Hinges: doors open for you
They are small. They are used every day. And when they don’t match a room’s décor, they can really stand out. No, they are not cabinet knobs. They are hinges. First used in 1600 B.C. C., have increased man’s strength almost ten times and are perhaps one of the most important inventions for daily use.
Available in a wide range of styles, sizes and colours, hinges not only make your life easier, they also complete a room. The only way to get a full idea of what’s in the world of hinges is to do some shopping online. Sure you could go to every hardware store in your neighborhood and search through endless boxes that may hold only a few hinges when you need twenty or more. But wouldn’t you rather sit at home and find what you need at the click of a button? If you do.
There are many styles of hinges to choose from and what you need will depend on the type of door you are hanging on. There are hinges for residential doors, gates, screen doors and cabinet doors. Then there are three types of cabinet doors; lipped, flush and overlapping. Butt hinges are the most common type of hinge. They consist of two flaps with screw holes connected by a pin and can be used on any door. The barrette can be finished with balls or finials to give it a decorative touch. T-hinges are in the shape of the letter T and are used on garage doors and hood lids. Pivot hinges are designed for overlay cabinet doors or doors that rest on the door frame. Typically both decorative and functional, butterfly hinges are used on flush doors or doors that rest within the frame. One of the most popular hinge types is the spring loaded hinge. Also called a self-closing hinge, a small spring on the inside allows the door to close on its own.
In addition to the hinge type, they are also presented in a wide variety of finishes. If you like the vintage look, go for antique copper, brass, or pewter. Keep it simple with black, matte black, or white nickel. If you like a modern European look, opt for polished chrome or satin nickel. Recreate your grandmother’s kitchen from the 1950s with oil-rubbed bronze hinges, or go for something different with red bronze. Regardless of the finish you choose, it’s important to match your motif. You can even match the hinges to cabinet knobs and drawer pulls.
Whether you’re remodeling your kitchen and need all new hinges or just replacing hinges on a cabinet, you should take a moment to admire the strength they give you. Hinges are generally eight to ten times stronger than their assigned task. So next time you open a door or close a cabinet, think about how heavy that door would be without the hinges to open or close it for you. Once you do this, you’ll never take hinges for granted again.