# Hingeing MDF



## Tim Nott (27 Jan 2010)

Cabinet doors - largest is 1400mm high by 450mm wide.
These are to be set in face frames, and made in 18mm (or maybe 25mm) MDF with 10mm panels. They are going to be painted, and there's a lot of them.

Is trying to hang them on brass butt hinges a complete no-no? Client wants a Shaker style look. I'm thinking kitchen cabinet hinges would be stronger, eg these
http://www.woodfit.com/product_info.php ... oor+Sprung

I've used Spax MDF screws to corner join MDF cabinets, but they don't go small enough for butt hinges


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## jasonB (27 Jan 2010)

I use 22mm MR MDF with 9mm panels and fit butts with 3.5x40 Reisser or goldscrews into 2mm pilot holes. You need a long thin screw and the pilot hole to stop the MDF splitting.

If the client is not bothered then I will use inset concealed hinges

Jason


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## BradNaylor (27 Jan 2010)

I would use 22mm MR MDF (the green stuff) and cranked concealed hinges like the ones you've linked to.

I did use brass butts on MDF once a few years ago and still dread a phone call from the client one day...


:shock:


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## CNC Paul (27 Jan 2010)

Tim,

My choice for doors that size would be 22mm for the frames and 6mm for the panels, I hand them on brass butts all the time. The only thing you need to do is drill the correct size pilot hole. You could use the inset Blum style hinge, it does have a bit more adjustment but if the client wants a Shaker style look the butts will achieve that + the doors will swing 180 degrees.


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## chippy1970 (27 Jan 2010)

I personally would never use butts on MDF, use the cranked ones as Brad Naylor suggesed they are ok.

I have had designers asking me to fit butt hinges to mdf cupboards and one time I gave in and fitted them just to teach him a lesson I bet they didnt last long.


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## superunknown (27 Jan 2010)

I have fitted a few butt hinges to mdf doors in the past, they do work their way free, I favour the kitchen style hinge, quick and easy to fit and strong.

You could always inset a strip of timber in the edge of the door under the hinge to take the screws.


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## joiner_sim (27 Jan 2010)

I hung some large 18mm MDF doors on fitted wardrobes with 2" flush cranked hinges from Wickes. I used four hinges per door.







Picture taken from: http://www.freewebs.com/simonswoodwork/fittedwardrobes.htm


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## Jake (27 Jan 2010)

Now I have the d-thing, I'm going to d-word MDF to get a better fixing for the hinges on some doors I have to do which would look much nicer with butts due to their position in the house. I've done the same with dowels for fixings in MDF and it seems to work a treat (so far).


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## BradNaylor (28 Jan 2010)

Jake":10nekeyw said:


> Now I have the d-thing, I'm going to d-word MDF to get a better fixing for the hinges on some doors I have to do which would look much nicer with butts due to their position in the house. I've done the same with dowels for fixings in MDF and it seems to work a treat (so far).



Great idea Jake!

I'm thinking of a couple of short doms inserted from the back of the door close to the edge so that the hinge screws lock into the side grain of the dom...


... on second thoughts it might just be easier to make the doors out of beech!




:lol:


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