Today while at lunch I was busy trying to sketch a project that I was designing as a tall laundry room cupboard for my house when a fellow co-worker/woodworker stopped to take a look.
While we were talking about the piece, why I was designing it and what it would be used for, he made a comment that my project had a flush mounted door. He then went on to tell me how he hated flush mounted doors because you have to chisel out the wood while installing the hinges. He finished by telling me that the time wasn’t worth the effort in his eyes.
At that point I just kind of smiled and said I don't do any of that.
At first he gave a quizitive look of "huh?" and then after a few seconds of letting what I said sink in, he said “please don’t tell me you just flush mount the butt hinges?”
That’s when I opened up my web browser and introduced him to "H" hinges.
His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. The look on his face was priceless.
So from there I went on to explain to him that I was introduced to the use of "H" hinges several years ago by a fellow woodworker as a way to do 2 things on a project:
- To be able to install door hinges quickly and easily.
- Also to add a little decoration to what might seem like a plain or dull looking project.
Ever since then I've always used "H" hinges on all of my flush door projects. I like the looks and ease of installation that I use them even if the piece is a reproduction or a commissioned piece.
As for installing them; well it couldn't be easier!
- First start off by laying your project on its back
- Next place the door in the opening. (you may need to add some temporary supports)
- Then using a rule, locate from the top and bottom of the door the location you want to place each hinge.
- From here you want to pre-drill all of your pilot holes.
- Dip the tips of your screws into a can of paste wax (used as a lubricant) and then install by hand. (Make sure to just snug them lightly. Anything else might cause the screw heads to snap off.)
In my eyes the ease of installation of the hardware, and look it gives a project, far outweigh not using them.
Comments
Orion Henderson - February 4, 2011 11:31 AM
Thanks for the great article Dave. Just a quick note-we also make H hinges (and their related hinge the HL) in hand forged iron.
deva - February 4, 2011 11:53 AM
okay. educate me. flush doors and inset doors. how do they differ? if there is a difference, i am assuming it is subtle to the eye but i am interested in how it differs in construction and application to period woodworking.
Orion Henderson - February 4, 2011 12:49 PM
They are the same thing-interchangeable terms for the same type of door. Flush/inset doors nearly always signal better quality. Because the gap (reveal) shows all the way around the doors-the fit needs to be perfect. A 1/16" variation in the gap will be quite obvious to the naked eye. There are some exceptions-period correct step back cupboards often have overlay (or offset) doors and are extremely well made. The typical example would be the cabinetry of a company like Crown Point Cabinetry, who makes all flush doors, compared to the cabinetry available at a big box store-which is all overlay. With overlay doors there are no visible gaps, and if the doors and frames are off it does not show.