Hinges may seem like an 18th-century invention but they go further back than you would expect. Before Roman times, the Hittites were the first ones to use hinges on their wooden doors. Since 1600 B.C., hinges have changed a lot as various civilisations made them in different ways and of different materials.
Nowadays hinges are as advanced as they're ever been in terms of materials and the number of designs they are available in. But one thing has stayed the same and that is their working principle, especially that of concealed hinges.
Benefits of Concealed Hinges
Quiet
A concealed hinge offers a surprising advantage over its more straightforward counterparts and that is silent operation. Concealed hinges are soft-closing and therefore no matter how clumsy you are you're going to have a hard time slamming a door or drawer with them. Concealed hinges in Australia thus help extend the life of cabinets because they only make whisper-level noises.
Hidden
The most notable, or should I say unnoticeable, of concealed hinges is their design which makes them stay behind the door/ drawer they help move. It's not that you can't see them at all but if you open up a cabinet you will. It's just the exterior that doesn't have a hint of hinge on it.
Self-Close
A concealed hinge is a self-closing hinge but only within 20°. The hinges stay closed easily without the use of magnets or other hardware. This makes concealed hinges more practical than most other types of hinges.
Removing
One big part that we don't pay attention to as much when it comes to hinges is how difficult is to install and remove them. Well, you won't have to worry about that with concealed hinges in Australia, if you're installing them yourself for the first time as they are quite simple and therefore easy to remove and install. The same goes for repairs.
Types of Concealed Hinges
Insert Door
If you have doors that sit flush with the face of a cabinet at home then you should consider using insert door concealed hinges. These are made with either 15 mm or 17 mm cranking which makes them ideal in such applications.
Double Doors
When you have a cabinet with two doors that rely on the same partition you should buy concealed hinges with partial overlay. These hinges are able to offer either 5 mm or 9mm cranking.
Full Overlay
A full overlay concealed hinge is one that offers 0mm cranking. This is exactly what makes them the best option for when you have a single cabinet or on cabinets found at the end of a series of cabinets.
What to Look for in a Hinge
Size
In order to buy concealed hinges that will work with the doors of the cabinets in your home you should first take a look at the size of the doors. This size determines the number of hinges you'll need for each door. For instance, if the doors don't go past 150 cm then you can go place two hinges on them. But, if say, the doors are anywhere between 150 cm and 230 cm you should get another hinge to provide support for the other two. With doors that fall between 230 cm and 300 cm, four hinges are a must.
Radius
The radius of a hinge's corners affects its appearance the most. For instance, a hinge with a radius of 1.5 cm has more rounded corners than one with a radius of 6.3 cm. This does affect the size of the hinge but it doesn't make as big of a difference in that regard as it does visually. Smaller radius hinges look more modern while ones with a larger radius have a more contemporary look. But looks don't matter as much on concealed hinges as the material they come made of.
Material
There are plenty of materials concealed hinges are made of and they affect how durable and strong they are. Take brass hinges, they are quite affordable and fairly strong but they are not the most durable nor do they have the best looks. Stainless steel hinges, on the other hand, are far more appealing, stronger and more durable than brass ones but they are also more expensive.
Hinges made of regular steel are the middle-ground option here since they are not as expensive as stainless steel but also not as malleable as brass. Also, you can coat steel hinges in any finish you want so they look exactly the way you want them to. That's something you can't do with both brass and stainless steel hinges.
Conclusion
The simplest and often most underrated solutions are the best and the same can be said for concealed hinges. They are part of furniture pieces in most households but because of their hidden and unobstructed design, they go unnoticed. But just because something is out of sight that doesn't mean it shouldn't be appreciated.
