Not every door requires the same type of hardware, so knowing how to distinguish between different kinds is important. This is especially true if you’re looking to order new pieces to replace old hardware because you don’t want to accidentally purchase the wrong door hinges. But if you don’t know much about this kind of door hardware, don’t worry. This can be your all-inclusive guide to choosing the right type for your door. In this post, we’ll be going over five different categories of hinges to help you determine which kind you need for your doors.
What Are Hinges Used For?
Let’s start with a quick definition, just in case you’re brand-new to learning about door hardware. Hinges are the hardware used to attach a door to its frame. They’re the pivot point for opening and closing the door, so they’re pretty important. You can’t have a functioning door without them! Whether you’re installing a brand-new door or replacing an old one, you’ll need to make sure you have the right hinges for the job. But how do you know which ones to use?
Types Of Hinges
While there are a lot of different kinds available, each one is designed to be best suited for specific doors, so it’s important to understand the difference. In general, there are five main categories of door hinges: residential, commercial, spring, ball-bearing, and specialty. We offer each of these types here at Direct Door Hardware, so we’ll explain them all in more detail.
- Residential
If you’re looking to replace or upgrade the hinges in your home, then you’re most likely going to need some type of residential hinge. Many different types of hinges are classified as residential, but ultimately these are hinges that aren’t meant for extremely heavy doors. They’re still very strong and will hold up the doors in your home, but they aren’t commercial-grade. Many of these are plain-bearing hinges, meaning the hinge knuckles bear on each other. They’re less expensive than ball-bearing hinges, which are another type of hinge that is found in residential areas. - Commercial
Commercial hinges differ from residential ones because they’re made with a commercial-grade gauge that’s thicker, so they can handle extensive load-bearing if necessary. Commercial establishments need to choose high-quality hinges so they can adequately support heavily-used doors. These hinges are usually larger than residential ones because they need to be durable and last much longer. There are many different sub-categories for hinges that fall under this type, such as barrel, piano, gate, pivot, butt, full mortise, and rescue. - Spring
Spring hinges are unique because their spring-loaded design allows them to close on their own. You’ll find this type of self-closing hinge on many garage or exterior doors since they can provide additional security and peace of mind, especially for people with children or pets. You can even adjust the tension on these hinges by using an Allen wrench on the barrel. They’re an inexpensive option, and make a great alternative to commercial door closers. - Ball-Bearing
A ball-bearing hinge is designed to be sunk into the door and frame in a cutout. These are an excellent choice for large, heavy doors (like exterior doors) as they have lubricated bearings that make them much more durable and last longer in comparison to other options. Overall, they’re cleaner, heavier, and smoother than other hinges, so even the heaviest doors can be opened quietly. However, this also means they’re a more expensive option, so keep that in mind when shopping. You’re getting what you pay for when you choose a ball-bearing door hinge. - Specialty
Specialty hinges are the ones that are a step up from standard. These are the hard-to-find applications; the less common ones. If you’re looking for hinges with round or square corners, then they’re probably classified as specialty ones. You’ll find double-acting and swing-clear hinges in this category as well. If you’re trying to replace your existing hinges, but they don’t seem to match up with any of the others we’ve discussed, then they’re probably specialty ones.
There’s one other type of door hinge we didn’t go over, and that’s the non-removable pin hinge. This is an additional feature found on hinges that stops the pin from being removed from the barrel. They aren’t as common as removable hinges, so we didn’t include them earlier, but they’re still worth mentioning. Check out our blog post titled “Everything You Need To Know About Non-Removable Pin Hinges” for more information on these hinges.
We hope we’ve helped you become more familiar with the different types of door hinges. If you have further questions about choosing the right product, don’t hesitate to give us a call. You can reach us at 307-886-9449 Monday through Friday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm MT. We look forward to hearing from you, and we’re always happy to help!
