The Unsung Heroes: Why Hinges Matter

If you’re like most homeowners, your door hinges are probably the last thing on your mind—that is until they start making that annoying squeak or fail to function smoothly. You might not realise it, but hinges play a crucial role around your home. Aside from enabling your doors to open and close, they also have an impact on your home security, making it essential to choose the right hinge.

Choosing the Right Hinge for Your Doors

At Paddington Hardware, we understand that it can be overwhelming to sift through all the options and types to find the right hinge for your needs. That’s why we’re here to break it down for you.

Assessing Door Weight and Size

Choosing the right hinge depends largely on the weight and size of your door. For example, ball bearing hinges are fantastic for heavy doors because they distribute the weight evenly and ensure smooth operation. On the other hand, if you’ve got a standard interior door, a simple fixed pin hinge might be all you need.

Aesthetic Considerations

Hinges come in a variety of finishes and designs. Make sure to choose hinges that complement your door’s style and your home’s decor. For example, Parliament Hinges can add a touch of elegance to a high-end door, while broad butt hinges are more about functionality.

Our Hinges can be offered in the following finishes to match your existing door hardware:

Types of Hinges and Their Benefits

Let’s take a look through the main types of hinges and their specific benefits and applications.

Ball Bearing Hinges

Overview: Ball bearing hinges feature ball bearings between the moving parts, which allows for increased durability and ensures smooth operation. We recommend ball bearing hinges for heavier applications.

Benefits:

• Smooth Operation: Provides a secure, quiet and effortless swing.
• Durability: Built to last, particularly for heavy doors or frequent use.

Best Uses:

• High-Traffic Doors: Ideal for entry doors or doors that experience frequent usage.
• Solid Core Doors: Perfect for internal and external use.

Our Top Picks:

• TradCo 2463: Polished Brass 100x75mm Ball Bearing Hinge.
• TradCo 2363: Antique Brass 100x75mm Ball Bearing Hinge.
• TradCo 2813: Satin Brass 100x75mm Ball Bearing Hinge.

Broad Butt Hinges

Overview: Broad butt hinges are larger and have a wider base compared to standard hinges, providing a larger opening clearance.

Benefits:

• Enhanced Load-Bearing Capacity: Ideal for heavy doors due to their increased support. Designed to withstand constant use making them perfect for high traffic applications.

Best Uses:

• Doors that Need a Wide Throw: When the door needs to swing clear of obstructions.
• French Doors: Ideal for Double or French Doors

Our Top Picks:

• TradCo 2490: Polished Brass 100x125mm Broad Butt Hinge.
• TradCo 2590: Antique Copper 100x125mm Broad Butt Hinge.
• TradCo 2491: Polished Brass 100x150mm Broad Butt Hinge.

Fixed Pin Hinges

Overview: Fixed pin hinges have a non-removable pin, offering stability while maintaining a simplistic and functional design.

Benefits:

• Simple & Secure: The straightforward fixed pin design enhances your home security by preventing easy removal when the door is closed.
• Versatile & low maintenance: Suitable for use in many applications (homes, offices, and more) with minimal maintenance.

Best Uses:

• Standard Weight Internal/External Doors: Your standard choice for internal or external doors that aren’t too heavy but still require the upmost security and stability.

Our Top Picks:

• TradCo 2473: Polished Brass 100x75mm Fixed Pin Hinge.
• TradCo 2823: Satin Brass 100x75mm Fixed Pin Hinge.
• TradCo 2373: Antique Brass 100x75mm Fixed Pin Hinge.

Hirline Hinges

Overview: Hirline hinges (fast fix hinges) are renowned for their effortless installation, bypassing the requirement to recess into both the door, and the door jamb. Hirline Hinges can simply be surface mounted.

Benefits:

• Easy Installation: Hirline hinges are designed such that they sit flush upon closing, meaning they can be surface mounted directly to the door jamb.
• Lightweight & Versatile: The simplistic and efficient design of the hirline hinge allows them to take up little space, making them the perfect choice for a range of light-weight doors.

Best Uses:

• Light-Weight Doors: Fast fix hinges are suitable for light-weight doors such as cupboard doors or doors found on basic woodwork projects as they are less sturdy than other hinges mentioned above.

Our Top Picks:

• TradCo 2847: Satin Brass 100x49mm Hirline Hinge.
• TradCo 2397: Antique Brass 100x49mm Hirline Hinge.
• TradCo 2997: Matt Black 100x49mm Hirline Hinge.

Lift Off Hinges

Overview: Lift-off hinges allow for easy removal of the door without unscrewing the hinge.

Benefits:

• Ease of Removal: Lift Off Hinges provide a convenient way to detach and reattach doors to the frame. This is essential in emergency situations as it allows interior access for people on the outside.

Best Uses:

• Doors Where Removal is Expected: Typically used on toilet and bathroom doors in the event of an emergency to allow the door to be taken off from the outside.         

Our Top Picks:

• TradCo 2395: Antique Brass 100x75mm Right Hand Lift Off Hinge.
• TradCo 2845: Satin Brass 100x75mm Right Hand Lift Off Hinge.
• TradCo 2496: Polished Brass 100x75mm Left Hand Lift Off Hinge.

Loose Pin Hinges

Overview: Loose pin hinges feature a removable centre pin, making door removal possible without having to unscrew the hinge from either the door, or door jamb.

Benefits:

• Easy Removal: The design of the Loose Pin hinge allows for the pin to be simply tapped out with a hammer and screwdriver, which makes for convenient maintenance (painting, etc.)

Best Uses:

• Interior Doors: Loose Pin Hinges are only suitable for internal doors, however due to the aforementioned benefits, they make an excellent choice for doors that are expected to be taken off from time to time.

Our Top Picks:

• TradCo 2378: Antique Brass 100x75mm Loose Pin Hinge.
• TradCo 2778: Satin Chrome 100x75mm Loose Pin Hinge.
• TradCo 2678: Chrome Plated 100x75mm Loose Pin Hinge.

Parliament Hinges

Overview: Featuring an iconic curvy ‘H’ shape, the Parliament Hinge is a Traditional Version of the Broad Butt Hinge.

Benefits:

• Wide Throw for Full Clearance: Like the Broad Butt Hinge, the Parliament Hinge allows doors to swing open fully and bypass obstructions.
• Maximise Doorway Space: Parliament Hinges are perfect when maximum doorway space is required as they allow doors to close flat against the wall.

Best Uses:

• Doors that Need Wide Openings: Parliament Hinges are a great choice to enable wheelchair access through the doorway. 

Our Top Picks:

• TradCo 2482: Polished Brass 100x150mm Parliament Hinge.
• TradCo 2480: Polished Brass 100x100mm Parliament Hinge.
• TradCo 2481: Antique Brass 100x125mm Parliament Hinge.

Installation and Maintenance

DIY vs. Professional Installation: While some hinge installations are straightforward, others might benefit from a professional touch. It might be worth calling a carpenter to do the job, especially if mortising/recessing is required. As we mentioned, Hirline Hinges bypass the need to chisel and mortice into the door, and the door jamb. Whilst this may be easier, keep in mind that Hirline Hinges cannot support the same weight as other hinges that we’ve covered. Another key point to remember is that lift-off hinges are offered in left-, and right-hand variants, which will impact which way the door swings.

Maintenance Tips: To get the longest life out of your hinges, you should incorporate checks into your regular household maintenance. You should look for signs of excessive wear and tear, and lubricate them with a light machine oil or silicone spray. You should aim to keep your hinges clean from dirt and debris, and tighten any loose screws that you come across. A little maintenance can go a long way in extending the life of your hinges.

Conclusion

Upgrading your door hinges might seem like a small detail, but it can have a big impact on both the functionality and appearance of your doors. Whether you need the smooth operation of ball bearing hinges or the stylish look of parliament hinges, there’s a perfect hinge for every door and every need. So, take a closer look at your doors and consider making a change that can revolutionize how they operate and look. If you have any further questions, feel free to call us on 07 3369 6588 or visit out friendly team in store.