Installing fasteners on cabinet doors and sides is a challenging process. The balance of the sashes and their trouble-free operation for a long time depend on the correct installation of the hinges. You can learn how to install hinges on a cabinet with your own hands from this material.
Follow the recommendations, and you can do all the work of assembling furnishings for your living room, bedroom or hallway yourself.
Fasteners installed on large-sized furniture are semi-mechanical elements that are responsible for opening the doors. Much depends on the material and thickness of the doors, so what the hinges are made of is also important.
The hinges must withstand regulatory loads.
Design features and operating mechanism
The loop consists of the following elements: cup (1), shoulder (2), striker (3). The cup is inserted into a blind hole in the door, which is drilled with a milling cutter and fixed with two self-tapping screws through holes located on the flange (5).
A counterplate is fixed to the furniture wall with self-tapping screws, which is attached to the arm (2) and the cup using a mounting screw (6) and a mounting groove (7). An adjustment screw (8) is located on the arm to adjust the height of the arm relative to the strike plate and align the door after installation.
Design features of furniture hinges
To work you will need:
- drill: thin drills, milling attachment with a diameter of 35 mm;
- pencil, tape measure (ruler);
- screwdriver or Phillips screwdriver;
- building level.
Marking
In order to install the furniture hinge correctly, you need to make markings. Use a regular pencil, ruler and building level. The height from the edge of the facade is 12 cm. The step between the canopies should be fifty centimeters. The width of the space from the edge should be 21 millimeters. Installation of fasteners close to cabinet shelves is prohibited. Such an arrangement will interfere with the normal functioning of the structure.
The furniture hinge is attached to the false panels.
Drilling with a milling cutter is not an activity for beginners.
Advice! If the facade is heavy, then two or more hinges should be installed.
The piano type is used in book tables.
Use any scrap piece of wood.
Installation
First, mark the location of the loops in height. The number of furniture hinges depends on the dimensions and weight of the door leaf.
The distance from the top and bottom edges of the fabric to the loop must be at least 70 mm. Otherwise, the lower and upper horizons of the box may touch the loop.
It is convenient to make markings using a special device - a conductor
Then mark the location of the hole for the cup on the facade. To do this, at the required height from the edge of the blade to the center of the drilling, measure 21-23 mm.
The blade is placed on a hard and stable surface, and they begin to drill a “blind” hole with a milling cutter. All holes are located perpendicular to the plane of the facade and have a depth of 11-12 mm. After work, small shavings are collected with a vacuum cleaner.
If you have no experience working with a cutter, especially with centering tenons 3 mm long, it is advisable to practice on scraps of board.
And another option is to shorten the tenon using a grinder or sandpaper. Otherwise, you can drill through the canvas.
The cup is inserted into the holes, aligning the loop perpendicular to the edge. The holes for the screws are marked with a pencil, the hinges are removed, and the markings are deepened with a thin drill. The cups are placed into the holes and secured with self-tapping screws.
If you have no experience working with a cutter, you need to practice on scraps
Now you need to attach the facade to the cabinet frame, align it vertically and mark the places where the striker is attached. They are deepened with a drill, and the counter plate can be screwed on with self-tapping screws.
To ensure that the hinges are installed as level as possible, they can be supported with a wooden or metal strip.
Next, the façade is installed. A shoulder groove is inserted under the mounting screw of the bar. At the same time, make sure that the adjusting screw matches the groove on the strike plate.
Drilling holes
Installation is carried out with all the rules:
- The depth of the hole for the furniture hinge should be about thirteen millimeters. If possible, the insertion of furniture hinges should not be deeper, otherwise the front side of the canvas may crack;
- The diameter of the hole depends strictly on the cup of the loop. Tools must be completely aligned with their axis to prevent damage to the surface;
- A sharpened cutter will help protect the blade from damage and chips;
- Do not rush while drilling, otherwise there is a risk of doing it sloppily;
- It is worth paying attention to the dimensions of the cups and their dimensions when installing furniture hinges;
Adjustment and Leveling
At this stage, you need to work at the construction level - determine the correspondence of the frame parts to the door leaf. To do this, the level is applied to 3 planes - to the two sides and to the front. They should be as even as possible. That is, there should be no gaps or deviations between the frame and the door leaf.
Alignment begins with adjusting the vertical gap. To do this, pressing the facade against the frame, tighten the fixing screws on the strip. Then close the door and check the possible angles of inclination with a building level.
By adjusting the screws, all gaps between the facade and the frame are eliminated. For example, if the upper corner is tilted to the right, tighten the screws on the upper hinge and loosen the screws on the lower one.
Then they begin to adjust the doors according to their height. Two self-tapping screws located on the “ears” of the strike plate are responsible for this. To begin with, loosen the screws on all hinges, raise or lower the canvas (depending on the situation). Then tighten the screws until they stop, holding the facade in the desired position.
If the door does not press well against the frame body or when pressed the opposite side bounces off, then adjustment of the hinges along the plane is also necessary. To do this, tighten the adjusting bolts located on the bar.
What it is
Special drills make it possible to quickly and efficiently install ready-made furniture hinges. With their help, holes are cut with a certain depth and diameter. In this case, excess material is virtually completely removed during the drilling process.
When the hinges are installed in ready-made and machined holes, the fastening is as tight and reliable as possible. In this matter, the main thing is to correctly select the diameter of the drill used. You should start from the diameter of the bowl of the furniture hinge itself. It can have dimensional characteristics of 22mm, 26mm, 35mm and more. It is the diameter of the bowl and, accordingly, the diameter of the drill used for installation that is taken into account. You can buy it in almost any store, including Leroy Merlin.
Installing hinges on glass doors
The installation principle is the same as for wooden doors.
Four-hinged hinges for glass doors are distinguished by the presence of a special tab for attaching the cup and a cover for masking the device from the outside.
If you have no experience working with glass, it is better to turn to specialists to drill holes. Before this, you need to establish preliminary markings of the locations of the loop cups. At the same time, they also take into account the hole where the handle will be hung.
Overhead hinges are also used for glass doors, which can be hung without drilling glass.
You need to place and secure the cup in the drilled holes using a tab, and attach the counter plate to the box with self-tapping screws. Afterwards the door is aligned along three planes.
For glass doors, overhead hinges are also used, which can be hung and fastened without drilling the glass. They are mounted inside the box; accordingly, all shelves in the closet must be recessed inward. Suitable for light sashes only. For example, for the bookcase department.
Characteristic
Furniture hinges differ in cup size. The fitting size of 26 mm is called mini. This option is used for lightweight doors. The sheer part of the fasteners is made of plastic. It is inserted into a hole whose size is 26 mm. The cup is secured with a plug on two screws.
You can additionally purchase decorative overlays for the loop. They have different shapes. Overlays perform an aesthetic function. They cover the protruding parts of the fittings, and the door has a finished look. In order for the hinges to last a long time, it is important to ensure high-quality installation with careful drilling.
Kinds
Four-hinged hinges come in different modifications, which can be selected depending on the location of the panel relative to the box and the cabinet itself in the room.
Invoice
The canvas attached to this loop is completely perpendicular to the body and covers the stand. Used when the door overlaps the side rail of the cabinet.
Invoice
Half waybill
It is used when two doors need to be hung on one rack. Each facade overlaps the end of the rack by half.
Insert
The door leaf is perpendicular to the post, but does not overlap its end.
The overhead hinges also differ in the angle of inclination. This is necessary for installing corner cabinet doors. Depending on the difference between the angle of the facade and the perpendicular to the stand, you can select hinges with an opening angle: -25 °, 30 °, 45 °, -45 °, 90 °.
Insert
Transformer
Used to create composite facades from several doors or in cabinets with drawers that are hidden
Most four-hinged hinges are made with a built-in closer. This makes the door movement smooth and silent.
Transformer
Eight-joint
It has all the characteristics of a four-hinged hinge, only without inserting the cup into the facade body. It is attached with self-tapping screws, so it is only suitable for fabrics with a dense texture.
Eight-joint
Types of fastening devices
Usually, varieties are distinguished based on the method of fastening and application. The most commonly used are four-hinged models, which are simple and convenient to install and operate.
When choosing a furniture set, do not forget that the four-hinged hinges are installed directly on the side walls of the cabinet using self-tapping screws.
In addition to them, the following types can be distinguished:
- Card. This is the oldest and simplest method of fastening, which is currently practically not used. The movement is carried out through a special rod, which expresses the role of a hinge;
- Like a pendulum. Using this design, you can open the door completely 180 degrees;
- "Mezzanine". Allows you to open the door in a horizontal position. Most often used for kitchen cabinets. They operate using springs that prevent the door from opening and closing arbitrarily;
- Ombre. Installed on hinged doors on both sides. They do not cut into, but are attached using milling. Used for folding table;
- With a secret. They are somewhat reminiscent of card cards. It can also be installed for horizontal adjustment. Usually comes with a bracket;
- Blind hinges. Suitable for those doors that adjoin directly to the wall;
- Heel. Used exclusively for structures with low weight.
If the mount is installed on a glass door, then you need to choose a special mechanism that can withstand heavy loads.
Immediately before installing the fasteners, it is important to take into account the features of the door.
Other types of furniture hinges
Card, piano, and hinge hinges are rarely used for installing cabinet doors. They do not have three-level adjustment and do not lock the door in the open and closed position. An additional fastener is needed. Today they are more often used as an additional decorative element. For example, antique.
Mezzanine
For installation of horizontal overhead panels that open upwards.
Mezzanine
Secretaries
Used for hanging downward opening facades.
Secretary room
We have learned in our practice how proper installation and adjustment of hinges affects the operation of the cabinet as a whole. Some time after assembly, the door of the wardrobe or kitchen cabinet stopped closing - the upper part of the door rested on the frame.
To correct the misalignment and use the cabinet normally, I had to readjust all the hinges. Therefore, during installation, it is advisable to prevent any deviations; any gap can lead to deformation of the entire cabinet structure.
Assembly tools
When carrying out any furniture assembly, you must have a manual set of tools, an electric drill. The very first necessary device is a tape measure. For accurate markings, you will need a medium-hard pencil. Hexagon for single-element tie connection of parts. A screwdriver is an indispensable tool for drilling and screwing.
You can set a clear line at an angle using a square. An item that is very helpful when assembling furniture is a slanting knife. The immediate tool for installing fittings is a special drill for furniture hinges. Now, knowing the types and purposes of furniture hinges, as well as how to adjust furniture hinges, you will not have problems with selection and installation.
Manufacturing materials
An important requirement for all furniture fittings is their compliance with safety standards. Simple auxiliary products, providing movable movement of furniture parts, are manufactured using special technology using various materials. When making connecting fasteners, the manufacturer takes into account the types and significance of furniture products, and based on this, the required fastening is selected.
When choosing hinges, it is necessary to take into account their basic characteristics: the quality of the material, their functionality, versatility, and the appearance of the model. The most popular and in demand are connecting mechanisms made of brass and steel. They are considered the most reliable, durable, do not corrode, have good glide, and do not deform.
An important point in the versatility and quality of the product is simple installation and the ability to adjust furniture hinges. Modern fastening structures allow you to adjust the facade along the vertical, horizontal and depth planes. Various types of settings are presented in the video.
SteelBrass
Hinge Attachment
Due to the fact that the door leaf is a moving object, unlike the cabinet, you need to start attaching the hinge from there. This will make your work easier by eliminating the need to adjust the facade to the hinges when you have to hang it. Installation work with swing mechanisms can be carried out in accordance with the following instructions:
- At the stage of installing the door hinge, all the flaws in marking and work on the holes may appear if you first place it on the site of future installation. Try to carry out a similar check first, making sure that the platform of the overhead hinge cup fits tightly to the surface of the door leaf over its entire area. Even the slightest deviation can cause the door to warp in the future.
- Using a pencil and applying a loop, new markings are made for the screws so that they fit evenly into the grooves of the loop.
- After this, you can install the platform last by screwing in the fasteners using a screwdriver or screwdriver.
How to adjust closet doors if they fall out
An equally common malfunction. In this case, the doors simply jump off the guide bar, and there may be several reasons for this, ranging from the accumulation of dirt to foreign parts getting into the profile. As a result, when moving, the doors encounter an obstacle and jump out of the guide bar. In this case, the roller mechanism located at the top of the display may not change its position. Careless handling of furniture can also cause doors to fall out. For example, a sharp closing of the door leaf or a blow to it. In case of accumulation of debris or the presence of a foreign object, you only need to clean the profile with a rag or vacuum cleaner. Then you will need to install the door into the groove. A similar method of installing the door in place is also used when it falls due to careless handling.
