How to choose
How to choose new hinge hardware
When renovating your kitchen you may find that simple changes such as the hardware you have on your cabinets can make a huge impact. Here we have compiled some tips for choosing the correct hinge for your cabinets.
First, decide whether you want the hinges to be visible or not. Hinges come in a variety of styles, and some can be installed inside the door, making them invisible from the outside. Visible hinge styles range from a simple interlocking mechanism to decorative straps.
Second, choose the material. Hinges may be made of many different materials, such as brass, chrome, stainless steel, wrought iron, and pewter. Hinges made of solid brass are the strongest and most durable. Price, strength, durability, application, and appearance all have to be considered.
Third, determine your hinge application. Applications include inset, offset, overlay, reverse bevel, demountable, and variable overlay, among others.
Inset hinges, best on lightweight cabinets that don’t need a lot of reinforcement, come in a range of finishes and are usually more ornate, as they are visible on the outside of the cabinets.
Overlay hinges only allow you to see the hinge mechanism, while the face frame mount is attached to the inside of the cabinet door, unseen from the front. Concealed hinges are internal hinges, hidden from within the cabinet. These hinges, which are much more expensive than other types of hinges, work especially well on modern angular cabinets.