There’s no shortage of options when it comes to selecting hardware. In this article we’ll be looking at one of the most common kinds of hardware, and one which I’m sure almost all are at least a bit familiar with: butterfly hinges, or, as they’re more commonly known, butt hinges.
The butt hinge has long been a ubiquitious choice for doors of all sizes, and for a good reason. They’re simple: two leaves join at a knuckle, held together by a pin. There are no mystifying mechan-ics like a Euro hinge, nor do they require the precision of a knife hinge to install. They’re easy to understand and to implement, but that’s not the whole story.
HINGE VARIETIES.
Though they’re simple, not all butt hinges are made the same. Most you’ll find will look like the upper two in the image below. Others have decorative leaves, while some have finials, as you can see in the lower hinge in the image below. That one is also a unique kind of butt hinge: a no-mortise hinge. As the name implies, it’s intended to be used without a mortise, as the leaves fold in together to minimize the gaps around the door instead.
Indeed, the wide variety of looks is one of the draws towards butt hinges. You’ll also notice that the three hinges in the above image have different finishes. Sellers such as Brusso or Horton Brasses offer a number of options, from polished brass for a clean and sleek box to oil-rubbed bronze for an aged aesthetic on a Craftsman cabinet. Butt hinges are easier to match to certain styles and aesthetics than other hinge options.
BUTT HINGES IN PRACTICE
When we’re selecting the hardware for a project, looks play a big part, but so do quality and cost. However, the latter two (and sometimes the former as well) often go hand in hand.
A QUESTION OF QUALITY.
You’ll find plenty of different butt hinges at almost any hardware store, and these tend to be pretty cheap. Pick one up and you’ll likely find that there’s play, either vertically, between the knuckles, or horizontally, around the pin. Now, there are plenty of times when a hinge with a bit of play is fi ne, but that’s not always the case.
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| A zero-play butt hinge is important in cabinets like this, where precision and strength are necessities. |
The photo you above is from the Monterey Cabinet we featured in issue 256. Large wings unfurl from the top to reveal a fold out bar. The hinges here needed to be strong enough to support the glasses and bottles, and any play in the hinge would be magnified across the wing, causing it to catch as it opened or closed. The hinges we often use from places like Horton Brasses can easily cost you $40 or more a piece. That might seem steep, but when you feel the hinge, you’ll instantly notice the lack of play, which was precisely what this cabinet required.
TO MORTISE, OR NOT TO MORTISE?
Most of the time when you see a butt hinge in Woodsmith, you’ll find that we mortise it in place. However, this isn’t always necessary. If you’re considering whether or not to mortise a butt hinge, there are two questions to answer.
First, how much of a gap do you desire? Most inlaid doors use a mortise for the sole factor of minimizing the relief around a door. On overlaid doors this is much less of an issue, as you’ll only notice the gap from the side. Additionally, no-mortise hinges or swaged hinges, like the one in the photo below, will eliminate that gap on their own.
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| A swaged hinge has a unique curve — or swage — at the knuckle, resulting in a smaller gap between the door and its frame. |
Second, how much weight will this hinge support? A butt hinge that isn’t mortised in place is relying only on the strength of the screw threads in the wood. By contrast, a mortise allows the force to be distributed between the screws and the leaves evenly. This makes for a much more reliable connection on a fold out wing like in the Monterey Cabinet, or even just for heavier doors like you see below.
TIMELESS HARDWARE.
There aren’t a whole lot of examples where butt hinges are a bad idea for hanging doors, often it’s a matter of taste. The strength they provide and their ability to match a number of styles are their true advantage. With these parts, you get what you pay for, but the results are well worth it, and I recommend trying them on your next your project.
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| A mortise isn’t necessary on every butt hinge, but it’s a good idea for heavier doors, as it spreads the force across the leaves instead of just the screws. |
