How To Install Blum European Hinges

"Nosotros'd similar to install chiffonier doors with concealed hinges. How practise we do that?" —Jeffrey Odenwald, Chesapeake, Va.

Cabinetmaker Steve Roca replies: Whether you're hanging new doors, equally I'm doing hither for a hallway chiffonier, or swapping out old hinges, concealed or European hinges are a dream to install. Dissimilar the butt or knife hinges oft used in kitchen cabinets, they tin can be adjusted along three axes with the turn of a screwdriver, and so you can hands fine-tune the door'due south fit.

Curtained hinges tin become in face-frame or frameless cabinets and on any door type—including full overlay, fractional overlay, or inset—every bit long every bit the doors are at least ½ inch thick. The hinges I'thousand using are for frameless cabinets with inset doors.

To observe the hinge that volition piece of work with your door type, consult the swivel company's online brochures and customer service line. And then, with the right hinges in mitt, follow the steps beneath to install them.

Concealed Cabinet Hinges in 9 Steps

1. Marking The Door

Mark Door Using Combination Square To Prep For Concealed Cabinet Hinges

Apply a combination square to mark a line on the dorsum of the door parallel with the hinge-side edge and inset ⅞ inch.
And so brand marks beyond this line 3½ inches from the height and bottom edges, every bit shown. The bespeak where the lines intersect marks the center of the hole for the hinge cup, the function that recesses into the door.

2. Drill the Cup Holes

Drilling Cup Holes For Euro-Style Cabinet Hinges

To drill the flat-bottomed pigsty for the cup, y'all'll need a 35-millimeter Forstner flake. Mark a depth line ½ inch up the side of the bit, position it on the center bespeak, and diameter into the door until y'all hitting the line.
Blow out the shavings and test-fit the loving cup to brand sure the hinge flanges bear on the door surface.
Drill the remaining loving cup holes.

three. Install the Hinge Cups

Installing Hinge Cups For Hidden Cabinet Hinges

Press the swivel cups into the holes. Position a rafter square, as shown, to continue the hinge aligned.
Using a 7/64-inch cocky-centering drill scrap, drill airplane pilot holes through the screw holes in the flanges on both sides of the loving cup, as shown. Bulldoze ⅝-inch #half-dozen woods screws into these holes to ballast each cup.

4. Mark the Cabinet

Marking Cabinet With Combination Square For Concealed Cabinet Hinges

Shim the door in place with an even gap all around, and measure out the gap; 1/16 inch is standard.
Remove the door, and employ a combination square to marker a vertical line on the cabinet'south side panel ii¼ inches from the front edge.
And so make a horizontal line, as shown, iii½ inches—plus the gap—from the top and bottom of the opening.

5. Install the Mounting Plate

Installing Mounting Plate For Euro-Style Concealed Cabinet Hinge

Remove the mounting plate from the hinge. Marshal its iii screw holes with the intersecting layout lines on the side panel.
Using the self-centering bit, drill airplane pilot holes through the plate'due south holes, then attach the plate with the ⅝-inch #half-dozen screws, as shown.
Practice the aforementioned for each hinge.

half-dozen. Mount the Door

Hold the door in the open position and hook the hinges onto their mounting plates, every bit shown.
Press on the bars to snap them in place against the plates. At present close the door and cheque the reveal.

7. Adapt Side to Side

Illustration Of Front Screw Location To Align Door With Cabinet Frame Side To Side Of Concealed Cabinet Hinges — Step 7

With a Clip-top Blumotion hinge, all you need to fine-tune the position of a cabinet door is a #two Pozidriv screwdriver. (A #2 Phillips-caput can strip the swivel's screws.)

Problem: Uneven or insufficient gap betwixt side by side doors, or door doesn't align with cabinet frame.
Solution: Plough front screw clockwise to push button hinge edge of door closer to cabinet side, counterclockwise to pull swivel end away from side.

viii. Arrange Up and Down

Illustration Of Middle Screw Location For Top And Bottom Of Door To Align For Hidden Cabinet Hinges — Stride 8

Trouble: Top and lesser of door don't align horizontally with adjacent door or cabinet edge.
Solution: Turn middle screw clockwise to shift door up, counterclockwise to shift it downwards.

9. In and Out

Illustration Of Rear Screw Location For In And Out Swing Of Concealed Cabinet Hinge Door — Step 9

Problem: Door swings open up, or doesn't close flush confronting chiffonier opening.
Solution: Turn rear screw clockwise to pull hinge edge of door toward cabinet, counterclockwise to push button swivel edge away from cabinet.