How to Calculate Hinge Offsets

Perfect door alignment is 90% mathematics, 10% installation. This guide covers the engineering calculations behind hinge placement.

Understanding Hinge Geometry

• →Cup depth: Standard 35mm European hinge
• →Mounting plate distance: 0mm, +3mm, or +6mm overlay
• →Arm length: Determines opening angle (95°, 110°, or 165°)

The Offset Formula

For standard overlay doors:

Example: 600mm Door Height

• →Top hinge: 100mm from top edge
• →Bottom hinge: 500mm from top edge (100mm from bottom)
• →Gap between hinges: 400mm

Critical Measurements

1. Overlay Distance

• →Full overlay: Door covers entire frame (+19mm standard)
• →Half overlay: Shared frame, each door +9.5mm
• →Inset: Door sits flush inside frame (-2mm)

2. Vertical Adjustment Range

• →Standard hinges: ±2mm adjustment
• →Premium hinges: ±3mm adjustment
• →Always design for mid-position installation

3. Gap Calculations

Standard gaps:

• →Side gaps: 2mm per side
• →Top/bottom gaps: 2mm
• →Between doors: 3mm total (1.5mm per door)

Tolerance Stacking Analysis

Real-world precision requirements:

Total tolerance: ±1.3mm (acceptable within 2mm gap budget)

Common Mistakes

1. Not accounting for overlay: Results in doors hitting frame 2. Equal spacing assumption: Ignores hinge mechanical limits 3. Ignoring material thickness: 18mm vs 16mm changes calculations 4. Single hinge on tall doors: Causes sagging (use 3 hinges >1200mm)

Soft-Close Integration

Soft-close hinges add:

• →Extra depth: +5mm behind mounting plate
• →Weight: 80g per hinge (affects load calculations)
• →Adjustment: Tension screw requires access

Multi-Door Calculations

For adjacent doors sharing a frame:

Professional Tips

1. Always drill cup holes first: Harder to correct than plate holes 2. Use jig for consistency: Manual marking leads to 1-2mm variance 3. Install top hinge first: Allows door to hang while marking bottom 4. Check diagonal before final tightening: Should match frame diagonal

Load Calculations

Hinge load capacity:

• →Standard hinge: 8kg per hinge
• →Heavy-duty: 12kg per hinge
• →For 600mm door (18mm birch): ~4kg
• →Safety factor: 2× minimum

Recommendation: 2 hinges sufficient for doors <1200mm and <10kg

Our Blueprint Specifications

All our designs include:

• →Pre-calculated hinge positions with dimensional tolerances
• →Drilling templates at 1:1 scale
• →Hinge selection based on door weight
• →Gap verification checklist

Next Steps

Download our free hinge calculator spreadsheet. Input door dimensions, and it outputs exact drilling coordinates with tolerance ranges.