Concealed European Cabinet Hinges - Simple and Stylish
Looking to revamp your kitchen or bath? On a budget and don't want to spend a lot of money but want to bring a new look to your home? One easy and inexpensive way to update the look of your kitchen or bath is to order replacement cabinet doors. New made-to-order Cabinet Doors are available in a wide array of styles, materials and finishes so there are no limits to how you can update these spaces.
Transform your space now!
If you're planning on replacing or upgrading your cabinet doors we would recommend installing new hinges as this is relatively cheap and simple update. Installing new hinges will make sure that your new custom-made cabinet doors don't sag, align correctly and open and close smoothly.
Concealed European hinges are the most common hinge available today and certainly the easiest to install (vs. a knife or butt hinge) and can be easily adjusted with the turn of a screwdriver. Concealed hinges are just that, as they are concealed from the outside of the cabinet once the cabinet door is closed. Concealed hinges can work with both framed (hinge attaches to cabinet frame) and frameless (hinge attaches to side of cabinet) cabinets as well as any cabinet door type including partial overlay (most common is 1/2"), full overlay (most common is 1 1/4") and inset doors.
Before you get started here are some helpful hints or things to consider:
- When ordering your replacement cabinet doors make sure you choose the hinge boring option so the cabinet doors are pre-bored with the correct boring.
- Most cabinet doors are bored with a 35mm round mortise boring to attach the "cup" side of the hinge to the cabinet door.
- Standard hinge boring for face frame cabinets is 3" from the top and bottom of the cabinet door. Hinge boring for frameless cabinets is 3 3/4" from the top and bottom of each cabinet door.
- For cabinet doors with an arch or cathedral top profile you'll need to make sure you pick which side of the cabinet door to bore (left or right). Square panel cabinet doors can be flipped to be used on either side.
- If your cabinet doors are not pre-bored for hinges then you'll need to bore the cabinet doors first before attaching the hinges. You'll need to buy a 35mm concealed hinge jig bit and follow the recommended instructions.
- Make sure the replacement Cabinet Doors you order are at least 1/2" thick to accommodate the concealed hinge. The majority of cabinet doors are 3/4" thick so this should not be an issue but double-check to make sure.
- Count the number of cabinet door hinges you need to complete your project. Depending on the height and weight of your cabinet door, it might require 2-4 cabinet hinges per door. Most cabinet doors below 42" tall only require 2 hinges.
- Hinge Option - Soft close hinges are a nice upgrade. Soft close hinges have a mechanism that when activated allows the cabinet door to gently close before completely closing.
- Know the Overlay
- Door overlay is the position of the cabinet door in relation to how it "overlays" the the cabinet opening. Concealed hinges for face frame cabinet come in varying overlay sizes (1/2" is the most common).
Partial Overlay
Full Overlay
European hinges feature a mounting plate that secures to the cabinet frame and a "cup" that sits in the back of the cabinet door. Below shows a pre-bored cabinet door:
Steps in changing or installing new hinges:
Tools: Phillips Screwdriver/Drill
- Unscrew the existing hinges from the cabinets and lift off the cabinet doors. Unscrew the old hinges from the cabinet doors.
- If your new replacement cabinet doors are pre-bored for the hinges, place the new hinge (cup side) on the back of the door and drill pilot holes for the screws partly into the cabinet door using a drill bit smaller than the hinge screw. Be careful not to drill too far or through the cabinet door. Once completed, screw the hinge to the cabinet door.
- Measure the cabinet door placement positions on the cabinets across the bottom of the cabinet doors for correct alignment. Hold each cabinet door in place and mark the screw hole positions on the cabinet face.
- Drill pilot holes for the screws into the cabinet face at the marked points. Align the hinge holes and screw the cabinet doors into place.
- The concealed hinge can now be adjusted. Check the hinge companies guides or installation instructions for the proper way to adjust.
European Concealed hinges are a simple and stylish way to update the look of your kitchen or bath cabinets...simple to install and easy on the budget.
If you need any further information about measuring for you new custom Cabinet Doors, Drawer Fronts or Drawer Boxes please visit our online website and click on the following link:
https://cabinetdoorsnmore.com/pages/how-to-order
