concealed hinge question and sources

[John Daugherty]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of starting to build a new house. I am planning on building the kitchen cabinets myself. I want to use concealed hinges. I will be using face frames on the cabs. I have been looking at hinges on the net and the information is kind of overwhelming. What’s the difference between all the different types of overlays (full, ¾, ½, etc)? I assume that it is the amount of overhang the door has on the face frame. Can anyone give me any tips for installing them? Are there any problems to watch for?

What are some sources for hinges and glides? Is one brand better than another? I am planning on using full extension glides for the drawers and shelves.

Thanks,

John

[Steve Clardy]

I use salice 1-piece hinges, 1/2" overlay. Thats my standard. Easy install. You need a 35 mm bit which you can use in a drill press.
My source. Baer Supply. 1-800-289-2237
The more you buy, the less you pay.
Steve

[Phil Phelps]

You are going to use face frames, good. The full overlay etc. name is used for the cabinets without a face frame, European cabinets. I'll try to explain. If you had a cabinet box made of 3/4 material and the door fit flush to the edge, that's a full overlay. Halfway to the edge, or 3/8", is a half overlay. Let's talk about the face frames. I like 'em, and that's the way I build cabinets. I use a half overlay so my doors are 3/8" over the face frame. I use Salice hinges because my distributor handles them. There is Blum, Grass, and others. They all have specs for driling and mounting, depending on the hinge. I space my hinges four and a half inches from the top and bottom. I use a 35mm forsner bit to drill for the cup. And a Vix bit to drill the holes to mount the hinge to the door and to the cabinet. You'll want a hinge for "face frame" cabinets. It has a lip that fits over the face frame and is really easy to install. Of course you have three way adjustments on each hinge for alignment.
About this picture. I took it without a flash and I can't get the color corrected. Trust me, they ain't that color :eek:

[Jim Becker]

Doors that are inset are flush with the cabinet face frames. The others are variations in how much of the door is "in" the opening versus how much of the door overlaps (overlays) the opening and/or face frames, depending on whether you are using Euro construction or face frames. Like Phil, I'm a face frame kinda person...but my preference is full inset doors. The only hassle with that is the right hinges are a little harder to source for some reason...so I rarely use Euro hinges even though I wouldn't mind them.

[Phil Phelps]

Like Phil, I'm a face frame kinda person...but my preference is full inset doors. The only hassle with that is the right hinges are a little harder to source for some reason...so I rarely use Euro hinges even though I wouldn't mind them.[/QUOTE]
Well thanks for the belated advice :D I just finished my 1950 kitchen with inset doors and used European hinges. I had to use two different kinds. Some were mounted flat against the inside of the cabinet and the others lipped on the face frame. These are very difficult if you have pre-existing cabinets. I made new lower cabinets but used the shell and styles of the old ones. I forgot to say that the existing cabinets were built on site. That means a lot of scribing and out of square units. They really tried my patience. To do over again, I would have gutted the uppers and built new ones and, of course, fit the hinges before I hung the #$%^ things. Oh, they look great with twice the work. BTW I decided to make a simple panel door. A raised panel door just didn't fit the decor. I used poplar for the frame and tempered Masonite for the inset. As I said eariler in another post, I used alkyd low luster enamel with an airless and a fine finish tip. I'm patting myself on the back for an outstanding paint job. Simply beautiful.

[Steve Clardy]

So-----where's the pics.
Need a peek!!!

[Phil Phelps]

So-----where's the pics.
Need a peek!!!
Man, Steve. This has been a very long project. We had the cherry floor installed in April of last year. We had a granite top, actually two, installed in October. But, I had to build new lower cabinets for them. Then I got busy at the shop. I made all the doors in January, I think. And, between jobs, I'd undercoat and sand and undercoat and.... well, it took forever. I built a hutch to replace some inset shelves. Replaced the ironing board cabinet with a new one. Tape and bed and paint and run base and cut new this and that. I have spent the last nine weekends on this #@##$^ kitchen. Pictures, oh yeah. I did a job for a ceramic neighbor of mine and he still has to fire and hand paint the tiles for my back splash. And I still have the shoe mold to run. So, maybe in a few weeks, my kitchen of 1950 will get it's unveiling. I hope :rolleyes:

[Steve Clardy]

Lol. Know the feeling. Bought our place in 1995. Isn't near enough done for the wife.
Got some lower cabinets built a few years back in the kitchen. Never got the uppers built. Now we are planning on ripping it all out and changing the design style. Going from Oak to Walnut or Cherry. Don't know which yet. Probably 1950's style, inset doors and drawers. Arched toe kicks so the mice can get in and out. Ughh. Time comsuming job coming up!