Regardless of the type of construction and material of the door, hinges are considered to be its working mechanism. Without them, it is not possible to open or close the doors. Almost always, the loops cut identically. But still there are exceptions, when certain details are present, depending on the device of the fittings. What types of door hinges are there? How to properly install them yourself? We will consider all this in our today's article.
Varieties of mechanisms
Installing door hinges at first glance may seem like a difficult task, but it is far from it. The most important thing is to choose the right accessories. Then there will be no problem. Depending on the design, the loops can be:
- Straight. Are the most popular. They consist of side mounting plates and a hinge. They are also called butterflies or card butterflies.
- Angular outwardly similar to straight lines, but they havethe side plates are made from corners.
- The screwed ones are a swivel axle with studs instead of mounting plates welded on the side. Recommended for use on lightweight fabrics.
- Hidden and Italian is a hinge that is recessed into the body of the door unit. Such fittings are mainly placed on expensive front doors.
Among other things, the hinges also differ in the way they are installed. In this case, they are:
- Overhead - fixed to the surface of the box and door with self-tapping screws without recess cutout.
- Mortise - mounted in recesses.
- Screw-in - instead of mounting plates, they are equipped with pins that are screwed into the body of the door block.
In turn, the loops are also left-handed, right-handed and universal. As for the universal ones, they can be attached both on the left and on the right side.
Tools
Installation of hinges should always begin with the preparation of the required tools. You will need to take care of the presence of a hammer, chisel, screwdriver, electric drill, pencil, screwdriver and level. Installing the hinges on the door will not be possible without the listed tools. In the event that a considerable number of cuts are planned, it is best to use a manual router.
Markup
Any installation of loops must begin with markings. Installation process depending ondevices may have certain nuances. The installation of interior hinges should be carried out at a distance from the upper and lower edges, on average, from 20 to 25 centimeters. At the same time, there must be no chips, knots and other defects in the attachment points. If even a slight defect is observed on the canvas, the loops must be displaced. When installing the hinges, you should first outline all the contours of the mounting plates and pins, and then proceed with the installation work.
Installation features
As soon as the markup is applied, you can take on the installation work. But before doing the work, you should definitely decide on the presence of nuances. Most often, the main problem is the large weight of the canvas. It can be solved by inserting a third element in the center of the canvas. Installing hinges on interior doors basically does not cause any problems. They are light and hollow. Before installing the hinges, be sure to decide in advance which way the doors will open.
General rules
How the stitching of the loops will be performed depends entirely on their variety. But, despite this, during installation it is worth adhering to certain rules common to all types. Accurate marking must be carried out. The functionality of the entire structure depends on how accurately it will be performed. Even slight deviations can lead to a skew of the canvas, which will cause difficulties or inability to open the door. The hinges should be fastened from the corner of the canvas at a distance of at least twenty centimeters.
Special attention must be paid to secure fixation. The hinges must support the weight of the entire canvas. To ensure this, the fittings must be fastened correctly and securely.
Butterfly
Installation of butterfly hinges can be carried out even after the door frame has been installed, since the plates are attached not to the end, but to the front surface of the leaf. The installation procedure is carried out in the following sequence:
- First, the door is firmly wedged in the box while respecting the gaps around the perimeter;
- then horizontal and vertical are checked, for this a level is used;
- next, the butterfly is applied and the marking of the points of location of the self-tapping screws is carried out;
- after that, holes are drilled along the marks and the hinges are screwed to the body of the door unit with screws.
Installation of overhead loops is considered the simplest operation, which does not cause difficulties even for those who have never encountered such work. Due to the ease of installation, it is overhead structures that are considered the best option for beginners. In this case, all work will be performed without creating a tie-in, which will greatly simplify the whole process. But at the same time, it is imperative to accurately markup to ensure the aesthetic appearance of the entire structure.
Installation of corner hinges
Installation of corner hinges is practically no different from installation of overhead ones. The only caveat is the presence of a bend in the bar. ATBasically, such hinges are placed on interior doors with a vestibule. The entire sequence of actions during installation is exactly the same as when installing overhead hinges. One part is attached to the canvas, and the other to the box.
Installation of mortise hinges
Installed hinges are much more difficult to mount. For installation, you will need a power tool. Installation of mortise hinges is carried out in the following sequence:
- first of all, the location of the canopies is marked at the end of the canvas and the rack of the box;
- then, with the help of a router, recesses are made, they are given the desired shape;
- before installation, the fittings are disassembled and a part of the canopy with large dimensions is mounted on the box, and the smallest part is mounted on the sash;
- both parts are fixed in recesses with self-tapping screws.
Mortise models are considered the most popular when fixing doors. They are durable and reliable, but at the same time you have to sacrifice a decorative look.
Installation of bar hinges
Hinges of this type are installed on the door a little differently, since the product consists of two spring mechanisms. Thanks to this design, the door leaf can freely open completely in any direction and return to its original position. To properly insert bar hinges, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- first you need to loosen the tension of the springs with a wrench or a hex key;
- on the doormark the box and the end of the sash for the fixing plates;
- sampling recesses;
- Fix the fittings with self-tapping screws.
After completing all the above steps, you need to adjust the springs. They need to be pulled, but do not overdo it. The tension is performed by the screw clockwise. During the adjustment process, you need to check the smoothness of opening the door. Adjustments must be made responsibly. During operation, such loops must be systematically tightened.
Conclusion
Hinges play an important role in the operation of each door block. Without properly selected canopies, the canvas itself is considered just a blank. The correct installation of the hinges depends on how correctly the set of fittings is selected and the installation process is correctly performed. In each individual case, the installation is performed differently, depending on their type. All the nuances during installation should be adhered to unconditionally, since even minor errors can lead to distortion, which will negatively affect the aesthetic appearance of the door and the convenience of its further operation.
