Posted by Rok Hardware
on December 08, 2017
Okay, so you're ready to start your cabinet project. But you don’t know what hinges to use. ROK Hardware has you covered! ROK offers free hinge matching. This means we'll help you figure out exactly which hinges you need, whether you’re building cabinets from scratch or just replacing your current hinges or anything in between. Click here to fill out the hinge replacement form.
A DIY cabinet project means you’ll need a little bit of knowledge in a few different areas (or a lot, depending on how much you plan to do yourself). Are you building cabinets from scratch and installing them? Are you simply putting together RTA cabinets? Or maybe you’re just replacing only your cabinet hinges. No matter what, you’ll probably want to know a little something about hinges, those little things that hold cabinets together. All cabinets have them, so here's the basics of what you need to know to get started with your cabinet project.
Also, if you’re ready to upgrade your hinges, and your current ones are exposed with a pin going down the middle, then use the knuckle bender for an easy removal. It also works to adjust current hinges and help with sagging doors! Again, though, the knuckle bender is specifically for hinges with a pin.
Photo Credit: Renovation Headquarters
First ask yourself how far the door will need to open. Think about what kind of door it is: a cabinet, a bedroom, a cupboard, a bathroom. And what are you storing inside? Depending on the type of door as well as the location, your desired degree of opening may vary. If it’s a cabinet door, do you want it to be able to swing all the back and hit the front of the cabinet door next to it? Probably not. And especially not if you have small children who will likely be throwing the doors open without a care. Choosing the right degree of opening will allow you to have full access to what’s on the other side of the door while avoiding damage to adjacent walls and other cabinets. So don’t overlook your choice in the degree of opening while shopping for hinges.
What is a hinge?
Types of Hinges
There are two main categories of hinges.
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Exposed (Traditional) hinges
- Traditional hinges can be seen when a cabinet door is shut. See the photo on the left above.
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Concealed (European) hinges
- Concealed hinges are exactly what their name implies: concealed or hidden. Actually, they are often even called hidden hinges. This means that when the cabinet door is closed, you cannot see the hinge.
ROK Hardware sells mostly concealed hinges, but we do carry both types.
Degree of Opening
Photo Credit: Renovation Headquarters
First ask yourself how far the door will need to open. Think about what kind of door it is: a cabinet, a bedroom, a cupboard, a bathroom. And what are you storing inside? Depending on the type of door as well as the location, your desired degree of opening may vary. If it’s a cabinet door, do you want it to be able to swing all the back and hit the front of the cabinet door next to it? Probably not. And especially not if you have small children who will likely be throwing the doors open without a care. Choosing the right degree of opening will allow you to have full access to what’s on the other side of the door while avoiding damage to adjacent walls and other cabinets. So don’t overlook your choice in the degree of opening while shopping for hinges.
Installation
How does a hinge connect to the door? For regular doors, it connects to the doorframe. For cabinets, it depends on whether you have frameless cabinets or face frame cabinets (see this article to learn the difference). As shown in the illustration above, the hinge of a face frame cabinet connects from the door to the frame. In frameless cabinets, the hinge connects directly to the cabinet box.
Soft Close Hinges
https://youtu.be/HL9hfKH4Prw
As I mentioned before, there are many types of hinges, but I feel particularly inclined to mention soft close hinges because they will soon be the “norm” in any household. So, if you’re upgrading any of the hinges or cabinets in your home, you’ll want to have soft close hinges.
Soft close hinges make your cabinet doors close slowly and quietly. Not only does it help avoid the loud noise from slamming doors, but it also helps to avoid slamming fingers. Fun fact: ROK Hardware started out as a specialty company called Soft Close and has grown into what we are today, offering thousands of products!
See the short video above for a quick overview of types of European hinges, including the soft close hinge.
