Butt hinges are the most common hinge of all. Butt hinges have two matching leaves. For example a leaf hinge – shown here – is a type of hinge, but it falls under the category of a butt hinge. Learn more about butt hinge in our Guide to butt hinges.
Where the hinge goes determines what type you'll need. Door hinges support interior and exterior doors. Strap or T-strap hinges are typically for large swinging doors or gates. Spring hinges are for self-closing doors, such as garages and screen doors.
Ball Bearing Hinge
If we said that ball-bearing hinges are among the most durable on the market, we wouldn't be wrong. The primary purpose of this hinge type is to support doors that are heavy and wide. Just as we mentioned, you will typically find a ball bearing between the two separate knuckles.
Installing a door will three hinges rather than two hinges will reduce the risk of it sagging. Doors can sag over time. The hinges will essentially buckle under the door's weight. For heavy doors, you can use three hinges to lower the risk of sagging.
Typically, a standard door requires x3 hinges. The top hinge should be located 150mm from the top of the sash, the bottom hinge should be located 150mm from the bottom of the sash, and the middle flag hinge should be positioned at an equal distance centrally between the top and bottom of the sash.
A pivot hinge is very different from a regular butt hinge. Butt hinges are attached to the door frame and the side of the door. Pivot hinges are often mortised inside the top and bottom of the door, always on a vertical axis. The placement of these pivot hinges defines what makes a pivot door unique.
Flush Hinges
They're partially hidden on the outside, but not entirely concealed like European hinges. They don't require a cutout to be installed like mortise hinges; they can be attached to the surface of the door with screws, making them quick and easy to install.
Softness: Brass is a softer metal compared to steel, which may make brass hinges more susceptible to dents and scratches, particularly in high-traffic areas.
COMMERCIAL GRADE HEAVY-DUTY (LL)– doors falling in the low-frequency category that weigh up to 1000 lb must use the HD hinges, along with additional fastener holes. We recommend using rivnuts in the door and frame if the door is complete, extremely heavy or taller than the average doors.
Also known as a mortise hinge, a butt hinge is a type of hinge with a pair of identical leafs. They typically feature a larger knuckle than other types of hinges. With their wide knuckle, the two leafs will sit flush with each other when the butt hinge is closed.
Leave a small gap between the door's frame and the edge of the hinge's leaf. The gap should be anywhere between 5/16" to 3/8", depending on door thickness and width of the hinge. Measure and mark appropriately before fastening the hinge to the frame. Too small of a gap will prevent the door from fully closing.
We recommend ball bearing hinges as the strongest type of hinge, and most suitable for heavy doors. Unlike standard hinges, they have a ball bearing in between the knuckles. These take the stress off the knuckle and prevent the hinges sticking or squeaking, and allow for the door to open much more smoothly.
Butt Hinges
These are the most common types of hinges used for front doors. They are sturdy and reliable, with two rectangular metal plates connected by a pin, allowing the door to swing open and close.
noun. : an early American Colonial furniture hinge consisting of a pair of half-round iron wires doubled back like cotter pins, linked by the eyes, and clinched into the wood at the sharp outer ends.
Two objects connected by an ideal hinge rotate relative to each other about a fixed axis of rotation, with all other translations or rotations prevented; thus a hinge has one degree of freedom. Hinges may be made of flexible material or moving components.
A downside to brass hinges, however, is that they are susceptible to stress-related cracking. If exposed to extreme physical stress, they may crack. Fortunately, not all hinges are exposed to physical stress. For low-stress applications, brass hinges may suffice.
Brass is less durable than stainless steel and can scratch or dent more easily. Brass can be more expensive than other metals, such as steel or aluminium, due to the higher cost of copper.
Ball bearing hinges are an excellent choice for heavy doors, as they can handle significant weight and frequent use without compromising on performance. Plain Bearing Hinges: Unlike ball bearing hinges, plain bearing hinges do not have ball bearings between the knuckles.
Hinges are installed on the door frame first.
Wide-throw hinges are hinges that allow the doors or gates with which they are used to swing at a wider opening radius than traditional hinges. Traditional hinges have an opening radius of about 90 degrees. From their closed position, you can swing them open about one-quarter of the way, which is 90 degrees.
Butt hinges are commonly used types of hinges for doors. The leaves are mounted inside a shallow cut, or mortised, section of the door and frame to allow for a flush and precise fit.
Mortise hinges are the ones where the hinge leaves are designed to lie on the plate or mortised into the door frame or jamb. It is hidden with the door surface, and makes it look smooth and allows for a wider throw of the door when opening. They are fabricated from carbon steel or stainless steel (grades 316L or 304L).