We have seen a lot of renovators be confused with different door and cabinet hinge sizes. These components may be small, but they are essential for smooth door operation in your kitchen, laundry, or home office. In this blog, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about hinge sizes and installation.
Whether you’re a renovator or just looking to learn more about door hardware, we have got you covered!
Understanding Hinges
While we've discussed several types of door hinges in this blog, we'll focus on the most common ones for kitchen renovations: concealed hinges. Understanding this hinge’s characteristics will provide valuable insights into selecting the right size and type for your doors.
Concealed Hinge
Concealed hinges are designed to be mounted on the inside of cabinet doors and frames, hidden from view when the door is shut. This provides a sleek and seamless appearance on your kitchen doors and cabinets.
At TKDC, we only use Blum hinges to ensure soft-close mechanisms for gentle and quiet door closure, as well as adjustable settings for precise alignment and operation. Concealed hinges have 3 main types: Full Overlay for doors that cover the entire side of the cabinet, Half or Partial Overlay for 2 doors that share the same edge and Inset Overlay for in-frame cabinets.
Are All Door Hinges the Same Size?
Now that we have established the different types of hinges, we can now discuss their different sizes. One of the most common misunderstandings about kitchen cabinet door hinges is that they are the same sizes. But it’s not true, door hinges, in fact, have different sizes for different purposes.
What Size Door Hinges Do I Need?
If you are on your journey to kitchen renovation, you need to know that hinge sizes depend on the opening angle of your door.
The most common opening angles are 95° and 110° which are the usual angles for base cabinets. For pantry doors and tall cabinets, you can opt for 155° for full access, if you have bi-fold corner doors, you need to use a 60° hinge and if you are replacing hinges for half doors, you can use a 45° hinge.
Hinge Hole Sizes
For kitchen cabinets, there are 3 common hinge hole sizes: 45mm, 48mm and 52mm. The hinge hole is standard with 35mm, while the distance between fixing screws differs.
Take note that if you will be ordering doors from TKDC, our doors already have a pre-built hinge hole for easy installation with a standard 45mm distance between drillings.
Mounting Plate Connection
For kitchen doors, we use clip-on hinges for easy DIY installation. These are installed by simply ‘clipping on’ the hinge to the mounting plate without using screws.
Carcass and Door Thickness
At TKDC, we offer 4 materials for kitchen doors:
ABS MDF – 16mm
Compact Laminate – 13mm
PVC – 15mm
Raw MDF – 18mm
The thickness of the carcass and doors will determine the size of your hinge mounting plate. While the standard thicknesses are 16mm and 18mm, we will offer doors for alfresco kitchens.
How to Measure Cabinet Door Hinge Sizes
If you will replace existing cabinet hinges, you will need the following to measure your cabinet door hinge size:
- Screwdriver
- Tape Measure
Step 1: Remove the Hinge
Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the screws from the hinge, starting with the middle one and then the others. If the hinge sticks, gently pry it off with a flathead screwdriver tip. Remove any paint build-up with a utility knife.
Step 2: Measure the Hinge Width
Fully open the hinge on a flat surface. Measure the width from one side to the other using a tape measure. Ensure accuracy, as this measurement is crucial.
Step 3: Measure the Hinge Height
Place the tape measure parallel to the hinge's side and measure from top to bottom to determine the full height. Most standard hinges have a height matching the width.
Step 4: Measure the Corner Radius
Lay the hinge flat and measure the radius using the tape measure.
Step 5: Note All Measurements
Record the radius, width, and height of the hinge needed. These measurements will help you select the right hinge for your door. Make sure to consider these sizes before ordering doors from TKDC.
Should I Replace My Door Hinges?
As long as door hinges are installed and maintained well, they are expected to last for about 5 to 15 years. However, you will need to replace your hinges if they show the following:
- Doors are sagging
- Hinges have rust
- Hinges cannot carry the load of your cabinet
- You just want an upgrade
- Impaired function due to wear and tear over time
- Hinges are incompatible with doors
Kitchen door hinges differ in size because of factors like overlay type, opening angle, mounting plate connection, hinge hole size and the thickness of both the door and cabinet frame.
The Kitchen Door Company prides itself on producing high-quality, Australian-made doors at a very affordable rate. Contact us at 08 9456 3108 or sales@tkdc.com.au where one of our friendly staff will be able to assist you.