A Simple Guide to Understanding Door Hinges
14 November 2025We can open doors for you – here’s how. Our comprehensive guide to door hinges explains the different traditional hinge styles, how they function, and which options best suit your door requirements.
Discover our easy guide to traditional door hinges and learn which style is right for your restoration project.
TradCo’s Range
At the beginning of a build or renovation, you’re thinking about which bathtub to select, which worktop to choose, which flooring to lay… But as you go along, the depth of decision-making can start to feel insurmountable. Take hinges for example, when have you ever had to think about hinges before? Suddenly, you have to decide on hinges for six, eight, maybe 10 doors, and they are all different. Details like matching the finish of your hinges to your hardware can significantly alter the overall aesthetic, but it’s equally important to ensure you select the correct hinge type for each door.
TradCo offers many types of hinges in a vast range of finishes to suit the rest of your door hardware, and each one has a purpose. Let’s help you break this down, and make one of your decisions a little easier.
Types of Hinges
Ball Bearing Hinge
When you need a smooth and quiet, yet robust hinge for heavier doors (such as those made from solid timber), be it internal or external, a ball bearing hinge is the way to go.
Fixed Pin Hinge
With a slim spine, a fixed pin hinge will work on a door of average weight rather than the big, heavy doors that the ball bearing hinge is suitable for.
Loose Pin Hinge
Loose pin hinges are great for internal doors because the spine can be easily tapped out if the door needs to be taken off (for example, for painting or sanding). However, for this same reason they don’t work for external doors where, for security reasons, you want that door to stay in place and not be easily removed.
Broad Butt Hinge
Broad butt hinges are especially useful on heavy or wide doors over 50mm thick. They can be used both inside and outside, but are particularly popular for external use. And as long as the architrave isn’t enormous, their nifty design can allow the door to open up to 180 degrees.
Lift Off Hinge
The lift off hinge is a game-changer for in-home safety. Essentially, its clever design means a door can be removed without having to open it, which is critical for rooms like bathrooms or water closets where the door often opens inwards and so there isn’t enough room to open it if someone has fallen in front of it. It’s smart and efficient, and a legal requirement now for newly built properties.
Hirline Hinge
A hirline hinge is easier to install than standard hinges because there is no need to create a recess for the hinge in the wood. This style of hinge is best suited when you require a door to appear as seamless and unobtrusive as possible once installed.
Parliament Hinge
This is the hinge for highly styled spaces where you want your doors, windows or shutters to swing open and be clear of the trim, lying flat against the wall when open. It’s a subtle but ingenious way of elevating a home, and is particularly useful in smaller rooms, where space is at a premium.
Ball Bearing Hinge - H100xW75mm
Solid brass Ball Bearing hinges have a smooth operation, they are ideal for heavy or thick doors, where durability and strength are required. Available in 2 sizes.
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