Q: We recently remodeled our kitchen and have been having issues with the bi-fold doors in the corners of the cabinets.The door has three hinges, and the bottom hinge keeps getting out of line, causing the door to sag on one side.The place where we bought the cabinet sent someone to repair the door, and it was demolished within a few days.Is there any solution?
A: The types of hinges are dizzying, even the European style found on most modern cabinets (including yours).These are also called 35mm hinges because one end has a cup that fits into a circular hole, typically 35mm in diameter, that cuts into the back of the door.The other end of the hinge slides into or attaches to a mounting plate that is screwed to the cabinet box or, in the case of a bi-fold door, to a door that is hinged directly to the cabinet.Between the cup and the connecting plate, more screws can adjust the position of the door.
This is where the complexity begins.A lot of different companies make Euro hinges, and the number and role of the adjustment screws vary from brand to brand.The bi-fold hinge is especially puzzling.If the company you bought the cabinet from comes to your home again to fix the problem, ask the repairman to explain how the hinges are adjusted, and take notes.
If you need to fix this yourself, look closely at the hinge to see if it has the manufacturer’s name on it – maybe on the cup.Or, because you recently purchased cabinets, call the company where you purchased them and ask.You can then conduct an online search by entering the manufacturer’s name, “bi-fold hinge” and terms such as “installation guide” or “adjustment.”This might lead you to a drawing showing what each screw is supposed to do or a YouTube video that walks you through the adjustment process.Or you can turn each screw in and out as you watch to see the effect on the door.Use a basic screwdriver instead of a drill or driver as it is easier to control.It only takes a few turns of the screw to see what the screw does.
Since only one hinge is the problem, maybe two good hinges can help you figure out why the bottom hinge is loose.Look carefully at all three and try to spot any differences.Are they all securely attached at the connection plate and cup hole?Some cabinet doors are made of materials that don’t hold screws well, so if one or more attachments wobble, you may need to remove the screws, insert plastic dowel inserts, and reinstall the screws.Rockler sells these as part of their $2.49 hinge pin repair kit.
Also compare the connecting plates on the three hinges.The picture you sent shows that on your hardware, the board has three screws.The top and bottom clearly allow you to adjust the height of the door; that’s why the grooves for the screw heads are oval rather than round.The middle screw looks like it’s supposed to hold the angled part of the hinge in place, but the screw head seems to slide right through, causing the door to come loose.Do the other two hinges have a larger screw in that location, or does the square piece of metal behind the middle screw act as a washer to keep the screw heads engaged?Or maybe the hinge is warped so the screw doesn’t engage where it should.Do parts fit looser on the bottom hinge than on the other hinges?
If this process doesn’t reveal a problem, remove the damaged hinge and move the middle hinge to that position.The weight of the door might dictate the use of three hinges, but two should be enough for a quick test — as long as you don’t close the door.If the door is still loose, the cup holes or screws holding the connection plate may be in the wrong place.Compare the measurements with other hinge positions.If the connecting board needs to be closer or farther from the edge of the door, plug the existing screw holes with a short wooden toothpick and wood glue, then re-drill and reconnect the board in the correct location.If the cup hole is lost, the cabinet company should give you a new door.
If the door works fine with only two hinges, the hinge you removed may be faulty.Ask the cabinet company or manufacturer to replace (check warranty).If they won’t, you can buy one if you know the manufacturer.If not, you may need to replace all three hinges to make sure they work well together.Make sure the cup size matches the hole in the door.
Once you have working hinges, you need to adjust the door.The outside corners of the door should almost touch, with just a thin, even gap between them.Close the door, face the corner, stare at the crevice.If it’s not flat, find the screw for the diagonal adjustment – it’s probably on the hinge near where the door meets.Tighten or loosen this screw as needed.Then, if the outside corners of the door barely meet, move the door that isn’t attached to the cabinet in or out or sideways by adjusting other screws that may be near the connection plate.
Post time: Jul-02-2022