Door Hinges

Door hinges carry your door and let it swing on the frame. Get the size and corner shape right, and your replacement fits the existing cutouts without turning a hardware change into woodwork. Choose spring hinges when you want the door to close behind you, or tee hinges for a timber ledge-and-brace door.

Square-corner door hinges

Buy square-corner hinges for square-cut recesses in your door and jamb. Their corners are essentially 90 degrees, with no radius. That makes them the right replacement for a square mortise, the shallow cutout that lets the hinge sit flush with the wood.

For zinc-finish loose-pin hinges, the sizes are 2-1/2, 3 and 3-1/2 inches. Satin nickel choices run 3, 3-1/2 and 4 inches; oil-rubbed bronze choices run 3 and 4 inches. Choose the size that matches your cutout, then the finish that goes with your other door hardware.

Three-inch and 3-1/2-inch hinges are common residential sizes, but common does not mean interchangeable. A larger leaf will not fit a smaller cutout. For a Montana winter interior renovation, matching the old hinge lets you keep a hardware refresh focused on the hardware instead of recutting finished doors.

1/4-inch radius door hinges

Buy a 1/4-inch radius hinge when your existing cutout has a tight, rounded corner. A dime matches that corner curve. The radius describes the corner, not the hinge height, so a 4-inch hinge with a 1/4-inch radius is still a 4-inch hinge.

Choose from 3-1/2-inch and 4-inch hinges in oil-rubbed bronze, polished brass or brass finish. A 3-1/2-inch polished brass hinge is the pick for a matching 3-1/2-inch rounded cutout and brass hardware. Use the 4-inch version for the corresponding larger preparation. That extra half inch is a fit decision, not a reason to enlarge a sound mortise.

Square and rounded corners perform the same basic job. On a replacement, the existing woodwork decides which one you buy. On a new, unprepared slab, you can choose either corner style before cutting the mortises.

5/8-inch radius door hinges

A 5/8-inch radius hinge has a broader, more rounded corner than a 1/4-inch radius hinge. A quarter matches the curve. Buy this profile for the larger rounded corners commonly mistaken for the smaller radius when someone shops from memory.

The choices include 3-1/2-inch hinges in oil-rubbed bronze or polished brass and 4-inch hinges in oil-rubbed bronze. The 3-1/2-inch polished brass and satin nickel versions also come in three-packs. Match the number of hinges needed for your door separately from the package quantity.

Use this comparison after measuring the old hinge:

Corner shape	Corner radius	Sizes among these replacement choices	Quick corner check
Square	0	2-1/2, 3, 3-1/2 and 4 inches	A square corner with no curve
Tight rounded corner	1/4 inch	3-1/2 and 4 inches	A dime matches the curve
Broad rounded corner	5/8 inch	3-1/2 and 4 inches	A quarter matches the curve

For other finish replacements, choices include satin nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, polished brass and a 3-by-3-inch black door hinge; match the physical size and corner shape before choosing by color.

Spring door hinges for automatic closing

Buy spring door hinges when you want the door to close behind you. A spring mechanism supplies the closing action, giving you a useful change in how the door works as well as fresh hardware.

Match a 4-inch, 5/8-inch radius oil-rubbed bronze spring hinge to that size and corner preparation. For a 4-inch cutout with a 1/4-inch radius, choose the brass-finish spring hinge. For a 3-1/2-inch square preparation, choose the satin brass spring hinge.

Spring hinges can replace standard butt hinges on residential doors. Choose for the door’s weight and material as well as its cutouts, and include closing tension in that decision. Self-closing and soft-close are different features: buy the spring hinge for automatic closing.

For folding closet panels, the polished brass bifold door hinge joins the panels; choose it for that connection, while tracks, rollers and pivots handle separate parts of the bifold system.

Tee hinges for timber and shed doors

A tee hinge has a long strap across the door face and a shorter section attached to the frame. That layout suits timber doors, particularly ledge-and-brace construction. For a pantry or utility door built that way in a Flathead log or timber-frame house, a tee hinge is the right kind of hardware for the job.

Choose heavy-duty tee hinges by the door’s width, weight and construction, with the strap positioned over a ledge or another sound fixing area. Longer hinges are not automatically stronger. A strap extending slightly beyond half the door width is a visual proportion guide, not a load rating.

For hinges on a shed door, include the frame and weather exposure in the choice. Montana snow and spring melt make exposed hardware and sound fixing timber worth attention. Repair split, rotten or unstable wood before fastening the new hinge. A long strap needs a solid place for its screws to hold.

How to measure door hinges and fit replacements

Measure a door hinge open and lying flat. Record its height and overall open width, then match the corner profile. A 3-1/2-by-3-1/2-inch hinge measures 3-1/2 inches high and 3-1/2 inches across when open. Compare the replacement’s screw-hole positions and leaf thickness with the old hardware as part of the fit check.

For a new door, choose hinges to suit the door’s width, thickness, weight and material. Residential-grade hinges suit lightweight doors; commercial-grade hinges use thicker material. Match the support to the door before choosing the finish.

To mortise door hinges, make shallow cutouts matching the leaves’ size and shape. Remove only enough wood for the hinge to sit flush. Whether you cut with a router or hand tools, that flush fit is the target. A proud hinge or a recess cut too deep changes the alignment.

Dry-fit before drilling, use screws suited to the hinge, door thickness and frame material, and drill suitable pilot holes to reduce splitting. Secure the hinge gradually while checking alignment. During Montana’s fall rush to close in before freezing weather, this is a check worth keeping in the schedule: the door needs to open and close freely before the job moves on.

How to adjust door hinges when a door sags or sticks

Locate the rub first: floor, top or side. Then check the hinge screws for looseness. Tightening a loose connection can restore the fit, but driving harder after a screw loses its grip strips the hole further. Worn or bent hinges call for replacements matched to the existing preparation.

Support the door’s weight with a wood wedge before loosening hinges. If you use door shims behind hinges, keep the hinges in the same plane so the door does not bind. Avoid compressible cardboard for a lasting correction; compression can let the door sag and bind again.

To fix stripped hinge screw holes, support the door, remove the affected hinge leaf, fit wood plugs into the damaged holes and trim them flush. Reposition the hinge carefully before drilling and fastening it again. The screw needs sound wood to grip.

For a removable hinge pin, support the door and use a punch to drive out a stuck pin, especially with softer brass hardware. To take the hinge itself off, remove the screws securing its leaves. During painting, remove the hinges and mark their positions for reassembly. Paint on ordinary hinges can damage the mechanism and shorten hinge life.

The Pick

Buy square-corner, 1/4-inch radius or 5/8-inch radius door hinges to match your existing cutouts exactly, then choose the finish. Buy the matching spring hinge for automatic closing, the polished brass bifold hinge for folding closet panels, and heavy-duty tee hinges for ledge-and-brace timber doors with sound strap fixing areas. The right purchase starts with the door you have and the movement you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you measure door hinges for replacement?

Measure your door hinges open and lying flat, recording the height and full open width. Match the corner shape separately: square corners have no radius, a dime matches a 1/4-inch radius, and a quarter matches a 5/8-inch radius. Measure the hardware itself, because the cutout also needs to match the replacement leaf’s size and shape.

How do you adjust door hinges when a door sticks?

Find where your door rubs before adjusting the door hinges. Check the screws on both leaves and tighten loose ones until the heads sit flush, without overtightening and stripping their grip. Check that the leaves sit flush with the wood, too; a hinge buried too deeply needs its seating corrected before you can judge the alignment.

How do you put hinges on a door?

Dry-fit your door hinges and check alignment before drilling. To mortise them, cut recesses that match each leaf’s outline and remove only enough wood for the metal to sit flush. Drill pilot holes to reduce splitting, especially in hardwood, and use screws suited to the hinge, door thickness and frame material. Tighten gradually while checking that the door opens and closes freely.

How do you take hinges off a door?

Support the door’s weight before you unscrew the door hinges, and keep it supported as the last connection comes loose. If you’re removing the door as well, have a helper steady it while you work. Mark each hinge’s position for reassembly, particularly if you’re taking the hardware off for painting.

How do you fix stripped door hinge screw holes?

Support your door and unscrew the affected leaf so you can reach the damaged holes. Fit wood plugs into the holes and trim them flush with the surrounding wood. Reposition the leaf carefully, check its alignment and drill fresh pilot holes before fastening it again. Stop tightening when the screws are seated; overtightening can strip the repaired connection.

What hinges should you use on a shed door?

Tee hinges suit a timber shed door built with ledges and braces, with the long strap fastened across a ledge or another sound fixing area. Choose for your door’s width, weight and construction, and make sure the hardware suits the weather exposure. A longer strap isn’t automatically stronger, and rotten or split timber needs repair before new screws can hold properly.