How a furniture hinge works, the difference between types of soft-close, how to choose the opening angle, and what to check after installation.
How a hinge works
A modern furniture hinge has two parts: the cup (pressed into the door front) and the mounting plate (fixed to the carcass). Between them is the pivot mechanism. The mounting plate provides adjustment in three axes: height, depth, and lateral position.
- Cup: 35 mm diameter — the standard for all Blum, Hettich, and Grass hinges
- Mounting plate: standard depth, short, or long arm variants
- Post-installation adjustment: ±2 mm on each axis without removing the door
- Quick-release plate (Blum Clip, Hettich Sensys): door front unclips with a button press
What soft-close is
Soft-close is a mechanism that slows the door in the last 15–20° of closing and gently pulls it shut. Without it, doors slam.
- Integrated soft-close (Blumotion, SilentSystem): the mechanism is inside the hinge — the most reliable option
- Clip-on buffer: a small cylinder glued or screwed into the carcass — cheaper, wears out sooner
- TIP-ON (Blum): push-to-open spring mechanism — no handle needed; soft-close on the return is integrated
Types by opening angle
- 95–110° — standard: door opens fully, sufficient for most cabinets
- 110° — the most common angle for kitchen wall units
- 120° — for corner cabinets or where wider access is needed
- 155–170° — wide-angle hinges: door opens nearly parallel to the carcass
- 45° — for internal corner sections (carousel units)
Types by overlay
Overlay is how much the door front overlaps the carcass edge. This determines which mounting plate is needed.
- Full overlay (face-frame or frameless): door fully covers the carcass edge — standard for most kitchens
- Half overlay: two doors share one carcass edge — for internal dividers
- Inset: door sits inside the carcass, edge is visible — for Shaker-style framed fronts
Hinges for heavy doors
- Glass: specialist hinges with a reinforced plate and adapter pad
- Aluminium profile: hinge attaches via an insert in the profile
- Doors heavier than 10 kg: one hinge per 10 kg plus one base hinge
- Blum Clip Top 110° handles up to 16 kg per door in standard installation
Adjusting hinges
After installation all doors need adjustment. Three parameters — height, depth, lateral position — each adjusted with a separate screw without removing the door.
- Gap between doors: 2–3 mm all round — check on the finished kitchen
- Door sits higher or lower than its neighbour: height adjustment on the mounting plate
- Door is skewed sideways: lateral adjustment
- Door sticks out or sits proud: depth adjustment
A correctly adjusted hinge: all doors flush in one plane, even gaps all round, soft-close engages smoothly to full closure. This is the installer's job, not the manufacturer's — insist on adjustment at handover.
How many hinges per door
- Up to 700 mm height — 2 hinges
- 700–1200 mm — 3 hinges
- Over 1200 mm — 4 hinges
- Heavy material (glass, solid wood) — add one hinge above the standard count