# First time cabinet doors (allowances and hinges)



## capocobono (31 Jul 2020)

I have a couple of questions about making some inset cabinet doors. I'm sure it's relatively simple but I've never done this before and I'm struggling to find exactly what I'm after online.

First question - if I'm making a simple cabinet using 18mm ply with two inset doors and a centre divider how much of an allowance gap should I give around the door and the frame. I measured my kitchen cabinets, they seem to have about 0.25cm all around. Does that sound about right? I also wasn't sure if I should leave a little gap between the door and the inside shelf? I was thinking about 0.3cm since I'm going to put a push to open device on the bottom of the shelf.

Second question is just more making sure I'm correct. I was going to use Blum inset hinges (3750) for this. I'll also need to buy a hinge cutter bit and some kind of cutter guide.

I've attached a diagram of what I'm making.

Hope you can help.


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## pcb1962 (31 Jul 2020)

I'm no expert on door clearances, someone else can answer that, but here's a tip before you get too far into this game - start working in miillimetres! 0.3cm is just such a weird measurement I had to think quite hard about what you meant.


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## Kev D (31 Jul 2020)

Check out Peter Millard's channel on YouTube for all things cabinets and hinges etc.


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## capocobono (31 Jul 2020)

Kev D":3jtiudly said:


> Check out Peter Millard's channel on YouTube for all things cabinets and hinges etc.



Oh yea, I'm a big fan of his stuff. That's actually where I found the info on the blum hinges in the first place. I just thought I'd make double sure before I go doing something wrong.


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## Yojevol (31 Jul 2020)

The finer the cabinet maker, the finer the gap he'll be satisfied with. The usual procedure is to make the carcase first first and then make the doors slightly oversize so that they can be trimmed back to fit exactly, ie, he assumes that they'll be imperfect. 
I usually set my doors back by 2mm so that any slight warp in the door has less visual impact. You probably won't have this problem using ply and any slight misalignment can be corrected with the hinge adjustments. 
Regarding the minimum shelf gap, this will be determined by the push-to-open fitting you choose. 
Brian


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## capocobono (31 Jul 2020)

Yojevol":49ybs2pv said:


> The finer the cabinet maker, the finer the gap he'll be satisfied with. The usual procedure is to make the carcase first first and then make the doors slightly oversize so that they can be trimmed back to fit exactly, ie, he assumes that they'll be imperfect.
> I usually set my doors back by 2mm so that any slight warp in the door has less visual impact. You probably won't have this problem using ply and any slight misalignment can be corrected with the hinge adjustments.
> Regarding the minimum shelf gap, this will be determined by the push-to-open fitting you choose.
> Brian



Excellent, thank you. I always planned to make the cabinet before measuring for the doors incase anything is slightly off. I'll consider it a challenge to make the gap as small as possible.


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## Doug71 (31 Jul 2020)

You do need a 1mm or so clearance down the hinge side at least on inset doors using those hinges so the door can open within itself, a small radius off the door edge helps this.

Here is some reading for you on gap needed, drilling distances etc, looks overwhelming at first but is actually really helpful.

https://publications.blum.com/2018/catalogue/en/96/


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## capocobono (31 Jul 2020)

Doug71":1wmg0q55 said:


> You do need a 1mm or so clearance down the hinge side at least on inset doors using those hinges so the door can open within itself, a small radius off the door edge helps this.
> 
> Here is some reading for you on gap needed, drilling distances etc, looks overwhelming at first but is actually really helpful.
> 
> https://publications.blum.com/2018/catalogue/en/96/



Wow the minimum clearances can be tiny on these hinges. Also good to see there's clear spacing instructions. I'm going to buy one of those little plastic guides for spacing, but it's good to be able to have a manufacturer's reference to double check the measurements.


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## petermillard (3 Aug 2020)

I usually aim for 1.5-2mm. Anything up around 3mm or more and it all starts to look a bit too gappy. And I do have a ‘door spacing’ vid in the pipeline.


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## MikeG. (3 Aug 2020)

Part of the answer to this question depends on how much paint you are applying. Five coats of hand-brushed Bedec MSP on natural timber produces a very different build up from a spray finish on some MDF.


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## thomashenry (7 Aug 2020)

I make mine with no gap and plane down until I get a 1mm gap, but thats with butt hinges. With those blums there is a mandated minimum gap.


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## Cabinetman (11 Sep 2020)

On narrower doors you sometimes need to put a slight angle on the door (handle) edge, sloping back from the front face to be able to achieve a small gap at the front edge when the door is closed.
If you haven’t fitted a push to close fitting before they can be fiddly, so practice on a mock up. I have my mock up hung on the wall and use it every time. If you haven’t fitted the back of the cabinet yet now is the time to fit the catch whilst you can still see what’s going on. Ian


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## Cabinetman (11 Sep 2020)

Sorry I didn’t realise this was an old post. But I just had a thought if you are using push to open catches they probably won’t have enough spring to oppose the Blum hinges spring. Ian


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