Furniture fittings, in particular hinges, are an integral element of any piece of furniture. Its quality, composition and installation directly affect the durability of the products, as well as the ability to properly operate cabinets, chests of drawers and cabinets.
The development of technologies used for the production of new models of buildings and facades inevitably provokes developments in the field of manufacturing mounting hardware of the appropriate shape.
Today, furniture hinges, varieties and types of which are constantly replenished and improved, include more than a dozen items. Their classification can be carried out taking into account the following parameters:
- The appearance of the structure.
- Style of attachment to the body.
- The angle of rotation of the mechanism.
It makes no sense to list them all, since the most convenient basic types of furniture hinges are often used. Features of their design and installation rules are well known to professional craftsmen, so the process of production and installation of furniture is greatly simplified.
Depending on the shape of the facade and the geometry of the cabinet, the manufacturer also has the ability to use specific furniture hinges. The varieties and types of this fittings allow you to effectively fasten straight, diagonal, radius, curved facades.
The most common types of loops
Any furniture hinges for doors are semi-mechanical type devices designed to fix the facade to one of the walls of the case with the possibility of subsequent multiple opening of the door.
Four-hinged (cup) loops became the deserved favorites of many masters. This type includes:
- Overhead. Indispensable if the cabinet door must completely cover all ends of the cabinet (one door for one cabinet). Furniture overlay hinge - the most common and simple design.
- Half waybills. Used when two facades should be attached to one vertical rib, opening in different directions. Each of the facades fixed in this way covers the end of the frame only half, while maintaining the symmetry of the cabinet.
- Inserting. Their specificity is that they are designed to fix the facades inside the box. That is, with this fastening, all the ends of the body remain visible.
- Corner As the name implies, these devices are used to assemble cabinets having a complex geometric shape. As a rule, the facades of such furniture are attached at various angles (from 30 about to 175 about ).
- Inverse. Only this type of hinge is capable of providing a facade displacement of 180 °, in which the door in the open position is in the same plane as the closed one.
In addition to the listed devices, there are also furniture hinges, the varieties of which allow you to fix the folding facades. Some types of mounting hardware ensure the operation of sliding structures or make it possible to open the door not only in the horizontal, but also in the vertical plane (up or down).
Inserting hinges: easy and fast installation
In contrast to the types of hinges described above, for the fastening of which specific milling is necessary, overhead furniture hinges without a frame are mounted much easier. This model is preferred by novice masters and lovers of self-repair.
This hinge is attached to the inside of a wooden or metal door. An important condition for the proper functioning of these devices is accurate marking.
Closers and shock absorbers - the main attribute of quality hinges
Experts recommend not succumbing to the temptation to save money on fittings and install cheap furniture hinges: the price of devices that are more expensive more than pays for high quality and durability. The cost of the loops offered by different sellers is significantly different. For simple accessories, you can specify a price range of 0.5-3 euros, with closers - 2-7 euros. When installing non-standard facades, it is worthwhile to think over the type of mounting hardware in advance, since the cost of such loops can reach 4-7 euros per unit.
For the long-term performance of these elements, the materials used in their manufacture, the method of coating and its composition, the observance of technological norms and rules, the presence of additional devices are of great importance.
A door closer system installed on hinges of cabinet furniture can significantly facilitate the use of interior items. To a greater extent this applies to kitchens, however, quiet and smooth closing of the door is also relevant for wardrobes, cabinets and cabinets located in other rooms of the apartment.
The popularity of such a design as furniture hinges with closers is due to the additional level of comfort that owners of similarly improved furniture acquire. In addition, this approach provides a more accurate use of furniture, protecting the edges and edges of the facade from the formation of chips, cracks and distortions.
The specifics of the operation of hinges with closers
Furniture hinges with a closer are equipped with an auxiliary device that is mounted on a hinge and prevents incomplete or too sharp closing of furniture doors. The meaning of his work is to timely slow down the movement of the slamming door and smoothly bring its closed position.
The acting mechanism is a spring hidden in the body of the device, which is filled with oil or liquid. Gas is used in economy class devices, but its functional characteristics are significantly inferior to oil mixtures.
The indisputable advantage of the closer are:
- Improving the ergonomics of furniture.
- High load capacity, which is important for massive facades.
- Easy installation.
- A well-thought-out design, in case of breakage of which the oil remains inside the capsule.
- A variety of devices and ease of choice.
- The width of the price range.
Among the few drawbacks, one can list the complicated operation of the closer at low temperatures (the oil becomes viscous) and the need to carefully comply with the installation requirements set forth in the instructions.
Installation of closers for furniture hinges
The closure can be equipped with any furniture overlay loop, as well as corner or inset.
When buying or ordering furniture, any seller will primarily recommend hinges with closers. To improve existing furniture, it is possible to mount these devices on installed hinges. This process is simple and can be carried out by the owner independently.
Closer adjustment
After installing the hinges with closers, they should be carefully adjusted. This is possible when changing the position of the screw located on the housing.
The adjustment is designed to determine the speed and smoothness of closing the door, and also affects the degree of fit of the facade to the body.
By loosening the screw, a very smooth and slow closing of the door can be achieved. And vice versa: a tightly tightened screw allows the facade to close faster.
Features of care for furniture fittings
Speaking about the durability of furniture fittings, it is worth mentioning the conditions for its proper functioning:
- All types of furniture hinges (especially in the kitchen) need timely cleaning from dirt and dust. These measures should be carried out using soapy water and clean wipes.
- Cleaning of the door closer mechanism with granular abrasive substances is contraindicated. The inevitable formation of scratches provokes accelerated wear of the anti-corrosion coating.
- The screws of the devices must be tightened on time. Such a measure is necessary so that the door always opens correctly, does not sag and does not creak.
- Any hinges need periodic lubrication.
- Do not "help" closers to close the door, this prevents the full functioning of the device.
Decorative hinges
Design of vintage furniture in the style of Provence or grunge often involves the presence of discreet decorative elements or their complete absence.
Instead, functional elements, such as furniture handles and hinges, can act as decorations. Varieties of these details are most often overhead, that is, visible from the front or side.
Such “butterfly” loops of various sizes are used to make cabinets, chests of drawers, nightstands, chests and caskets.
A distinctive feature of vintage-style fittings is the deliberate aging of metal elements: uneven application of paint, scratches, abrasions or stains that mimic rust.