Kitchen cabinet hinges must be functional but many are ornamental as well. Some hinges are decorative by their appearance.
The most important aspect of a kitchen cabinet hinge is its performance as a door closer. The best looking kitchen cabinet hinge is useless if the door to which it is attached does not close completely and securely. Proper fit relies upon a having good hardware that is correctly installed.
There are many different types of kitchen cabinet hinges and they operate in a variety of ways. When a worn hinge is being replaced, it is best to choose precisely the same type of hinge. Substituting a different hinge, even if it is superior in construction and eye appeal, can result in an imbalance that will affect the door?s closure. If the kitchen cabinet hinge model must be changed, at the very least replace all the hinges on that particular door. The best policy is to change out all the hinges if possible.
Decorative exposed kitchen cabinet hinges come in two varieties: Buckle, which are fully exposed and knife, which may be either fully or partially exposed. Buckle hinges are widely used, particularly in older homes. These kitchen cabinet hinges have a full opening and do not close by themselves. The knife variety of kitchen cabinet hinge offers a full half circle door range and may or may not close by itself.
European kitchen cabinet hinges have gained popularity in recent years. This hardware is completely hidden and generally closes by itself. Many people prefer European kitchen cabinet hinges because of the clean line they give to the doors and their ease of cleaning. Still, they provide the least play of any of the hinges meaning storage space may have less accessibility than doors using buckle or knife hinges.
Kitchen cabinet hinges on new cabinets depend largely upon the style of the cabinet the homeowner has chosen. Modern sleek design cabinets will most likely incorporate European kitchen cabinet hinges. More traditional style cabinets may have either buckle or knife kitchen cabinet hinges. Any cabinets which are certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) will have hinges which have been tested and found up to KCMA standards.
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