Which door hinges do I need?

Hinges are sold by length, by grade and by bearing type, and the three do different jobs. Getting the grade wrong is what produces a door that has dropped again a year later.

What you'll need

• The door's weight, or its type and thickness
• A tape measure
• The existing recess dimensions if replacing

Step by step

1. Start with the door's weight.A hollow-core internal door is 10–15kg. A solid-core internal door is 25–35kg. A composite or fire door can be 40–60kg. Hinges are graded for exactly this.
2. Pick the length.76mm (3in) suits light internal doors. 102mm (4in) is standard for solid, external and fire doors and is what most modern doors are recessed for.
3. Decide plain or ball-bearing.Plain butt hinges are fine on a light, rarely-used door. Ball-bearing hinges carry more weight, run silently and do not wear oval, and cost very little more.
4. Check the grade.Hinges carry a CE grade — grade 7 covers most domestic doors, grade 11–13 covers heavy or high-traffic. On a fire door the grade and the fire rating are both mandatory.
5. Count them.Two hinges for a light hollow-core door under about 20kg. Three for everything else, and always three on a fire door regardless of weight.
6. Match the knuckle to the door thickness.The knuckle must clear the frame as the door opens. On a rebated frame or a thick door, a wider hinge or a projection hinge is needed.
7. Check the handing where it matters.Butt hinges are not handed. Rising butts, spring hinges and most concealed hinges are, so establish left- or right-hand before ordering.
8. Match the finish to the rest of the ironmongery.Satin chrome, polished chrome, brass and black are the common finishes. Steel hinges with a brass wash tarnish; solid stainless does not.
9. Confirm the recess before ordering.If you are replacing rather than hanging new, measure the recess. A hinge that does not match means chiselling on both the door and the frame.

Tips

• Grade 13 ball-bearing stainless hinges cost a few pounds more per pair and are what stops a heavy door needing adjustment every year.
• Two hinges on a solid door is the single most common cause of a door dropping. Fitting a third is a half-hour job with a chisel.
• Buy hinges as a set for the door, not individually. Mixed batches vary very slightly in leaf thickness.

Common mistakes

• Reusing the old hinges on a new door — The old hinges are worn oval in the knuckle and are usually the reason the last door dropped. New hinges cost less than the time spent adjusting a door hung on tired ones.
• Fitting non-fire-rated hinges to a fire door — Fire doors are certified as a complete assembly. Ordinary hinges can distort and release the leaf early in a fire, and the door no longer meets its rating regardless of how good the leaf is.

Alternatives

• Ball-bearing butt hinges: The default upgrade — sealed bearings in the knuckle carry more weight, run silently and resist wear. Suitable for almost every door in a house.
• Rising butt hinges: Lift the door as it opens so it clears a carpet, and let it self-close gently. Handed, and the top of the door needs a small bevel to clear the frame.
• Concealed (SOSS) hinges: Invisible when the door is closed, used on flush and jib doors. Needs precise routing and is unforgiving of error.
• Parliament and projection hinges: Throw the door clear of the frame so it opens back past a deep architrave or reveal. Useful where a door will not open fully.

Questions people ask