Achieve Perfect Door Hanging: A Guide to Measuring Hinge Holes

A well-hung door is more than just easy to open and close; it contributes to the overall aesthetics and longevity of your cabinets or furniture. Improper hinge placement can lead to sagging, misalignment, and even damage over time. This guide empowers you to measure hinge holes accurately, whether you’re replacing existing doors or installing brand new ones.

Always measure from the back

(All doors can be pre-drilled with 38mm cup holes)

When marking hinge hole locations, it’s crucial to measure from the back of the door, not the front. This ensures the hinge sits flush with the cabinet face, creating a clean and professional look.

Replicating Existing Hinge Positions

If you’re replacing existing doors and want to maintain the current hinge placement, follow these simple steps:

1. Measure the top hinge: Use a ruler to measure the distance from the top edge of the door to the centre of the existing top hinge hole.
2. Measure the bottom hinge: Repeat the process for the bottom hinge, measuring the distance from the bottom edge of the door to the centre of the existing bottom hinge hole.
3. Mark your new door: Transfer these measurements to the back of your new door, marking the centre points for the corresponding hinge holes.

Ensuring stability on taller doors

For doors exceeding a standard height, stability becomes a key consideration. To achieve optimal balance and prevent sagging, space your hinge holes equally between the top and bottom of the door. Here’s how to adjust the measurements:

1. 1. Measure the door Height: Take the total height of your door.
   2. Divide by three: Divide the door height by 3 to determine the ideal distance between each hinge and the top/bottom of the door.
   3. Mark hinge positions: Mark the centre points for your hinge holes based on the calculated distance from both the top and bottom edges.

By following our instructions and measurements, you can achieve perfect hinge placement for a smooth-operating and visually appealing door.

Seamlessly transform your space with Furniture Doors

Our range of furniture doors for the kitchen, bedroom and office space require no input from a carpenter, meaning that you can elevate your space in little to no time. If you require any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, via phone, e-mail or filling out our contact form.

How to Fit a Laminate Kitchen Worktop

One major advantage of our high-pressure glued laminate worktops is that they are exceptionally easy to install and maintain.

We recommend taking the time to read through this information before commencing installation, to ensure your worktop is fixed correctly.

Please note: Before installing your worktops, peel back a small section of the protective film on the surfaces to ensure a perfect colour match of your worktops. To ensure that the advertised size of the worktop is a completely usable section, laminate worktops may be supplied oversized in length by up to 50mm. Therefore, we recommend measuring the length of the laminate kitchen worktops before installation and trimming if required.

Laminate worktops are supplied in shrink-wrap packaging. Please take care when removing and disposing of packaging, as edging strips are also enclosed.

Do not discard any of the packaging supplied until you have checked all the parts, and please retain these instructions for future reference.

Storage

Installation should be carried out as soon as possible after delivery. However, if storage is necessary, the worktops must be laid flat and fully supported in their original packaging. Worktops must not be placed directly onto the floor, instead separate the floor and the worktop with battens. Battens must also be used to separate multiple worktops that are stored together.

Ensure the storage area is indoors, has stable humidity, and will not be subject to extremes of temperature.

DO NOT UNPACK WORKTOPS UNLESS:

• The room humidity is stable.
• All carcases and cabinets are built and fully fixed/complete.
• All building dust and debris have been cleaned and cleared off-site.
• All wet trades are finished and a sufficient period is allowed for natural drying.
• Fresh plasterwork has been allowed to dry for a minimum of 6 weeks or until the thoroughly dry

How to fix worktops to cabinets

When fixing laminate worktops to cabinets, position the fixings at even intervals – three screws at the back and front of each unit are recommended.

Use a 4mm gauge drill bit to make clearance holes through the support panels on each cabinet.

Place your laminate worktop on top of the cabinets, and check that it fits flush against the wall.

Screw a 5mm x 35mm wood screw through each fixing position.

Fixing to masonry features

Do not fix laminate worktops directly onto masonry. Use timber spacers measuring 6-10mm thick, with a Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) beneath. This prevents the transmission of moisture and provides airspace under the top so that the composite fibreboard is not compromised.

Tiles

If you are fitting tiles above the work surface, be sure to leave a space of at least 3mm between the worktop and the bottom row of tiles. This will allow for easy removal of the worktop if necessary.

Pipe holes

If holes have been cut through the worktop to accommodate pipes, a 2-3mm allowance for expansion/ contraction should be allowed around the pipe. This gap can be filled with a silicone sealant.

Dishwashers and washing machines

When installing a dishwasher or washing machine, ensure that a protective moisture barrier is fixed correctly to the underside of the worktop. These are sometimes supplied by the appliance manufacturer or can be purchased from any DIY outlet.

Worktop edging

Ensure that the cut edge of the worktop is flat and free from dust before attaching the matching edging strips, which are provided with all our laminate worktops. Edging can be attached by applying PVA adhesive – or an all-purpose contact adhesive such as EvoStik or Bostik – directly to the fibreboard edge.

We strongly recommend covering the relevant areas of the decorative worktop surface with masking tape; this will protect the surface from any overspill of adhesive. If using PVA, the edging strip should be clamped in place while it dries. Trim any excess from the edging strips (with a laminate trimmer or a sharp carpenter’s plane) and use a fine-toothed file to smooth the edge until flush with the worktop.

Cutting laminate worktops

IMPORTANT: Before making any cuts into your worktop, double-check your measurements and ensure that these are marked correctly with a pencil.

Cutting to size

All cutting tools should be sharp, and safety goggles and a dust mask should be used whenever cutting laminated surface

The best results will be achieved by cutting the worktop with a tolerance of +5mm, using a portable power saw (with the decorative side face down) or with a hand saw (decorative side face up).

To finish the edge, use a portable hand router, straight edge and ‘G’ clamps. Clamp the straight edge to the worktop and ensure the cutter enters at the post-formed edge which will result in a perfectly straight, chip-free cut. All cut edges must be sealed with a water-resistant material, such as silicone.

How to cut out for hobs, sinks and similar

When making a cut-out for a sink, hob or other inset worktop appliance, use the template supplied as a guide for cutting your worktop. Any cut-outs should be carefully measured and marked.

Working from the decorative surface, drill through all the corners using at least a 10mm diameter drill bit (sharp internal corners can lead to cracks forming in the laminate surface). Cut-outs can be made using a portable hand router. Alternatively, a jigsaw can be used, providing that the four corners have been pre-drilled using a 10mm drill bit.

Mark out the area to be cut on the decorative side of the worktop and drill a hole in each of the four corners of the cut-out. Then, turn the worktop over and mark a straight line from one hole to another. Use a jigsaw with a fine-toothed blade to cut from hole to hole. Ensure the section to be cut out is well supported on the final cut.

Make sure that all exposed edges are sealed with a silicone sealant.

If you have fixed an overmounted sink to the worktop, seal around the sink with an appropriate mould-resistant silicone, to prevent water ingress that will swell the fibreboard.

How to join laminate worktops together

When joining two laminate worktops together, we recommend using either a 90° standard joint or a 45° mitre joint depending on the worktop layout.

Bolt apertures should be cut on the underside of the worktop using a jig and should be no deeper than 25mm from the underside face.

For a 600mm deep worktop, three bolts are recommended, and four bolts for a 900mm deep worktop.

To ensure a permanent and watertight joint, a suitable sealer should be used on the worktops. We recommend either a standard clear silicone sealant or a colour-matched Unika ColorFill joint sealant. This should be applied to both joint ends before connecting the worktops.

Discover our range of laminate worktops at Furniture Doors

From classic wood finishes to contemporary stone effects, we have something to suit every taste and budget. Our laminate worktops are not only stylish but also incredibly durable, making them perfect for busy kitchens. Explore our collection today and transform your kitchen into a space you’ll love.

For more guidance about how to install laminate worktops, get in touch with our team today, we’re happy to help.

Installation Guidance Notes for Oak Worktops

Introduction

Wood is a natural product that can be affected by heat and humidity. It can gain and lose moisture before, during and after installation. For example, wood expands when it is warm or the humidity level is high and contracts during colder periods or when the humidity level drops. When this occurs, it can cause bowing or warping. This leaflet is designed to give you all the information you require to install and care for your solid timber worktop for you to keep it in pristine condition.

We suggest you spend a short time reading through this leaflet before you start, as some recommendations are required throughout the installation process.

• Do not discard any of the packaging until you have checked all the parts.
• Please retain these instructions for future reference.

Storage

We recommend that all worktops are oiled immediately upon receipt and before installing your wooden worktops, we recommend applying three coats of Rustins Danish Oil to all surfaces (the end grains will require more). If you have used our pre-oiling service, you should still use Rustins Danish Oil to protect your worktops. You should oil your worktop once a week for the first six weeks, and then every three months thereafter.

Installation

Should be carried out as soon as possible after delivery. However, if storage is necessary, after oiling the worktops must be laid flat and fully supported in their original packaging. Worktops must not be placed directly onto the floor, instead separate the floor and the worktop with battens.  Battens must also be used to separate multiple worktops stored together.

Make sure the storage area is indoors, has stable humidity, and will not be subject to extremes of temperature.

DO NOT UNPACK WORKTOPS UNLESS:

• The room humidity is stable.
• All carcases and cabinets are built and fully fitted/complete.
• All building dust and debris have been cleaned and cleared off-site.
• All wet trades are finished and a sufficient period of time allowed for natural drying.
• Fresh plasterwork has been allowed to dry for a minimum of 6 weeks or until the plaster is dry throughout.

Preparation

Before cutting your worktop, we advise oiling a small area of your worktops to ensure they all match. Before placing the worktops in situ it is important that you oil ALL the edges and faces at least twice with Danish Oil.

Wipe away any surplus oil 30 minutes after application, and allow between 6 and 8 hours between coats.

NOTE: Cut edges and areas of end grain will soak up more oil and will consequently require extra coats.

Installation precautions

When positioning the worktop you must allow a 3-4mm gap between all worktop edges and any adjacent walls or units (particularly between the back of the worktop and the wall). This will allow the worktop to expand and contract with the humidity of the kitchen without causing damage.

When a worktop is to be fitted near a freestanding oven (i.e. an oven that is not housed in a cabinet, such as a range cooker) allow a minimum gap of 30mm all the way around the worktop, and fit a solid wood end cap along the worktop edge. This will protect the end grain and help to prevent splitting.

Special care must be taken when fitting a worktop over appliances or exposed brickwork. Appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and microwaves can produce extremes of heat and humidity. If an appliance is to be installed under the worktop, make sure a moisture barrier is used to protect the underside from any possible heat or moisture. Use the same procedure for installations when you are fixing directly onto exposed brickwork.

NOTE: The maximum unsupported overhang on any worktop is 200mm. Any larger will require additional support such as Breakfast Bar Legs to support the additional weight.

Fixing

When fixing worktops to the cabinets you must only use slotted angle brackets. A round head screw must be used to fix the bracket. It is important that you use the slot that runs perpendicular to the width (across and not parallel with the grain).

NOTE: Some cabinets are supplied with brackets that are not slotted and these must not be used. If your cabinets have a solid top or you can only secure through the cross rail you will not be able to fit slotted brackets. In these circumstances, you must drill an oversized hole (8-10mm) through the top of the carcass and secure the worktop using a larger washer and screw. This will allow the work surface to slide over the washer in case of any possible expansion or shrinkage.

IMPORTANT: Do not screw through the carcass directly into the worktop. Do not use fixing blocks to secure. Do not use any worktop fixing methods other than those recommended here.

We recommend that worktops are fitted with an upstand where necessary to cover the 4-5mm expansion gap. The upstand must be fixed to the wall and NOT the worktop. The upstand will cover the gap and hide any possible shrinkage that may occur.

NOTE: An upstand is not required where tiling or silicone will cover the expansion gap

Fixing onto masonry features

Do not fix wooden tops directly into masonry. Fit them over timber spacers 6 – 10mm thick, which are on a Damp Proof Membrane (DPM). This prevents the transmission of moisture and provides airspace under the top.

Cupped or bowed surfaces

A different installation (or in some cases re-installation) procedure is necessary should your work surface become cupped or bowed. This is unlikely but can occur as a result of incorrect/prolonged storage or moisture differences on site.

If this is the case then the following instructions apply:

1. Fix the length of the rear of the worktop to the supporting base units.
2. Slowly and carefully pull the worktop downwards using clamps and battens.
3. Screw down the front edge of the worktop. Please note: it may take 1-2 weeks for the worktop to completely return to its flat shape and settle down.

Cutting & routing worktops

Where appropriate, use templates supplied with the sink/hob etc. as a guide for cutting your worktop.

IMPORTANT: Before making any cuts into your worktop ensure it is marked correctly. If drainer grooves are required they must be machined by an experienced installer/fitter. The grooves must be correctly angled towards the sink to allow any water to drain. If water does sit in the grooves, it can cause the worktop to split. When you have fitted a sink to the worktop, seal the area with an appropriate mould-resistant silicone paying special attention to the underside.

NOTE: For accuracy, quality and safety, all cutouts should be bench-cut using a jig and suitable router, never a jig saw. Having made all the cut-outs i.e. for the sink, hob etc., make sure that all cut edges are treated sufficiently and immediately with oil as previously instructed in this guidance note.

Jointing worktops

When joining two worktops together, you should use three standard worktop bolts on each joint. Seal the end grain at both sides of the joint with an appropriate sealer such as MitreSeal before making the joint. Seal the joint with sealer when the parts are finally tightened.

As a rule, only Butt joints should be used on wooden worktops. However, if your worktop has a radius and you do have to use a mitre joint, ensure that the “hockey stick” does not overextend the 10mm bull-nose radius

Sealing corner joints

Make sure any end grain has been sealed before assembling the joints.

Apply a light bead of clear low modulus silicone sealer along one side of the joint, just below the top surfaces and edges. Align the two sides with biscuits before clamping up firmly with worktop bolts. Wipe off any surplus sealant. Move the tops into place. Use thin pieces of board as temporary packing to position them with 4 – 5mm expansion gaps between the edges and ends of the tops and the walls.

Finishing worktops

You should oil your worktop once a week for the first six weeks, and then every three months thereafter.  The face of the worktop requires 4-5 coats of oil to be applied to build up a barrier against water. Allow up to 6-8 hours between coats. NOTE: Drying times will vary subject to room temperature. After fitting and before applying the final coat of oil to the face, give the worktop a light sand with fine sandpaper, remove all dust then apply the coat of oil to the surface. Spread over the entire area and allow the oil to soak in for 30 minutes, always keeping the surface covered with oil. After 30 minutes wipe off all excess to leave an even touch dry finish. Allow to dry overnight before repeating