About Cabinet Hinges

Cabinet hinges serve more than just an aesthetic purpose--they also add strength and durability to a door. This is vitally important, being that cabinet doors are opened and closed so often on a daily basis. Though relatively simple in design, the various types of hinges available will accentuate a room or make it look unappealing, so read on to find out more about cabinet hinges and which ones will look great in your home.

Function

The main purpose of cabinet hinges is to hold the doors in place. They are designed to make a door easy to operate with a smooth opening and closing motion.

Types

There are two major types of cabinet door hinges: concealed and wrap hinges. A concealed hinge, also know as European style, is not visible to the naked eye when the cabinet door is closed. Wrap hinges are fastened to the front of the face frame of the cabinet, and they wrap around the sides and the back.
Inset hinges are used on doors that are recessed into an opening. Partial inset hinges are designed for doors that are only slightly recessed into an opening, and full-inset hinges are used for doors that are flush with the outside of the face frame of the cabinet.
Self-closing hinges feature a spring-loaded hinge that closes on its own. This action takes place when the door is a certain distance away from the closed position.
Self-closing and inset hinges can be either concealed or wrap style.

Features

Hinges can be iron, brass, copper, gold, chrome, nickel, steel or aluminum, with the metallic ones being the most popular choice. Other than metal, the higher grade varieties often have fancier designs to them, and they are also matched up with the rest of the hardware on cabinets, such as the door knobs and handles.
T-strap hinges are a popular variety for industrial cabinets seen in utility rooms, garages, work benches and tool boxes on job sites. They are are made out of metal and are also relatively cheap.

Identification

A demountable hinge is designed so the door can be easily taken off. They come in single and double demountable. The single demountable only detach from the cabinet door, and the double demountable can detach from the door and the cabinet.

Expert Insight

When shopping around for the right hinges, price is always an issue. The higher quality hinges are obviously going to be more expensive, but they are often worth the extra money. They have less tendency to get scratched and tarnish over the years, and they are also more durable.