Types of Furniture Hinges

Table, box, cabinet, and glass hinges come in variety of sizes and metals. Examples of butterfly or parliament furniture dovetail (V-shaped insertions) hinges (the knuckle protrudes from the door when fully opened, so it stands away from the wall) from the 17th and 18th centuries are found on old cabinets and desks dating from 1670. Although the extreme size exists on large heavy doors from these eras, the tiniest of hinges belong to the jewelry caskets (boxes). Furniture hinges today mimic hinges developed over the centuries. Does this Spark an idea?

Table Hinges

Table hinges lock in place when slid into a horizontal position. This holds the drop leaf when pulled up to extend the tabletop for more space (the table section makes the tabletop smaller when folded under). Other examples of a table hinge include a drop leaf table in a van or motor home that folds "up" when not in use. The card table hinge is usually a rectangular-shaped cavity in a piece of wood, stone, or other material of an antique or reproduction card table hinge, allowing the top to fold onto itself when not in use.

Butler Tray Table Hinge

Tables with a tray top for serving may snap flat. Originally, butler tray-table hinges were flush (the edges terminate in the same plane) within a table or desktop. The butler table hinge design allows carrying the ends of a table when flipped into a vertical position. Today, these hinges are used for short tables with leaves (pull-up sections).

Toy Box Hinges

Building a box with a toy box hinge for toys (shown) allows the lid to stay open.

Toy box hinges support a counterbalance to keep it from slamming shut when children open it to pull out favorite toys. Also used for cedar and blanket chests, the self-balancing feature of the toy box hinge holds the lid open to approximately 85 degrees.

Glass Door Hinges

Glass door hinges work on inset, twin overlay, and overlay glass door installations. A 94-degree opening angle and a three-dimensional adjustment on this hinge requires the door have a 26 millimeter hole for each of these attachments. Plastic material covers any part of the hinge and cover cap touching the glass door.

Special Purpose Furniture Hinges

With 20th-century lifestyles, furniture comes in kitchens, built-ins and recreational vehicles. The special-purpose furniture hinge stays open at 75 degrees. Doors 5/8 or 3/4 inch thick work best with this type of hinge. Once surface mounted, the special-purpose hinge is invisible.