Cabinet hinge sizing
"How many hinges for this door?" is a question with a real answer, not a guess. Two hinges is right for most cabinet doors; three is right for tall or heavy ones; four is for very tall pantry doors. This calculator picks the count and tells you where to put them, plus cup drill and reveal details.
Calculator
The hinge-count rule
European cabinet hinge convention:
- Doors under 36″ tall and 12 lb → 2 hinges
- Doors 36″–60″ tall or 12–30 lb → 3 hinges
- Doors over 60″ tall or over 30 lb → 4 hinges
- Glass-front or specialty → +1 hinge for safety
Two hinges are fine for short, light doors because the moment arm is small. Tall doors concentrate load at the top hinge; the screws work loose over years.
Why placement matters
The top hinge is usually 2–3″ from the top edge; the bottom hinge 2–3″ from the bottom. A third hinge (if used) goes equidistant between them. Placing the top hinge too close to the edge invites splitting; placing it too low concentrates load near the handle.
Cup drill depth and reveal
The 35 mm cup drill is the standard. Drill depth is typically 12 mm for a standard European hinge — your Forstner bit may be longer; stop at the depth collar or use a depth-stop ring. Cup centre is usually 21–22 mm from the door edge (measured to the centre of the cup).
Limitations
- Counts assume soft-close or standard European hinges; specialty hinges (pivot, concealed) have different rules.
- Doesn't account for door sag from warping — that's a wood-moisture problem.
- Doesn't model face-frame vs frameless — adjust the reveal based on your cabinet style.
Frequently asked questions
Are three hinges always overkill?
No — three is the right answer for any door over 36″ tall or 12 lb. The middle hinge prevents the long-term sag that comes from two hinges loaded unevenly. It's a few dollars more per door and avoids a real problem.
Inset doors need more hinges?
Yes — inset doors carry the door weight more directly (no overlay to share load). Add a hinge for inset compared to overlay of the same size. The calculator's default is full overlay; switch to inset and add one.
My old door sags. What went wrong?
Most likely: too few hinges for the door weight, or screws pulling out of particleboard / MDF. Switch to a longer screw (the European hinges accept 5/8″ or longer), add a third hinge, or both. If the door itself is warped, replace it — hinges can't fix a twisted door.