Hinges for MDF doors

[chabin76]

I am making a built in cabinet for storage of all the kids toys, games and other things that seem to clutter our basement. It will have 4 doors, each about 29" x 42". The cabinet and the doors are 3/4" MDF, as is the face frame the doors will be mounted too. Suggestions on the type of hinges I should use and well has the number per door would be very helpful. This is my first project with MDF. Thanks

Matt

[JimD]

The european cup type hinges - that install in a 35mm hole on the back of the door - will work well with MDF doors. Our kitchen cabinets have white doors of MDF (installed by the builder) and use this style hinge.

The screws in the face frame are more of a concern. I would probably use the oversized screws sold to go in 5mm holes of a "true 32mm" system. If you are not familiar with this term, there is style of cabinets that uses a series of 5mm holes a set distance from the front edge of the sides on 32mm centers. The set back from the front edge is right for these cup style hinge and the 32mm centers also works - so to install the base on a 32mm system, you just put the screws in the holes. Anyway, for your cabinet which I assume did not use this system, you would drill 5mm holes - probably the closeest inch equivalent would work but I would try it in scrap. The base is different for the oversized screws.

Jim

[cabinetman]

I would also go with the euro style hinges. and for 42" height with the weight of MDF, I would use 3 hinges. Here is a chart to determine the number of hinges per door:


When you order hinges, decide on the overlay you want the doors to have. What that means is how much door edge will lay on the face frame. that distance is determined by the hinge you use. Here is a layout for the types of overlays:

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[RayintheUK]

Why bother with a face frame at all? Use full overlay hinges (three per door, as CM recommended). The cabinets are easier to access stuff from the bottom and easier to clean out. Here are a couple of pics:






This cabinet only has a pair of hinges, instead of 1.5 pairs - the doors are 19mm (3/4") rail and style with a 6mm (1/4") panel.

Ray.

[cabinetman]

Why bother with a face frame at all? Use full overlay hinges (three per door, as CM recommended). The cabinets are easier to access stuff from the bottom and easier to clean out.

Ray.

I'm with you Ray on the frameless way to go. When discussion arises on the benefits, there are those that feel that FF's are necessary for cabinet rigidity and maintaining squareness. It's like beating a dead horse. More likely it's what gets spread on forums.

Most ALL my cabinets are frameless. I would only use FF's if it is to match existing cabinets, or there is a design element created by the FF. I have yet seen a FF hinge that can compare to the quality of a frameless one. While I'm on this mini rant, The extra cost and labor involved in making FF's is an inordinate step in cabinet fabrication. Reading the suggestions on forums for installing face frames by T&G, dowels, or pocket screws bewilders me. It sure does sell a lot of jigs I guess. I have yet had any problems with frameless cabinets going out of square or lacking the integrity necessary to maintain swinging doors.

I've done more repair to the hardware on service calls to cabinets that have FF's and their hinges. For the clean unobtrusive use a frameless cabinet provides, far outweighs using FF's.

Back in the days when FF's were used in conjunction with surface mounted hinges, it allowed an error factor in door alignment by having the gaps between the doors. The first introduction of euro cup hinges IIRC were intended for frameless construction. That was/is the "Euro" look.
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[JimD]

I also build frameless cabinets, with 3/4 boxes, they have always been sturdy enough for us. I thought Matt was saying he had this stuff built but maybe I misread the original post. If not, going frameless would be good as would substituting at least pine or poplar for the face frame if he decides he wants one. MDF is also not as sturdy as the 3/4 plywood I normally use but is not much less than the 3/4 melamine particle board I used in our basement. My melamine boxes are frameless - with full overlay doors or drawer fronts.

Jim

[Duff]

Taking into account what the cabinets will be for (KIDS & their stuff) I would think a face-frame would definitely be appropriate. Kids might not intend to destroy things, but they can be tough on them.

[chabin76]

My desire would be to not use a face frame, unfortunately, in the space where the cabinet has to go there is a baseboard heater that sticks out 4 inches from the wall. The width of the cabinet goes nearly up against it and I didn't want to lose that 4". See below. The stability of the cabinet was also considered as Duff suggested. With 4 kids under age 8, it is bound to get a bunch of abuse. Sounds like the cup hinges. Thanks for the suggestions.

Matt

[chabin76]

Wow that pic didn't come through right but hopefully you get the idea.