married couple is having a disagreement about finances and design in their kitchen. 

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • While soft-closing hinges can be expensive up front, it's well worth it in the long run. 

    Once you go soft-close, you'll never go back. 

    For people who are extra sensitive to noise and calamity, splurging to get the quiet-closing doors is a must, so when she backtracked on their initial budget just to save a few extra buckaroonies, the dad was noticeably peeved. And yet, back then, he thought he could stick it out, but he was totally, totally wrong. 

  • And then her and the kids have proceeded to try to drive me crazy for five years.
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  • I usually don't eat with the family because of my work hours. So whatever is left from their meal is mine.
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  • try to eat in the kitchen in peace. Trust me I've tried eating in other rooms, even the basement.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • My wife takes it as a personal insult that I want to be apart for m them after being gone all day.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • I've tried talking to her about the slamming. I've tried talking to he and the kids about it.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • I've bought little felt stickers and put them on. She took them off. A couple weeks weeks ago I was eating quietly after work.
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  • And one of the kids needed something from the cabinets. Rather than just opening up the one where the item should have been my wife opened four doors.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • And then rather than gently closing the cabinet she slammed all four of them shut like she was bugs Bunny inventing a new percussion instrument.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • I didn't say anything. The next day I super glued rubber bumpers top and bottom on every door.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • My wife is upset that the cabinet doors don't close properly. She tried removing one and pulled a sliver of oak off the door.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • I used wood glue to fix it. It looks fine unless you really look. She tried cutting one off.
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  • The bumpers are vulcanized rubber. They aren't going anywhere. She told me that I ruined her beautiful kitchen.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • I told her that she and the kids seemed to take pleasure in me off with noise that could be avoided.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • I told her to leave the bumpers alone and that if I found any missing that door would also go missing.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • Cheezburger Image 10622279680
    via Viatali Gariov

    Couple arguing in the kitchen during mealtime. 

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • Drastic times call for drastic measures. 

    Frankly, I'm surprised it took him so long to take action against the nemesis kitchen doors. Likely, he was hopeful that his family would respect his “no slamming” request, but when that clearly didn't take, he had to do something. Although it may seem petty, he was ultimately looking out for his own well-being in his safe space. After being cooped up with loud noises all day, he just wanted to find some comfort and peace at home… Not more chaos. 

    Sometimes, even parents need to protect their peace.

  • All I want if fifteen minutes of peace to eat quietly. When we eat together there is all kinds of noise but it doesn't bother me.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • That's just the noise a family makes. But it's like they wait until I get home to come skam the doors.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • They are literally home for hours before I get home. And they have hours after I eat to go and get what they need.
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • Was I an a hole for my solution and the solution that will follow if they try to get undermine me?
    via Minute_Top_4323
  • flowersofcherry Honestly I'd be annoyed too. You've asked multiple times and they just ignore it, so yeah... at some point you're gonna fix it yourself. It's not even a big ask, just don't slam the cabinets. The fact that it keeps happening would drive anyone crazy. That said, this feels like it's about more than just noise. It kinda sounds like they're not taking you seriously, and that's the real issue. NTA
    via flowersofcherry
  • Any_Track2875 What??? NTA. I more tend to forget to close cabinets than slam them, but if it was as important to my partner as this is to you... it would be reasonable to find a solution. What's her justification for the slamming?
    via Any_Track2875
  • Basic Butterface It's not her kitchen, it's everyone's kitchen
    via Basic Butterface
  • smallmalexia3 NTA but it is absurd to the point of being \almost\ the tiniest bit comical that your wife seems to go to great lengths to ensure access to loud, slammable cabinets?!
    via smallmalexia3
  • belle-4 I'd go and buy all the soft close hinges and drawer slides you can find on eBay, OfferUp of FB marketplace. Your wife seems to have little regard for your need for peace and has showed the kids by example how to behave.
    via belle-4
  • BeautifulChaos Energy Does your wife even like you? Why was she so against the soft close hinges especially since YOU were paying for them?
    via BeautifulChaos Energy
  • Decent-Muffin9530 I would go to couples counseling. This feels deeper than the cabinets. It feels like a battle for control and neither you nor your wife feel heard.
    via Decent-Muffin9530
  • Local_business_disco Why did she cut the soft-close hinges from the budget? That coupled with the slamming almost seems intentional. I never slam cabinets unless on purpose. This is unhinged behavior, take the pun for whatever it's worth. 5 years man? I wouldn't have made it one week. NTA.
    via Local_business_disco
  • The_Bastard_Henry NTA. I grew up with an ab ive parent, and the sound of slamming doors is very jarring. Also there is literally no reason to slam doors when you're closing a kitchen cupboard.
    via The_Bastard_Henry
  • RedFoxBlueSocks Those kids are going to be horrible roommates to someone someday.
    via RedFoxBlueSocks

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