Despite being a crucial part of the door structure, hinges are one of the most underrated hardware. The work of the hinges is very simple; it keeps the door stable and provides support to the structure. Leaf, knuckle, sleeves, and pin are the parts of hinges that are used to support and operate a single door.
There are different types of hinges available in the market that fit the different door structure requirements and provide a beautiful touch to the overall door structure.
Butt Hinge
Butt hinge is one of the most common types of hinge available in the market. The two leaves’ butts touch each other when the door is moved which is why it is called the butt hinge. Many people prefer this type of hinge because it can support heavy-weight doors.
Moreover, butt hinges provide maximum security if they are constructed with a central pin since the central pin cannot be removed from the outside. There are different types of butt hinges including spring, rising, and plain bearing.
Apart from residential use, butt hinges are also available for commercial use. The reason for their popularity is their low prices and hard structure which is difficult for other types of hinges to beat.
Barrel Hinge
Barrel hinges are made up of solid brass and they are mainly used for commercial like wood projects. The unique point of barrel hinge is that they are very discrete when we look at the wood structure with these hinges built on them.
To install the barrel hinge, drill the holes into the door and frame and place the barrel hinge into the holes.
The barrel hinges provide a strong mechanism and impressive durability to keep the structures in one place. However, unlike the butt hinges, the barrel hinges are not made to sustain heavyweights. Moreover, barrel hinges become loose and rusted over time. However, the pros of these discrete hinges overweigh their cons which makes them the ultimate choice for small projects.
Concealed Hinge
Concealed hinges provide a beautiful structure when creating a kitchen or furniture. Concealed hinges come with the features of self-closing and they are tamper-proof which provides maximum security than the regular hinges.
Concealed hinges are hidden from the structure side which does not diminish the overall beauty of the structure. Moreover, this type of hinge is adjustable after hanging which provides stability to the furniture door. In addition to that, concealed hinges can detach doors with hinges intact.
The unique fact of concealed hinge is that apart from self-closing they close quietly which means they don’t slam shut. This is why concealed hinge extends the life of the hardware.
Offset Hinge
Offset hinges come in different sizes and styles to fulfill a variety of customers. The most unique purpose of offset hinge is that it provides extra swing of the door which widens the door opening of up to 2 inches. The offset hinge allows the door to stick with the wall, unlike other hinges which allow the door to be fully opened.
The average cost of Offset hinges is $16 which makes them a fairly expensive choice than the other types of hinges. However, they are the ideal solution for projects which require better swing and clearance.
Piano Hinge
The piano hinge is also called a continuous hinge since it is made up of two continuous elements. They are made up of brass, stainless steel, iron, and aluminum. Piano hinges are commonly used in the structure of blast doors.
The piano hinge offers the feature of customizable length which means that the hinge can be cut to fulfill the different length requirements. This feature allows the door to sustain the door alignment. Piano hinges are harder to break due to their design which is why they are mostly used in restricted places.
Thanks to moisture, piano hinges can easily get rusted and corroded and require regular maintenance for their extended life. Moreover, if there is excessive pulling or pushing force then they are more prone to get damaged.
In addition to that, the installation of a piano hinge requires multiple workforces which increases the cost of the user, unlike other hinges.
Strap Hinge
The structure of the strap hinge consists of two rectangular pieces with a rotating axis in the centre. The rotating axis makes it possible for the hinge to operate smoothly. The slim and long design of the strap hinge differentiates it from other types of hinges. Other than that the work of strap hinges is similar to the other types of hinges.
Strap hinges are used in both commercial and residential projects such as kitchen cabinets and other heavy-duty projects. Strap hinges are available in different materials including iron, stainless steel, and brass to support the needs of a variety of projects.
Strap hinges are easy to install but the user has to be careful about the alignment when he drills the hole since strap hinges are surface mounted with screws. Moreover, strap hinges are extremely affordable with an average cost of $2.
Knife Hinge
The knife hinge increases the beauty of furniture projects like cabinets since they are extremely invisible from the view. The shape of the knife hinge can be described as similar to the scissors. The two leaves are connected at a pivot point which smoothens the functionality of the hinge.
When a knife hinge is installed the user can only see the pivot point of the hinge which makes the structures the centre of attention. There are two types of knives hinges: offset and straight. The straight knife is used on certain types of doors which intersect a frame while offset is used with inset cabinet doors.
Knife hinges are usually costly with an average cost of $13 however it is worth it to pay this amount since the knife hinge provides an extra beautiful touch to the projects.
Flush Hinge
The main purpose of a flush hinge is to save space since one leaves part stick against the other part which saves space. They are small and compact which makes them the perfect choice for small rooms.
Despite being small in size flush hinges are fairly difficult to install and require professional help most of the time. Moreover, they are less durable than the other type of hinges and tends to break if the door is too heavy. Lastly, flush hinges come in limited sizes and designs which makes them a difficult choice for the users.
Hospital Hinge
Hospital hinges are made up of stainless steel with machined knuckles attached. These hinges are very compact and are mainly designed for small space projects. The one leaf of the hospital hinge is attached against the door while the other leaf is attached to the door. The two leaves are joined by the machined knuckle which allows the hinge to operate.
Butterfly Door Hinge
A butterfly door hinge is commonly used for interior doors. They are quite popular due to their beautiful design and easy installation. They are also called the vintage style hinge since they are used for more than a century. For anyone who wants to give their door a decorative style, the butterfly hinge is an ideal choice.
Butterfly door hinge doesn`t support the weight of heavy structures which makes them useless for exterior doors.
Bi-Fold Hinge
The bi-fold hinge comes with multiple leaves with varying lengths along with multiple pivots. The structure of this hinge allows the door to move to a maximum extent. They are only suitable for certain types of doors which require multiple leaves.
Bi-Fold hinges are not that popular since they serve a specific purpose and it is harder for the users to customize their lengths.
Final Words
There are lots of different hinges with distinct purposes. This blog is the perfect guide for users to understand their hardware needs and make choices according to those requirements.
For the hinges which serve similar purposes, users should evaluate their advantages and disadvantages to make the final decision. The pros and cons are mentioned in this blog as well.
Since hinges come in different materials, the user needs to decide according to their living environment which affects the life of hinges.
Finally, most of the hinges are affordable and easier to install which can be done by anyone with proper tools.