Soft close hinge question

What operating range ? If you want a 120 or 180 degree range - the soft close damper is separate option and clips onto the hinge .. or dampers are available as stand-alone - to be used with any springed hinge. I would go with clip-on - then you can add or remove - to suit the spring pressure of the various doors. John T.

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Should be rating by weight from manufacturer, Leon?

For the big 'uns I get roughly 35-40 lb/door which is substantial if go MDF.

I'd suggest unless there's something in these 90" cabinets that is actually 7-ft long (which I suppose is possible if is planning on hanging yard tools behind doors which personally I think is a mistake, too :) ) he'll rue the decision down the road...but that's not the question asked...

Except for 3-8 doors or ones that extraordinarily heavy, I rarely use more than 3 hinges on any door.

IME, and particularly with cabinets doors, it is rarely necessary, and you will find adjusting the alignment of four euro hinges for smooth operation over a long length can be problematic if there is even the slightest lack of flatness, which is not unusual with taller doors over time.

AAMOF, a couple of times I've had to remove a hinge completely, and plug the cup hole, to get a door to work properly.

Then again, if you feel the need, and it works, go with your gut.

IME, they all need to be the same. Insuring all hinges are the same type, make and model is paramount for a smooth, lasting operation.

I'll choose a high quality, built-in soft close, hinge over an "add on" part every time ... more points of failure, higher possibility for call backs.

YMMV ... and as long as it works, and the client is happy...

I should probably check in to that on the web site. ;~)

On tall doors, the lower 58 or so inches will store golf clubs, above that a fixed shelf and an adjustable shelf.

It does get tricky when more than 2 hinges are used. I think he is going to steer toward the lighter frame and panel doors so I may revisit

One more question, the all in one units, are you buying the edge mount FF style hinges?

If you need a jointer to whip stiles that long into stock flat enough for doors, you do know someone who has one ... LOL

In soft close, I particularly like the 110 S/C Salice hinges ... good overlay and installation, choices and the quality/price ration has been excellent, to date.

CornerStone is my goto supplier and I usually go with something on this page:

All integrated soft-close hinges. They difference in price is minuscule and would be superseded by your labor to install the adapters.

...

Boy, I'd really try to talk him into splitting 'em at the fixed shelf height then. As Robert says, keeping those in plane for 20 yr in a garage is going to be no mean feat...

I know you already know this, but for anyone else wondering, I'd talk up the water resistant MDF slab doors hard, and also turn those tall ones into 2 each.

MDF may be heavy, but once finished, much more likely to start flat, and stay flat over time, and so damned easy/inexpensive to cut/replace, and they look great.

Remember these?

Linda and I were invited for this past Thanksgiving dinner and those doors are still as flat, with the same precise 3/32 reveal, as the day you and I installed them five years ago.

I think the manufacturer's suggestion would be the way to tackle the number of hinges. They will have their calculations built into their recommendations that will include weight and the ability of the hinges to move a door.

Also... might I suggest MDO instead of MDF for the large doors if you go that route? Water resistant MDF will warp and move in high temps and humidity, IME >.

MDO would be probably be lighter too. If you went with the rail/stile construct, you could also use MDO in your panels for a split decision between your two presented options.

Even if the MDF was "water resistant", that doesn't mean you won't get movement. (DAMHIKT) At the least, I would borrow Karl's Earlex and squirt a coat of shellac on the faces before starting, and then again on the edges after cutting to final size.

Just a couple of thoughts...

Robert

My experience with products like UltraStock, Medite and Medex, all MDF products, has been different.

Leon will attest to the fact that I left a piece of 3/4 UltraStock mdf in a clients birdbath fountain for a week, and it came out looking like it went in ... pristine.

Also left a 4x4 cutoff of UltraStock out in the weather, leaning against my fence for well over a year. Used it later for jigs and it was bit weather stained, but still flat, with no ragged or blown edges, or warp in evidence.

Also used Medex for 20' run of tall sliding doors in a set of carport cabinets (open on two sides) quite a few years back. Still looking new and standing the test of time thus far.

Basically, wouldn't hesitate to use those type products in an average garage environment in this locale.

If he swallows the price I gave him I may make that 4 doors on that cab instead of 2.

I found a Blum, essentially the same that I buy 50 at a time but with soft close.

And the hinge I normally use.

I just learned today that Hardwood Products no longer caries the green water resistant MDF. ;~) Have you bought it any other place?

I think that is a good idea, I typically buy Blum 1/2" overlay 50 at a time. I just learned that the same hinge comes with soft close.

I built a lazy Susan with that same water resistant MDF scraps that we used on that kitchen job. The lazy Susan sat on the grass in the back yard with my water hose reel mounted on top.

It was rained on regularity and sat on the damp grass every morning. I eventually disassembled it because the set up did not work like I wanted but the MDF was still pretty decent looking. I did not throw away the MDF.

Thank you Robert!

A couple of things, the customer is going to paint the cabinets.

BUT my last couple of purchases of domestic, paint quality birch plywood ended up with the outer veneer lifting with the water based primer. I was not happy but worked around that.

I think I will look into the MDO instead for the large cabinet panels and shelves.

And I think the tall door may become two shorter doors.

I just installed a bunch of those on a hinge replacement job and I was impressed with their strength, adjustability, and operation. Good choice IMO.