A hinge question

[Moo]

We've decided that we really do need a door to the kitchen, because of possible sound effects from the new downstairs loo.
However most of the time the door will be left open, so we'd ike to be able to swing it through 180 degrees so that it lies flat against the wall.
I'm sure there must be special hinges that do the job. Can anyone tell me what they're called?

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Rising hinges :?: or piano hinges spring to mind :roll:

 

[MdB]

A standard hinge will typically do close to 270 degrees. Using one sensibly might not be easy though.

 

[Lime]

This is what you want.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/parliament-hinge-102-x-102mm-pack-of-2/10828

 

[Flyfisher]

My first thought when reading '180 degrees' was that you wanted some sort of 'saloon door' arrangement whereby the door can be moved through 90 degrees from either side as we have one of those and it requires a particular type of hinge.

But if you want to only open the door in one direction, but have it able to fold right back to the wall, then the above mentioned parliament hinges are the things for the job. They will need to be large enough to extend beyond any architrave around the door frame in order to allow the door to fully move through 180 degrees.

 

[Moo]

Parliament hinges it is, then.

Who needs Wikipedia or Google when you've got PPUK?

 

[DJH]

Here's a site worth a look at Moo......

http://www.bernards.co.uk/hinges_faq.htm

Doug from gloomy Tipperary but a newly decorated bedroom. 8)

 

[chuckey]

My period door frame is 8mm out of verticality at the top. As the hinges I fitted are too free, the door will open almost 90 degrees unless actually closed with the catch. Rather then re-build the wall, or pack out the frame at the bottom, I am toying with the idea of getting hold of some 3" brass hinges and re- manufacturing the fixing holes, so as to get the hinge line vertical. it will look "period??" (odd to any one else). I appreciate that the door will have to be relieved on the opposite edge to clear. Any one done this? Anyone got a better solution? Anyone knows where I can get undrilled hinges (to save me the hassle).
Frank

 

[Keith Bowman]

My period door frame is 8mm out of verticality at the top. As the hinges I fitted are too free, the door will open almost 90 degrees unless actually closed with the catch. Rather then re-build the wall, or pack out the frame at the bottom, I am toying with the idea of getting hold of some 3" brass hinges and re- manufacturing the fixing holes, so as to get the hinge line vertical. it will look "period??" (odd to any one else). I appreciate that the door will have to be relieved on the opposite edge to clear. Any one done this? Anyone got a better solution? Anyone knows where I can get undrilled hinges (to save me the hassle).
Frank

Vintage car doors are usually mounted so that the door opens with the top horizontal even though the bodywork curves inwards at the bottom. Hence the lower hinge sticks out from the bodywork/frame. It looks perfectly natural when you see it. Undrilled brass hinges are available from these people for example: http://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/categories/vintage-car-parts-coachfittings-and-body-parts-hinge but they are not cheap. There must be other suppliers, but I haven't yet found them!

 

[worms]

To muscle in on the hinge queries and expertise...

I need to make a couple of ledged garden gates for a very exposed location where they are almost constantly bathed in salt spray from the sea. Life expectancy of standard T hinges is pretty short. Is there anything better to use? Can you get T hinges in brass? Any suggestions welcome!

 

[Flyfisher]

Further to Keith's point about vintage car door hinges, the same sort of arrangement can often be seen on the rear doors of vans, whereby the bodywork is curved and not fully vertical but the top and bottom hinges protrude by different amounts such that the axis of both hinges are vertically aligned.

As for worms, gate hinge, I don't know how well brass resists saltwater corrosion but what about marine-grade stainless steel? I think it is specified as A4 rather than the usual A2. Yacht chandlers might have something suitable.

 

[worms]

Yacht chandlers might have something suitable.

Good suggestion! The local "marine megastore" is just as handy for me as B&Q and a good excuse for a browse round all the fishing boat kit! They do stainless steel hinges for deck hatches (not cheaply!) which might be ideal.

 

[MdB]

Chucky:

Normal hinge at top, projection hinge at bottom?

edit: and having thought about that for 2 seconds, no it won't work....

 

[chuckey]

The projection hinge is what I want, but these ones are too big 4", I want 3", also rather pricey.I note that you edited your post to say it would not work. I think in principal, only a small needs to be taken of the open side of the door to clear the frame once the hinge is cut down to size, or am I missing something?
Frank

 

[MdB]

To make it work, the hinge pins need to be in-line and vertical. The projection hinge may help with this though maybe cut down with additional holes closer in?
The problem is that the door needs be mounted the same distance from the pin in both positions. If you cut down the projection hinge and make it the same as the normal hinge for fixing to the door then that would work overall. Would possibly look a bit strange though.

What wouldn't work is fixing the door using the holes shown. The hinge pins wouldn't be in-line for a start.

 

[88v8]

My period door frame is 8mm out of verticality at the top. As the hinges I fitted are too free, the door will open almost 90 degrees unless actually closed with the catch. Rather then re-build the wall, or pack out the frame at the bottom, I am toying with the idea of getting hold of some 3" brass hinges and re- manufacturing the fixing holes, so as to get the hinge line vertical. it will look "period??" (odd to any one else). I appreciate that the door will have to be relieved on the opposite edge to clear. Any one done this? Anyone got a better solution? Anyone knows where I can get undrilled hinges (to save me the hassle).
Frank

Rising butts?

Ivor

 

[Penners]

Moo - if you need to be able to swing the door right back through 180 degrees, I don't think the hinge is going to be your problem. As MdB observed, a perfectly ordinary butt hinge will do that, just so long as you fix it with the pin projecting just outside the door lining. That's the critical thing.

Lime's suggested Parliament Hinge may be aesthetically rather more attractive for this job.

Your problem is going to be the architrave. A conventionally fixed architrave would prevent the door from swinging right back flat against the wall, unless your Parliament Hinge has a very large projection beyond the door lining - and I think this might look odd. So I think you may have to dispense with the architrave - on the hinge side of the door opening, anyway.

With no architrave at all, the joint between the plaster and the door lining will be visible, which may be aesthetically unsatisfactory. You can ask your plasterer to do the neatest job he can, but the differential movements of wood and plaster over weeks/months/years will undoubtedly give you an unfillable fine crack down that joint.

You could cover it with a very thin piece of beading (so long as it's thinner than the small gap between the folded-back door and the wall), or perhaps use your creative skills to paint a trompe l'oeil architrave on a strip of lining paper, and cover the crack with that.

 

[Flyfisher]

With no architrave at all, the joint between the plaster and the door lining will be visible, which may be aesthetically unsatisfactory. You can ask your plasterer to do the neatest job he can, but the differential movements of wood and plaster over weeks/months/years will undoubtedly give you an unfillable fine crack down that joint.

I agree that the plaster/wood joint will inevitably result in a fine crack, but would something like decorator's caulking ( or even silicone sealant :shock: ) be a solution?

Sounds like the trade off is between the slight oddity of protruding hinges versus no architrave.

 

[Penners]

I agree that the plaster/wood joint will inevitably result in a fine crack, but would something like decorator's caulking ( or even silicone sealant :shock: ) be a solution?

I'm a little disenchanted with caulking products like those. I find that the claims of flexibility are true for a year or so but eventually, in a situation where you have continuous differential movement of materials, the stuff still cracks or pulls away from one of the two surfaces.

However, maybe your idea could be tried initially. If it works satisfactorily, well and good. If not, then a covering beading or some such could be added.

 

[88v8]

Lime's suggested Parliament Hinge may be aesthetically rather more attractive for this job.

Your problem is going to be the architrave. A conventionally fixed architrave would prevent the door from swinging right back flat against the wall, unless your Parliament Hinge has a very large projection beyond the door lining....

Fear not.... The extra projection of a Parliament hinge is half on the frame and half on the door, and it need only project the minimum to enable the door to open fully.
If, for example, your architrave is 1" thick, the pin of the hinge need be only just over 0.5" outside the frame.
Choose your Parliament accordingly -they come in varying projections - and it will look fine.
Bear in mind of course that the plates are much longer than a standard hinge. You won't get one that's a straight swap with a standard 3" butt.

Ivor