Fittings & Hinges

Fittings & hinges is the hub for the mechanical parts that hold cabinet furniture together and make it move: concealed cup hinges with H0 and H2 mounting plates, gas struts and reverse gas pistons for lift-up doors, cam locks, cam dowels and expanding dowels for knock-down joints, confirmat screws, and desk grommets for cable management. More than 400 products are grouped here because a cabinet build or repair almost always needs several of them at once – a hinge for the door, a connector for the carcass and a strut or stay for the flap.

Hinges: the 35 mm cup standard

Modern cabinet doors hang on concealed hinges with a 35 mm (1-3/8 inch) cup drilled into the back of the door and a mounting plate screwed to the cabinet side. The 110° soft-close hinge with H0 mounting plate for overlay doors is the everyday choice for frameless kitchen and bathroom cabinets; the hinge with H2 mounting plate for parallel (half-overlay) doors is used where two doors share one cabinet side. The plate height – H0, H2 or higher – sets how far the door overlays the cabinet side; the opening angle (90°, 110°, 155°, 165°) decides whether a pull-out behind the door can clear it. All of them follow the 32 mm (1-1/4 inch) hole pattern, so a hinge from this category replaces a worn one in most European-style cabinets without new drilling.

Hinges by angle and function are listed under 110 degree cabinet hinges, soft-close hinges, concealed hinges and cupboard door hinges; hinges for corner cabinets and special angles are grouped under cabinet hinges.

Gas struts and reverse gas pistons

A lift-up flap on a wall cabinet stays open because a gas strut pushes it up with a defined force, stated in newtons. The 9-13/16 inch (250 mm) gas strut with 30 N suits light glass or 16 mm board flaps up to about 300 mm high; the 60 N version covers wider or taller fronts, and the reverse gas piston stay with 80 N works the other way round – it damps a downward-opening flap and holds it. The force is a function of flap weight and height, not of width alone; two struts of half the force are often better balanced than one strong strut. The full range by force and color is under gas struts.

Connectors for knock-down furniture

Flat-pack and site-assembled cabinets are held together by cam connectors: the furniture cam lock 9/16 inch (15 mm), 100 pcs sits in a 15 mm hole in the side panel and clamps a dowel inserted in the adjoining panel – the cam dowel 1-5/16 inch (34 mm) with M6 thread for a threaded insert, the cam dowel with Euro screw thread for direct screwing into particleboard, or the cam expanding dowel 15/16 inch (24 mm) with M8 for an 8 mm hole. Confirmat screws (7 x 50 mm) are the alternative where the joint is permanent. The pieces are sold in packs of 100 because a single wardrobe uses 20–40 connectors. See furniture cam lock, cam dowel and confirmat screws.

Desk grommets and cable management

A desk grommet closes the hole drilled in a desktop for cables: the metal desk grommet 2-3/8 inch (60 mm) in black, its brushed steel version, the larger 3-1/8 inch (80 mm) grommet, the economical plastic desk grommet 2-3/8 inch and the rectangular aluminum grommet 6-5/16 x 3-1/8 inch for several plugs at once. Drill the hole with a hole saw of the stated diameter and press the grommet in; most models need no screws.

Choosing fittings for one project

1. Start with the carcass: cam locks and dowels for 16–19 mm panels, confirmat screws for permanent joints, wall anchors for fixing tall units.
2. Add the door hardware: one hinge per 400–500 mm of door height (two hinges up to about 900 mm, three above), with the correct overlay plate.
3. Fit the flaps: gas struts sized by weight and height; combine with hinges without a spring if the strut must hold the flap open.
4. Finish: door bumpers, cover caps and grommets.

Related categories

Worktop joints are covered by worktop connectors and worktop fittings; legs and supports by furniture legs and cabinet legs; wardrobe hardware by wardrobe fittings; shelf hardware by brackets and fittings. The complete catalogue, including drawer slides and handles, is grouped under furniture accessories.

Frequently asked questions

Which mounting plate do I need – H0 or H2?

H0 for a full-overlay door that covers the cabinet side completely; H2 for a half-overlay door where two doors meet on one side panel. The number is the plate height in millimeters that shifts the door outward.

How do I know the newton rating for a flap?

Weigh the flap with its handle and measure its height. As a rule of thumb for a 250 mm strut: light flaps up to about 2 kg use 30–50 N, medium flaps 60–100 N, heavy or tall flaps 120 N and more, ideally with two struts.

Are cam locks compatible with IKEA-style furniture?

The 15 mm cam lock with a 24 or 34 mm dowel is the industry standard used by most flat-pack manufacturers; check the dowel length and thread (Euro screw or M6) against the original part.

Can a 35 mm hinge be fitted without a special drill?

The cup needs a 35 mm Forstner bit drilled 12–13 mm deep. A hinge jig keeps the distance from the door edge (usually 3–6 mm) consistent across all doors.