The DIY World - Concealed Hinges

Concealed Hinges the main types of hinges in your kitchen cupboards

In every kitchen cupboard you will see what is known in the kitchen trade as a concealed hinge, basically they are what a kitchen door uses to connect to a cabinet and allow you to open and close it. Sounds simple enough, but unfortunately there are many varieties and sizes of concealed hinges used all over the World. So, if you are in need of replacing a hinge in your kitchen it is important to identify the type that you need specifically in order for it to fit.

These are the three most common types of concealed hinges used in kitchens:

Full Overlay Concealed Hinge These hinges are the most popular choice for kitchen manufacturers across the UK, because it completely hides the edge of the cupboard frame that the door is attached to. To look at, it will have a straight arm which is what allows the cupboard door edge to be perfectly in line with edge of the cabinet. It can also be fully adjusted using 3 little screws which will fine tune all the angles and allow the door frame to be fully concealed.

Half Overlay Concealed Hinge As the name suggests, it is very similar in style to the full overlay hinge we just mentioned, but this time only half the edge of the cabinet will be on show. To look at, It will have a slightly cranked/arched arm as appose to being straight like the full overlay, which is what allows the cupboard door edge to only cover half of the side panel, which leaves the other half exposed. Although used in a lot of kitchens, this type of hinge is also often used in bedroom cabinets and cupboards.

Inset Concealed Hinge Completely different in shape, this hinge is a lot different to the previous 2 as it has a large crank/arch in the arm, this allows the cupboard door to actually be inset inside the cabinet frame, completely showing the outer edge of the cupboard. You generally find these type of hinges on more solid wood furniture to highlight the wooden frame of the cabinet. This style of hinge is generally used with glass doors or kitchen display cabinets.