Replacing exposed cabinet hinges with hidden hinges transforms the look of your cabinets, creating a clean, modern appearance. While the complete process involves several steps, the core installation of the new hidden hinges, as highlighted in the provided reference, involves fitting the hinge onto the door and then attaching the door to the cabinet frame.
Overview of the Process
Replacing hinges involves more than just installing the new ones. You must first remove the old exposed hinges from both the cabinet doors and the cabinet frames. This often requires filling the old screw holes and preparing the surfaces. The critical steps for installing the new hidden hinges then follow.
According to the reference from the video "How to Install Hidden Cabinet Hinges for a Sleek and Modern Kitchen," the key steps for installing the hidden hinge itself are:
- Install the hidden hinge into the door. This typically involves drilling a specific size cup hole into the back of the cabinet door where the hinge cup sits and then screwing the hinge base onto the door.
- Install that back into the cabinet. Face. Once the hidden hinges are securely attached to the door, the door is then mounted onto the cabinet frame or face frame using the corresponding mounting plates for the hinges.
This streamlined description focuses on the crucial installation phase after the initial preparation work is complete.
Key Steps Summarized (Based on Reference)
Here's a breakdown of the installation steps mentioned in the reference:
- Door Preparation: The hidden hinge component that attaches to the door (often called the "cup" side) must be installed into the door itself. This usually requires precise drilling.
- Cabinet Mounting: The door, now fitted with the hidden hinges, is then mounted onto the cabinet structure. The hinge arm connects to a mounting plate that is affixed to the cabinet face or frame.
Beyond the Reference: What Else is Involved?
While the reference provides the fundamental actions for hidden hinge installation, a full replacement project includes:
- Removing Old Hinges: Unscrew and detach all parts of the exposed hinges from both the doors and the cabinet.
- Surface Preparation: Fill old screw holes with wood filler, sand smooth, and potentially touch up paint or finish.
- Measuring and Marking: Accurately measure and mark the precise locations for the new hidden hinges on both the doors (for the cup holes) and the cabinet frame (for the mounting plates). Using a jig is highly recommended for consistent results.
- Drilling: Drill the necessary cup holes in the doors and pilot holes for the mounting plate screws on the cabinet.
- Installing Hidden Hinges: Attach the hinge cups into the drilled holes on the doors and secure them with screws (as described in the reference: "Door install the hidden hinge into the door").
- Installing Mounting Plates: Screw the hinge mounting plates onto the cabinet frame according to your marks.
- Attaching Door: Connect the hinge arms on the door to the mounting plates on the cabinet (as described in the reference: "And then install that back into the cabinet. Face.").
- Adjusting: Hidden hinges offer multiple adjustments (up/down, left/right, in/out) to perfectly align the door. This final step is crucial for proper function and appearance.
Replacing exposed hinges with hidden hinges is a popular cabinet upgrade that significantly enhances the look and feel of a kitchen or furniture piece, providing a seamless facade when cabinet doors are closed.
