Any zealous owner protects his property. Important here is the fact of providing an attractive appearance of the thing and the extension of its functional purpose. If furniture that has become unusable is often thrown away, walls and ceilings are repaired, and windows and doors are replaced with new ones. Whether it is a detached house or apartment, replacing the front door is a priority, as it allows you to protect the home and its owner from visits by unexpected guests. When choosing the size of the door hinges, you must take into account the type and dimensions of the box on which you want to fix the door.
Classification
Designers say that a beautiful door attracts attention regardless of the installation method. And installers claim that a reliable working mechanism is an important part that provides trouble-free operation for many years. To understand which door hinges to choose, you need to familiarize yourself with the range and manufacturers. And it’s better to purchase goods that are suitable for the owner of the premises in all respects, including being in an acceptable price category.
Choosing the right working device for the door to function depends on:
- Size.
- View or destination door.
- Manufacturing material.
- Masses of canvas.
- Mounting method.
- Constructions.
A special parameter that does not affect the size, but plays an important role during installation, is the side of the door opening.
Hinge requirements
The main qualities that ideally should have a headset, experts call:
- Noiselessness.
- Smoothness of work.
- Wear resistance.
- Moisture resistant.
As for the entrance metal doors, the hinges for them must be additionally accompanied by a device that prevents entry into the apartment, that is, high resistance to possible opening.
Sizes of loops
In Russia, the production of canopies for doors is regulated by the state standard GOST 5088-2005. In accordance with the regulatory document, the following loop sizes are defined:
- Width: 27, 30, 35 mm.
- Height: 110, 130, 150 mm.
- Thickness: 2.5, 2.8, 3.0 mm.
Particularly popular are the average models having a width of 30 and a height of 130 mm. Larger door hinges attach large-sized canvases, and the smallest ones are designed for lightweight doors that rarely open.
Types of doors
Depending on the purpose, the doors are divided into interior and entrance. The latter are distinguished by the heaviness of the models, that is, most often they are metal. Hinges for doors in this case should be massive. They should also provide a decrease in the friction force inside the mechanism. To reduce this indicator, the loop design works, allowing a conical rod, a steel ball or a ball-bearing cage as part of the structure. A certain hinge lubricant will also help to achieve the result.
To prevent the removal of the front door, experts recommend installing the third hinge, mounting it in an inverted position. This method is used in the case of conventional half-hinge devices that do not require fixing the door leaf. Relevant today is the fastening of reinforced door hinges to the entrance to the living room.
With interior mechanisms, everything is much simpler. Ease of closing, lack of noise and durability are important here.
A feature of each door is the opening side. Loops are also distinguished: left, right and universal. Even a novice can understand that the first two options are mounted on the same type of door opening, and the latter is valid for any type: right or left.
Material
There are only two options for making loops. They are independent of size. Door hinges are made of brass or stainless steel.
The first option is distinguished by its interesting color and additional shine, which is achieved due to galvanic processing. Such mechanisms are considered more durable, but they carry additional costs.
Steel samples are made by stamping, thereby reducing costs and increasing accessibility for the masses. That is why their choice is preferable in the conditions of the Russian market. They also withstand severe loads, although they are less durable.
There are combined loops that are made of metal alloy and are coated with a thin layer of brass or chrome. However, it is economically feasible to purchase mechanisms with a paint and varnish coating, creating a color imitation for natural materials.
Weight
The weight of the door leaf affects not only the size of the door hinge, but also its design. Reliable, expensive specimens are chosen for metal entrance doors, interior samples of solid pine or oak, as well as an original design solution. More modest copies are suitable for interior or plastic doors. The hinges of the lightweight version, covered with varnish or paint, can be a good addition to the cottage interior or serve for some time until the planned grandiose repair.
Mounting method
According to the installation method, experts divide the loops into 4 groups:
- Mortise.
- Overhead.
- Screwed.
- Bilateral.
- Hidden.
Mortise hinges
This type of design requires a preliminary determination of the side of the door opening. As a rule, either a left or right mounting kit is purchased. The main advantage of the mortise device is the ability to remove the door without unscrewing the hinges. Models are produced for a long time and won the love of most compatriots since the days of the USSR. Therefore, manufacturers choose durable materials for manufacturing and receive revenue from the amount of goods sold. It is much higher than for interesting and expensive samples of other categories.
Patch loops
This option received several names, each of which quite accurately determines the appearance of the door canopy. Butterfly loops, hanging or card loops became popular not so long ago. Simplicity of installation, which does not require insertion into the door leaf and frame, facilitates the installation task and allows you to secure the door even for a novice.
Previously it was believed that patch loops are able to hold only a lightweight design. Today, manufacturers produce canopies from materials with good strength characteristics. And including the design from 2 to 4 bearings, well-known brands increase the life of hinges for interior doors by one and a half times.
Additional advantages of samples of this type are:
- Universality of copies without dividing into right and left loops.
- Affordable price.
- Lack of manipulations with cutting out part of the canvas.
- Attractive appearance of the door after fixing the mechanism.
Significant minuses professionals call:
- The inability to remove the door without dismantling.
- Installation of the structure only on perfectly flat surfaces.
- The occurrence of skew when operating on heavy webs.
Screw loops
Representatives of this group are slightly similar in design to mortise specimens. A significant difference is the presence of a special pin mechanism instead of the fixing strip, which must be screwed into both the door leaf and the guard box.
Double-sided hinges
The need for fastenings of this kind appears in cases of huge traffic flow of people or too frequent operation of the mechanism. Bilateral door hinges allow you to open the door in both directions, that is, through end-to-end use.
Hidden loops
The name of the design is slightly exaggerated, since invisible samples become only with closed doors. In addition, the complexity of installation is reflected in the number of sales. Only professionals resort to such instances.
An inexperienced installer will not be able to fix the door to hidden hinges. After installation, the web can be adjusted with increasing or decreasing the vertical clearance. It is not recommended to use this design of hinges for plastic doors and light interior samples.
Number of holes
In this case, the loops are divided into samples with 3, 4 and 5 holes. Most fasteners need only four screws, and massive samples are best fixed in a five-point manner.
Design
Professionals distinguish 2 types: folding and non-folding loops. Usually they do not advise you to purchase non-separable options, since their principle of opening with bushings cannot be called reliable. The result is a creaking or sagging door. Collapsible options have a certain margin of safety and are quite durable, so they are always chosen for heavy paintings. However, they are expensive and not recommended for budget interior doors. Hinges for inexpensive apartment renovation, as well as for installation in country houses or outbuildings, it is better to choose at a reasonable price. Perhaps their strength will last for a long time, and the noise will not affect the functionality of the door leaf.
How to install
There is an installation procedure for the closing mechanism, which is absolutely independent of the size of the door hinges and consists in the following:
- Having placed the door on a horizontal surface (most often on the floor), fasteners are marked with the loop loop method.
- A two-millimeter gap is fixed between the door and the frame.
- Attach (but not completely) the components and try the loops in the work, opening and closing up to 5 times.
- The structure is thoroughly welded in the case of a metal blade and twisted during the installation of wooden and plastic doors.
- After that, it is allowed to install locking mechanisms and other accessories.
How to care
Door hinges do not require special care. Lubrication of the mechanism is carried out at the very beginning of the work or as necessary. The need for processing loops appears in case of jamming or unpleasant sounds. The process does not take much time and effort if the owner is aware of how to lubricate the hinges on the door without removing the canvas and without resorting to dismantling.
The best way is to slightly raise the door and fix it in this position with improvised means. After that, you can easily get to all work surfaces. Lubrication is carried out by special means:
- Engine oil.
- WD-40.
- Fluid for sewing machines.
- Solidol.
- "Litol".
The last two remedies are effective when used on entrance doors, as they can withstand temperature extremes.
After collecting the product into the syringe, it is necessary to squeeze it into the loop with a medical needle. In addition, the oil can be smeared with a brush or cotton swab. If processing is not the first time, then before each subsequent treatment it is recommended to clean the surface of the remnants of old grease. Easy care of the door and ensuring the smooth operation of the hinges will extend the service life of not only the mechanism, but also the door leaf.
Experts warn of many other, more complex points that you need to pay attention to when buying door hinges. Types, design features and reliability are priority areas for the right choice from the point of view of door installers. Designers argue that color and material play a significant role in the installation of the canvas. Most citizens want a silent and smooth closing mechanism. An integrated approach that takes into account all of the above requirements will help the user not to be mistaken and choose the optimal door hinges. A periodic care of the device will extend its life.