Hanging Cabinet Doors

[Darrin Davis]

I am a woodshop teacher in Texas and was wondering if anyone had any tricks of the trade when it comes to hanging cabinet doors with variable overlay hinges. It's just so hard to get the doors lined up when the doors have to be pressed up against the cabinet in order to get these hinges to lay flat. Any good tricks out there?

[Paul Libby]

I hope you get a good answer, I would like to know too.

[Steve Clardy]

Euro Hinges?

[Darrin Davis]

No. I'm talking variable overlay hinges. Getting them level is easy, I usually just put a straight edge clamped 1/2" (for 1/2" overlay) below the bottom of the opening. But getting them spaced just right is tough especially when you have a double cabinet door with no center stile and and you want the doors as close together as possible without touching. The problem is the hinges actually close more than just flat. (I guess this ensures the door closes all the way) You have to push the door flat to mark for the holes to be drilled. When you push the doors flat they typically move a little away from the hinge side.

[donnie wood]

The trick I use is to clamp a piece of wood along the bottum of the doors, (on the face frame).
That way you only have to push them aganist the face frame and center it.

hope that helps

[Darrin Davis]

Yes, but they still move left or right just a little when pushing them flat against the face framing!

[donnie wood]

Let me see if I can explain this. Tape four peices of thin cardboard on the backside on all four conrers, when you push they should compress and shim it tight the same distance on both sides. Forgive my bad spelling.