Written by Rob Lancaster

Published 2nd Sep 2021

Hinges – A Buyer’s Guide

Continuing our series of handy buyer’s guides, this time around we look at hinges. Covering everything from types and features of hinges to which brands are best for which jobs, this guide will offer everything you could ever want to know about hinges. You’ll have all the knowledge required to purchase and fit your hinges after reading this guide.  

What are door hinges, and what are they used for? 

Hinges perform a single, vital action: they offer a way of opening and closing a door, keeping it attached to its frame and allowing it to swing freely. Hinges are important throughout the home and in many other buildings, operating doors, gates, windows, cabinets, cupboards, wardrobes, and other kinds of furniture. 

There are also many different types of hinges for different jobs. Doors often use t-hinges, butt hinges and sash hinges. Hinges can be made with ball-bearings for heavier doors or can be spring loaded so that the door closes behind you. In furniture barrel hinges and concealed hinges are often used. They don’t bear as much weight as door hinges but have the bonus addition of being concealed so that the furniture looks clean and tidy. Tee hinges can be used for gates, whilst offset hinges offer more options when working with difficult angles fitting doors. 

Our Range of Hinges

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Hinges have several features for use in different situations. For example, as already discussed hinges can have: 

• Ball bearings for higher weight bearing 
• Springs, to ensure self-closing 
• An offset, to work with difficult angles 
• Double hinge movement 

Double Action Spring Hinge

Casement Hinge

Furthermore, there are many different accreditations that hinges can have, and many different categories of use, all contained within the British Standards EN 1935. This is a coding system to show the standards hinges have been tested to by the British Standards Institution. They are listed below: 

• Category of duty – light, medium, heavy, or severe 
• Durability – test cycles subjected to (10,000; 25,000; 200,000) 
• Test door mass – 7 grades from 10kg to 160kg 
• Suitability for fire/smoke door use – either suitable or unsuitable 
• Safety – if the hinge is equipped with safety features 
• Corrosion resistance – 5 grades from no resistance to very high resistance 
• Security – either suitable or unsuitable for high-security doors 
• Attack resistance – from 1 to 14, specifying whether the hinge is suitable for either windows or doors, how many test cycles it has been through and its weight-bearing capacity 

Hinge Grade Usage Test Cycles Door Mass 

There are different grades available for each feature. The hinge grade is most often listed with the product specification as it combines the correct usage for the hinge, the durability it showed during test cycles, and the weight of door which it can carry.  

Hinges used for fire doors must be CE certified. Hinges used on external doors are often BSI Kitemarked as a proof of safety.  

There are many brands of hinges available. Here at Locks4.com we stock  

• Carlisle Brass – with CE and BSI accredited hinges 
• Crompton 
• EUROSPEC 
• Total Security Supplies – CE and BSI accredited hinges 

Using the BS EN 1935 system, it’s easy to identify which hinges are right for your job. A lighter duty hinge, anywhere between grades 1 and 7 are suitable for domestic windows and doors. They’ll often be cheaper but will get the job done without a problem. Any commercial hinges required would need to be between grades 8 and 14. These hinges will last through more sustained use and will hold heavier doors meaning they are often suitable for fire doors (although there is a separate code to check for this). These hinges are often more expensive but will be better suited to dealing with the increased use of commercial doors. Hinges that are accredited with the CE or BSI Kitemarks are tested rigorously and so can be considered safe and reliable for many years.  

How to fit a hinge 

Fitting a hinge is a process that requires a few steps and basic tools, but can be carried out by anyone. Hanging a new door is a great way to improve security, or just brighten up a tired room. With our selection of hinges, locks, and door handles, you can make your door just the way you want it.  

To fit a hinge, you will need: 

• A pencil 
• A tape measure 
• A sharp, hard point chisel 
• A hammer or mallet 
• A drill 
• A screwdriver 
• A hinge from our broad selection  

To fit a hinge to the door, follow these steps: 

• Measure from the top and bottom of the door 15cm in and mark with a pencil. If there are already hinges fitted to the door frame, you will need to measure the distance between the top and bottoms of these hinges to the edge of the frame and then mark this distance on the door.  
• Place the hinge on the spot marked on the door from the previous measurement. Draw around the outside of the hinge with the pencil, marking the outline.  
• Measure the depth of the hinge, and mark this far down on the face of the door where the hinge will go. This is so you know how far to cut down into the door so the hinge will sit flush. 
• Using the sharp chisel and hammer/mallet, cut into the outline drawn with pencil to the depth you have just measured. Be careful when cutting with the grain of the door that you don’t use too much force and split it.  

• Then within the outline you have just cut, hold the chisel at 45 degrees and make cuts around 1-2cm apart within the outlined space, working along the length of the door, to the depth you have measured. 
• Then use the chisel to remove these ‘steps’ you have just cut. You can also use the chisel to plane the area, so it is flat once these ‘steps’ have been removed from the door.  
• Place the hinge into your newly cut area. Mark the holes where the screws will go with a pencil. Then drill a pilot hole into the door on these marks. This will help to prevent the wood splitting when putting in the screws. 
• Screw the hinge to the door using the pilot holes you have just made. You hinge should now be correctly attached to the door and sit flush on its surface. 

To fit the hinges to the frame, a similar process is carried out.  

• Measure where the hinges will sit on the frame and mark this out. 
• Use the chisel to cut a space for the hinge to sit in.  
• Mark and drill the pilot holes. 
• Attach the hinge to the frame. Use only the bottom screw first to check you are happy with the alignment and the way the door hangs. If not, you may need to plane the door, so it fits as desired. Then you can add the rest of the screws in. 

Things to consider when hanging a door for the first time 

• Which way you want the door to open or close – do you want it to open inward or outward 
• Where in the doorframe will you fit the door, at the front, middle, or at the back – depending on how much of an opening circumference you want the door to be able to offer you 
• When plaining the door to size, there will be a lot of mess so do this outside if possible 
• What type of room is the door being fitted to and is a lock required on the door 

That concludes our complete guide to hinges. Now you should know about different types of hinges and their uses, how to check the grade of a hinge, and how to fit a hinge to your door. You can check our wide range of hinges, perfect for any type of project. If you need any assistance in selecting your hinge, please do not hesitate to contact the team here at Locks4.com 

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