Buying a European Hinge

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Selecting the proper European Hinge for your cabinet can be simple once you understand the vocabulary of the cabinet.

First you will need to know if it is a face frame or frameless style cabinet.

Diagrams comparing face frame cabinet with framed edges and frameless cabinet with flush edges.

Are the doors overlay or inset?

Door types for frameless cabinets: 

Diagram comparing overlay door and inset door hinge placements with labeled overlay and reveal measurements

Door Types for Face Frame Cabinets:

Diagram comparing overlay door and inset door hinge placement with labeled reveal and overlay measurements

How far do you want the doors to open?

Typical Hinges can open 110° to 170°, and there are many specialty hinges on the market.

How large is the overlay?

For frameless cabinets it is measured in half or full overlay, meaning half the width of the panel or covering the whole end of the panel.

For face frame cabinets it is measured in inches. Typical sizes are 1/2" to 1-1/4", with the most popular being 1/2" to 3/4".

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