If you are planning to renovate your house, you will have to reinstall or renew many parts of the house. For this, it is important to take perfect measurements so that the replacement process becomes easier. Replacing door hinges is one of the common things that must be replaced.
While replacing the door hinges, it is crucial to get the measurement crucial. The door hinge will not open or close properly if the hinge size is not right. But, how to measure door hinges? This question can pop into your mind while taking measurements of the item.
To get the measurements right, you need to know about the hinge’s dimensions such as size, thickness, and weight. In this blog, we provide a stepwise guide on how to measure door hinges.
Different Types Of Door Hinges
There are several types of door hinges. Some of them are mentioned below
- Butt hinge
- Flush hinge
- Case hinge
- Olive knuckle hinge
- Pivot hinge
- Heavy-duty hinge
- Ball-bearing hinge
- Hospital hinge
- Strap hinge
These different types of hinges provide several benefits to provide security to your homes. Choose the door hinge that will fit best to your requirements. You can choose any of these hinges, but it is important to make sure that you take the best and the strongest one. Otherwise, it will lead to unwanted accidents.
Door Hinge Measurement Component
Components of the door hinge
Hinge Leaf: This part is rectangular in shape. It is attached to the jamb of the door. Most door hinges consist of these two flat pieces.
Hinge Barrel or Knuckle: This part is a circular hollow. The hinge pin is inserted through the hinge knuckle. The hinge barrel or knuckle makes sure that the hinges properly bend.
Hinge Pin: The hinge pin is a metal rod. It connects the two different hinge leaves once both of them are inserted into the barrel or knuckle.
Measurements of Hinges you should know:
Since there are different types of hinges, you need to choose the right size to install them on door, gate, or cabinet. Most hinges are made of the same measurement. But, depending on your application, knowing the correct hinge size will be helpful.
Gauge: It is the thickness of the hinge. The higher the gauge is thicker the hinge will be. Therefore, high-gauge hinges are very strong. They have the ability to accommodate heavy objects and withstand greater load.
Width: This is the distance from one leaf end to the other when the door hinge is open. Hinges having smaller leaf’s have comparatively smaller width than that of the bigger ones. The distance from outside of one end to outside of other hinge is hinge’s width.
Length: The distance from bottom of leaf to the top is the length of the door hinge. Length (height) is simply how tall the hinge is from bottom to top.
Pitch: The pitch is the width of the knuckle. The distance across the knuckle is the pitch of the door hinge.
Knuckle Length: Finally, is the knuckle length. It focuses on length of individual sections of the door hinge’s knuckle. It also refers to the hight of every section individually.
Now, that you know all the terms related to the measurements of your door hinges, let us see how to measure door hinges.
Hinges usually measure to thickness (gauge), corner measurement, and width. The standard size is 3.5 x 3.5 inches. But hinge sizes ranging from 2 inches to 6 inches are available in the market.
How To Measure Door Hinges?
To measure the door hinges, you will need a flathead screwdriver, utility knife, measuring tape, one quarter and dime. Follow the steps to measure the door hinge:
Step 1: Remove the door hinge
It is difficult to measure the hinge size while it is attached to door. Therefore, it has to be removed. Using the flathead screwdriver, remove the screws from the hinge. First unscrew the middle one and then the others. There are commonly three screws at the side. It is important to make sure that you use the right tools.
Step 2: Take the width measurement of the door hinge
There are two different ways to size the hinge’s width. Firstly, lay the door hinge on flat surface and open it fully. Stretch the measuring tape or ruler from edge of one leaf to the other. This will also include the measurement of the pin and knuckle joint. Secondly, to measure the width, stretch the tape or ruler from the edge of one leaf to the center. Multiply it by two. This is the width of the door hinge.
Step 3:Measure the height of the door hinge
By keeping the tape parallel to the door hinge’s side from top to bottom, measure its height. Majority of the hinges are commonly of 3.5 inches, 4 inches, 4.5 inches, 5 inches or 6 inches.
Step 4: Measure its thickness
It is important to measure the thickness of the hinge. For this, the door must be recessed with the thickness of hinge. When the door is closed, measure its thickness. You can find hinge leaves of different thickness.
Step 5: Take the corner radius measurement of the door hinge
The corner radius is more curved; therefore, you need to measure it using a dime. Lay the hinge flat and place the dime and quarter on both the corners. This will give you the hinge’s corner radius. You can also determine its radius with the help of the ruler or tape measure. Stretch it from the top to the round area where it ends.
Step 6: Note the measurements
Take notes of all the measurements you take. Use these numbers to replace your existing door hinge.
Guidelines To Get Correct Size:
- For a door which is 1-3/8 inches thick, 32 inches wide, hinges of 3-1/2 inches will be perfect.
- If the door has1-3/8 inches thickness and width approximately 36 inches, buy hinges measuring 4 inches.
- A hinge of 4-1/2 inches will be perfect for a 1-3/4 inches thick and 36 inches wide door.
- For a door which is 1-3/4 inches thick, 36 – 48 inches wide, hinges of 5 inches should be installed.
- If the door has 2 to 2-1/2 inches thickness and width more than 48 inches, buy heavy-duty hinges measuring 6 inches.
Conclusion
Once you are aware of the measurements of your door hinge, you can opt for the specific type of hinge that will suit your application best. If you require any assistance in measuring or selecting the door hinges and configuration, contact us and we will respond as fast as possible!
