Adjusting Kitchen Cupboard Doors and Hinges | How to Adjust Door Hinges and Concealed Hinges | DIY Doctor

Cupboard door indicating different sides

One of the most popular questions asked of DIY Doctor is how do I adjust the concealed hinge on my kitchen cupboards. In this project you will learn all about adjusting kitchen cupboard doors and hinges and how to adjust door hinges and concealed hinges.

The door above represents an ordinary kitchen cupboard. There are many ways it can be adjusted with a simple crosshead screwdriver.

• The door can be lifted higher, ie from line C-D to line A-B
• The door can be lowered from line A-B to line C-D
• The top of the door can be moved right from point A to point B
• The top of the door can be moved left from point B to point A
• The bottom of the door can be moved right from C - D
• The bottom of the door can be moved left from D - C
• The whole door can be moved right from line CA to line DB.
• The whole door can be moved left from line DB to Line CA
• The top of the door can be lifted at point A also lifting the bottom at point C
• The top of the door can be lifted at point B also lifting the bottom at point D

All of these adjustments can take place while the door is in position. The images below is a close up of a concealed hinge, each adjustment screw is numbered. Follow the instructions below to adjust the door to the number of the adjustment above.

Concealed hinge indicating different adjustment screws

Concealed hinge fixed to cupboard

Please note screwing tight is a clockwise turn, unscrewing is anticlockwise

• Adjustment number 1: (Door lifted higher) is done by undoing screws 2 and 4 on both hinges and lifting door to required height. Hold in position and tighten screws
• Adjustment number 2: As above but lower door and tighten screws
• Adjustment number 3: Screw tight number 1 on the top hinge and/or unscrew number 1 on the bottom door
• Adjustment number 4: Unscrew number 1 on the top door and/or screw tight number 1 on the bottom door
• Adjustment number 5: Unscrew number 1 on the top door and/or screw tight number 1 on the bottom door
• Adjustment number 6: Screw tight number 1 on the top hinge and/or unscrew number 1 on the bottom door
• Adjustment number 7: Unscrew number 3 on both hinges, move door over and tighten
• Adjustment number 8: Unscrew number 3 on both hinges, move door over and tighten
• Adjustment number 9: See adjustment 1
• Adjustment number 10: Screw tight number 1 on the bottom hinge

Any one or more of these adjustments can be made at the same time, for example if the top corner (B) of the door needs to go up a great deal, you can make the adjustments shown in adjustment 5 while at the same time unscrewing number 3 in the bottom hinge and pulling out slightly

Remember that moving a door left or right by just using screw 1 will tilt the door also, This can be compensated by unscrewing the equivalent screw on the other hinge or making necessary adjustments with screw 3.

Don't fancy doing this project yourself? We work with Checkatrade to ensure that we recommend only reliable and trustworthy tradesmen.