What Are Self-Closing Hinges?

With so many types of hinges on the market today, it’s often difficult to decide where to begin. One type of cabinet hinge that is quite practical and helpful is the self-closing hinge. Homeowners will often select self-closing hinges when they renovate the kitchen cabinets, allowing the chef to access cooking supplies and containers without having to manually close the doors. Other areas of the home can certainly benefit from the convenience of these cabinet hinges as well, including bathrooms, gates, and doors.

A self-closing hinge looks like a regular, conventional hinge. It has two pieces of metal that are joined together with a pin, allowing the metal pieces to rotate away from each other and open the door. In addition to these basic components, the self-closing hinge is spring-mounted. This means that, once the door has been opened, the spring in the hinge will pull the hinges back together and close the door. Self-closing hinges are manufactured to last for the life of the cabinetry or other furniture with proper maintenance. The hinges should be oiled periodically to ensure that the spring and the hinges move freely and effortlessly.

The self-closing hinge is an obvious choice for virtually any kitchen. The busy chef can maintain his cooking pace without worrying about closing cabinets after each use. In addition, self-closing hinges add hygiene to the cooking experience, since the chef with the dirty hands doesn’t need to handle the cabinetry or the cabinet hardware in order to get the cabinets closed. In a home with small children, self-closing hinges on the bottom cabinets are also quite useful. They keep little hands out of the cabinets and ensure that the cabinet doors are closed quickly after use.

Once you’ve decided that self-closing hinges are the right hardware type for your needs, make sure to find ones that are aesthetically pleasing for your décor. While hinges aren’t the focal point of the kitchen décor, they certainly add, or detract, from the overall look of the space. To ensure that best look, match your self-closing hinges with your cabinet pulls, cabinet knobs, appliance pulls and other cabinet hardware choices. This will create a look of unity and continuity in the kitchen décor. If you are substituting the new, self-closing cabinet hinges for other hinges, make sure to match the drill centers in both the old and new hinges. This will ensure that the new hinges fit into the space left by the old hinges, and that you won’t have to drill extra holes to accommodate the self-closing hinges.

Self closing hinges are a brilliant invention, as are so many small, often-overlooked items. They allow the kitchen to remain neat and tidy, without constantly closing the cabinet doors yourself. Even with rambunctious children scrounging for food, the busy homeowner will have a kitchen that looks put together and neat at all times. This, combined with the sanitary and safety benefits of self-closing hinges, makes them the right choice for almost any renovation project.