Cabinet Hinge Types
Most modern cabinets use concealed hinges, also called European or cup hinges: the hinge sits in a 35 mm hole drilled in the back of the door and clips onto a plate screwed to the cabinet side. They come in three main versions, full overlay, half overlay and inset, chosen by how the door sits on the cabinet. Traditional furniture uses butt, surface or piano hinges instead. For the cup hinges on most modern cabinets, see concealed cabinet hinges.
The main hinge types
| Hinge | Used on | Visible when closed | Adjustable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concealed (European, cup) | Frameless cabinets, wardrobes | No | Yes, 3 ways |
| Concealed face frame | Face frame cabinets | No | Yes |
| Semi-concealed (wrap-around) | Face frame cabinets | Knuckle only | Little |
| Butt hinge | Inset doors, fine furniture | Knuckle only | No |
| Surface-mount | Rustic and painted cabinets | Yes | No |
| Pivot | Large or glass doors | Barely | Some |
| Piano (continuous) | Lids, chests, fold-down flaps | Knuckle only | No |
| Lift-up (flap) system | Wall cabinets with doors that open upward | No | Yes |
Full overlay, half overlay and inset
The overlay is how much of the cabinet's front edge the closed door covers. It is set by the crank (the bend) in the hinge arm:
| Type | Door position | Arm | Typical overlay on 18 mm board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full overlay | Covers the whole side edge | Straight | 14–18 mm (about 5/8 in) |
| Half overlay | Two doors share one middle panel | Cranked | 8–9 mm (about 3/8 in) |
| Inset | Sits inside the opening, flush with the front | Deep crank | 0 mm |
Full overlay is the standard for frameless kitchen cabinets and wardrobes: each door hides the edges of its cabinet, and neighbouring doors meet with a 2–3 mm gap. Half overlay is for two doors hinged on either side of one shared partition, as in a wardrobe with three doors on one carcass. Inset doors look like traditional furniture but need careful, even gaps all round.
The mounting plate fine-tunes the overlay too: plates come in several heights (0, 3 mm and more), and a thicker plate reduces the overlay.
Opening angle and special hinges
- 95–110°: the standard opening.
- 155–170°: wide-opening hinges, so pull-outs and internal drawers clear the door.
- Zero-protrusion: the door swings clear of the opening, for cabinets with internal drawers.
- Blind corner and angled hinges: for corner cabinets and doors on 30° or 45° sides.
- Thick-door and glass-door hinges: for doors over 24 mm or doors without a frame.
Most concealed hinges now have soft-close built in, and most clip onto their plates, so a door comes off with a press of a lever and goes back without tools.
How many hinges per door
| Door height | Hinges |
|---|---|
| Up to 900 mm (35 in) | 2 |
| 900–1600 mm (35–63 in) | 3 |
| 1600–2000 mm (63–79 in) | 4 |
| 2000–2400 mm (79–94 in) | 5 |
Add one hinge for a door that is wide (over 600 mm, 24 in) or heavy, such as a mirror or a thick solid-wood door.
Drilling for concealed hinges
The cup hole is 35 mm (1 3/8 in) across and 11–13 mm deep, drilled with a Forstner bit 3–5 mm from the edge of the door; a drill press or a hinge jig keeps it square. Hinges usually sit 80–100 mm from the top and bottom of the door. On the cabinet, the plates go on the side panel 37 mm from the front edge, the same line as the shelf-pin holes in the 32 mm system. Once the doors are on, see how to adjust cabinet hinges to set the gaps.
Hinges in our plans
Our cabinet and wardrobe plans use full overlay concealed hinges, with doors sized for a 3 mm gap. Type the cabinet size and the door sizes follow:
Frequently asked questions
What are overlay hinges?
Hinges for doors that sit in front of the cabinet and cover its edges. Full overlay doors cover the whole edge of the side panel, half overlay doors cover half of it, so two doors can share one panel.
What is the difference between full overlay and half overlay hinges?
The bend (crank) of the hinge arm. A full overlay hinge has a straight arm and the door covers about 16 mm of an 18 mm side; a half overlay hinge is cranked so the door covers about 8–9 mm.
What size hole is a cabinet hinge?
Concealed hinges fit a 35 mm (1 3/8 in) cup hole, 11–13 mm deep, drilled 3–5 mm from the edge of the door.
How many hinges does a cabinet door need?
Two up to about 35 in (900 mm) tall, three up to 63 in (1600 mm), four up to 79 in (2000 mm) and five up to 94 in (2400 mm). Heavy or wide doors need one more.