QA

Quick Answer: How To Use Piano Hinges

Which way does a piano hinge go?

Drill pilot holes and attach the hinge. Some piano hinges have slots (Rockler calls them slotted hinges) to help make installation more accurate. Position them and put temporary screws in the slotted holes. Then, move the hinge right or left to get it exactly where you want it.

Does piano hinge go inside or outside?

INSTALLING PIANO HINGES ON COWLINGS One way is to install the hinge right side up so that the hinge loops are visible from outside the cowling.

How do you attach a piano hinge to a bench seat?

Center the piano hinge on the back edge of the constructed seat, pre-drill pilot holes and screw the hinge on. Then, take the seat with the hinge on it and position it on the bench. Pre-drill pilot holes into the 1” x 4” seat rail and screw the hinge on.

How are piano hinges measured?

Use your ruler or measuring tape to measure the width from one leaf edge to the pin in the middle of the hinge. Then multiply that figure by two; the width of a hinge is the sum of two leaf widths. A hinge’s width is vital to its pin and knuckle action.

What is a flush hinge?

What are flush hinges? Flush hinges are usually hinges concealed within the inside of furniture or cabinets with opening doors. In accordance with its name, flush hinges can only be used on flush surfaces.

Can you use a piano hinge on a door?

A piano hinge is also called a continuous hinge, and is a popular hinge to use on side doors and other small doors. Besides the door and the hinge, you will also need some basic hardware: a drill and some screws, as well as a chisel to carve out an inset for the hinge to rest.

Can you paint piano hinges?

Paint will not adhere to a metal hinge unless it is specially conditioned to accept the paint. Instead, you must apply a special kind of primer to the surface that etches the metal and gives the paint something to adhere to.

What are overlay hinges?

Overlay cabinet hinges mean that they allow the cabinet door to “lay over” the frame of the cabinet. If your current doors are larger than the frames — eg. they don’t settle into the frame when closed — then you likely have overlay hinges already (hidden or semi concealed).

Can you cut piano hinges to size?

Another good thing about piano hinges is that you can cut them at any length you want. This will help you match the door assembler to the door more accurately.

How do I know what size hinge I need?

In general, you’ll want to use one hinge for every 30 inches of door height. For example: Use two hinges for doors up to 60 inches tall. Use three hinges if the door is between 60 and 90 inches tall.

How do I measure a hinge?

Know Your Way Around A Hinge: Hinges are measured from top to bottom and side to side. This bit is pretty straightforward. You’ll then need to be able to discern radius corners from square corners. A square corner has that sharp angle like a square.

What is butterfly hinge?

Definition of butterfly hinge : a decorative hinge that has the appearance of a butterfly when the leaves are spread flat.

What is the difference between a flush hinge and a butt hinge?

The main advantage of flush hinges is that they do not need to be sunk into the door or door frame unlike a butt hinge. They are screwed to the surfaces of the connected parts and when closed the inner leaf fits snugly into the outer leaf. The Barrel hinge comes in two parts.

What is ball bearing hinge?

Ball bearing hinges look very similar to standard butt hinges. The difference lies at the pivot point, where there are hidden bearings placed between the knuckles of the hinge, either between each knuckle (for heaviest applications) or just a couple of the knuckles. Ball bearing hinges are considered heavy-duty hinges.

Why are butt hinges used?

The most common type of hinge used on doors is the butt hinge. It’s so named because the two leaves are mortised into the door and frame, allowing the two to butt up to each other. Builders generally use plain butt hinges for lightweight interior doors.

Can you powder coat piano hinges?

Powder coating is used for coating of technical and decorative metal hinges, such as steel, zinc plated and aluminium hinges.

Should hinges be painted?

Door hinges should not be painted. It ruins the integrity of the mechanism and shortens the life span of the hinge. You can buy hinges that have a primer coat of paint and can be painted with special metal paint if the paint is a must for you.

Is a concealed hinge the same as an inset hinge?

The inset concealed hinge looks very different to the half overlay and full overlay hinges. When the door is closed it sits inside the carcass, as appose to in front of, like the full/half overlay options do. It has a large crank/bend in the arm and this will allow the cupboard door to be inset within the cupboard.

How does a full overlay hinge work?

Full Overlay: Also simply called overlay, a full overlay door covers the entire cabinet opening when closed, and the inside wood edge of the cabinet box is exposed when the door is open.