Approaching a swinging door project must be done with careful thought and consideration. When executed successfully, your doors are able to hold up against a wide variety of forces that they may come into contact with on a daily basis. But when you’re looking into swinging door hardware, what exactly should you be looking for when considering various hinges at your disposal? Let’s take a closer look at the types of hinges you will come across and which options will be best suited for your needs.
The Three Main Categories of Hinges
As you’re searching for swinging door hardware, you’ll notice that there are three main categories of hinges to consider. These include:
● Standard Hinges: Aptly named, standard hinges offer a no-hassle installation experience so that you can get in and get the work done. If you just need something that supports your swinging door, the standard hinge is right for you.
● Industrial Hinges: Some swinging door projects demand greater support. This is where industrial hinges come in. Industrial hinges can help you support more weight if you find that standard hinges or decorative hinges aren’t the right fit for you.
● Decorative Hinges: Don’t be fooled, decorative hinges are still designed with the quality needed to support heavy doors but often have a more attractive design that appeals to property owners and builders who have a greater focus on overall aesthetic as well as functionality.
While the three main categories above are of excellent help when you’re trying to get a general direction for your swinging door project, you’ll likely want to go into finer detail to ensure that your project goes smoothly, especially if you’re tackling multiple project types around the property. But what do the various hinges look like and offer? Let’s dive in.
Types of Hinges You Should Know
● Strap Hinges (Ball-Bearing and Disc-Bearing): Bringing it back to basics, all swinging door projects, whether you’re in need of stall door hinges, stable door hinges, or carriage door hinges, are going to require strap hinges. These types of hinges can be broken down into two categories: ball-bearing and disc-bearing. Ball-bearing hinges are best for high-frequency use (over 25 operations per day) while disc-bearing hinges are best for fewer than 25 operations per day.
● Strap Hinge With Half-Butt Jamb Section: This hinge mounts directly to the inside of the frame for door clearance and is perfect for those who may not be interested in using a surface mount hinge.
● Full Surface Mount Strap Hinge With Jamb Section: Full surface mount hinges can have pintles with or without offsets (keep in mind you can find half surface hinges as well if you prefer that style). The offset pintle can be mounted on the frame, or set back on the face of the wall to allow open doors to clear the doorway. Should you choose a strap hinge without offset, the pintle can be located at the edge of the opening for mounting on the frame.
● Offset Hinge (and Hinges Without Offset): As explained above, offset hinges will determine how well doors clear the doorway. You can choose hinges with offset and without offset for your project.
● Center Strap Hinges: Full surface strap hinges are used as center hinges on slide-fold doors. There is an offset in the hinge strap of ¾” – 1″ to allow for clearance of hardware between doors when doors are closed.
Once you have a better idea of the hinges you need to support your doors and offer the style you’re looking for, it’s just a matter of getting these materials, grabbing other tools you may need like a door hinge locking device, and bringing your concept to life.
Ready to Get Started on Your Swinging Door Project?
At RW Hardware, we make hardware that holds strong against any force you throw its way: avalanches. Infernos. Time. Even rhinos. Since we fired up our first blast furnace 140 years ago, we’ve been forging the strongest, most durable products on the market. Hinged on quality. Engineered to innovate. When the world comes knocking, we hold strong. If you’re ready to get started on your swinging door project, shop now with RW Hardware to find all of the high-quality materials you need!
