Installing The Door On Butterfly Hinges, Step-by-step Installation Instructions

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• A little about the varieties of loops
• Concealed hinge designs for stitches
• How to correctly put butterfly hinges on the door yourself
• Solving possible installation problems
• Features of butterfly loops
• pros
• Minuses

There are different hinge mechanisms, but perhaps the easiest to install in a wooden door are butterfly hinges.

The hinge mechanism, by and large, is extremely simple and is responsible for opening and, accordingly, for closing the door leaf, as well as ensuring that it adjoins the door frame as tightly as possible. In order to correctly install the hinges on the interior doors, before proceeding directly to the installation process, you should pay special attention to their design. If it seems too complicated for you, then it is better to entrust the process of installing butterfly hinges on interior doors to professionals.

A little about the varieties of loops

Conventional hinges need to be cut directly into the door leaf itself. But in order to do this, you need to have professional skills. Otherwise, the door is likely to ruin. Do-it-yourself standard insertion of hinges into interior doors is a rather complicated process that not everyone can do. For this reason, it would be better to entrust this business to professionals.

Varieties of mechanisms

There is a way out - door hinges of the "butterfly" type are overhead, differ in a very attractive appearance, as well as relative simplicity of execution. The process of installing such hinges on interior doors can be carried out in several ways. This will depend, first of all, on the type of construction of the butterfly hinges themselves, the type of door leaf, and also on the type of door frame.

Such door hinges are called "butterflies" because their plates in their shape strongly resemble butterfly wings. They are also called cards, because one plate is inserted into the cavity of another, which strongly resembles the process of mixing playing cards.

After installation, such hinges look very attractive and neat. The very process of their installation is quite easy and simple, because they do not need to be cut into the door leaf, but it is enough just to put them on its surface and screw them on. This procedure is quite possible to carry out independently.

Mortise hinges for interior doors are a compact mechanism made in the form of a cylinder and divided into two parts: one for the door leaf, and the other, respectively, for the door frame. The plates themselves are mounted quite easily. However, it is very important to choose the right mechanism based on the total weight of the door, as well as the material from which it is made (plastic, steel, aluminum). The difference between the two is mainly in the number of pins. As a rule, there are two of them. But in some cases, there may be three or even four.

Concealed hinge designs for stitches

Sometimes there are situations when the door hinges absolutely do not fit into the overall interior of the room, as well as into the design of the door leaf. In such cases, special mechanisms of a hidden type are installed. They have a design that is significantly different from the design of conventional door hinges. After closing the interior door, such hinges will be absolutely invisible from the outside, because they are mounted in the end part of the door leaf.

The complexity of the design of hinges with a hidden mechanism is as follows: the central axis is rotary; the fixed axis is also pivoting, which makes it absolutely invisible on the surface of the door leaf even when the door is fully open; moving axes are used in the process of opening and closing the door.

The advantages of door hinges with a hidden mechanism include, in particular, their versatility (suitable for absolutely any type of interior doors, often pre-installed); and the ability to see the hinges only upon close examination of the door leaf.

However, such door hinges also have disadvantages. First, it is almost impossible to carry out the process of installing them yourself. And secondly, they are quite expensive.

Learn about new and quick ways to install mortise hinges and locks of various complexity and sizes using templates from Pavel Soldatov and Frida Kamala, UFK Profi carriages.

How to correctly put butterfly hinges on the door yourself

For those who do not know how to embed hinges into an interior door, let us explain that this process consists of the following stages:

• applying special markings for hinges on the surface of the door leaf, as well as on the surface of the door frame;
• drilling with a drill holes for hinges in pre-marked places;
• checking the tightness of the door junction;
• door health check.

How to fix the door frame and install butterfly hinges on the interior door will directly depend on their service life. The color gamut is not that wide. The most common imitations of various metals. In particular, copper, gold, bronze, or nickel. Butterfly door hinges can be either matte or glossy.

For those who do not know how to install hinges on an interior door, we give detailed instructions.

Apply markings on the surface of the door leaf and on the surface of the door frame;

• Install the pivot axle, which is the main structural element and which ensures the functioning of the entire mechanism.
• Measure from the top and bottom edge of the door 20 cm each.

• Place the buttonhole at the mark.
• Attach the plates with self-tapping screws.

We attach the hinge to the box:

• insert the canvas into the box, in the same way mark with a marker the location of the other part of the loop on the outer border;
• attach one part of the butterfly to the place, circle the points for the holes with a marker;
• carefully drill holes, attach the product to the place and fasten it with screws;
• unscrew the loop from the end, then attach it to the outer area, mark the places for the holes with an awl;
• make holes and fix the hinges with self-tapping screws, first attaching the inner part of the hinge, and then attach the outer side to the box.

This design is suitable for almost any type of door leaf, with the exception, perhaps, of heavy massive oak doors. Hinges for heavy doors are slightly different from simple conventional ones, they have a large shelf thickness and with built-in bronze bushings.

For greater clarity, we recommend watching a selection of videos on installing butterfly loops.

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Solving possible installation problems

Since the ideal installation of this type of fastener is possible only with a perfectly flat door leaf (which is rare), some shortcomings may arise in the process of work: uncritical, but nevertheless requiring correction. We will tell you how you can fix possible defects that appeared during the installation process.

The most common problem when installing butterfly hinges is the gap between the hinge plate and the door frame. If there is such a defect, this means that the door will not be able to close tightly, which over time will lead to loosening of the structure and rubbing of the threshold. A small gasket made of cardboard, chips, gum solves this problem (even a match may work). The presence of such a gasket will slightly worsen the quality of the installation, however, it will safely solve the gap problem. If you are not satisfied with the fact that the plates of the butterfly hinges are closing too tightly, you can "drown" one part of the hinge in the thickness of the door frame a little.

Features of butterfly loops

Since the butterfly hinges do not cut into the door leaf, but are attached from above, the preparatory work that is necessary when standard hinges are involved becomes unnecessary.

pros

Ease of installation allows the doors to be hung easily, quickly, and without much difficulty. The butterfly hinges put on the interior door have an interesting appearance: a little vintage, but very elegant, and giving a peculiar flavor to any doors. The low cost of this fastener makes it affordable for absolutely everyone. Fast installation. The hinges are quite reliable and durable.

With the initial correct installation and careful operation, they can last for many years. Butterfly hinges make it possible to hang doors on both the right and left sides, regardless of the width of the doorway. In general, this is the best option for interior doors: fast, convenient, aesthetic and quite reliable. It may also be useful for you to find out what kind of warm doors are for a private house.

Minuses

In fairness, it is necessary to name the shortcomings that this type of door fastener has. The butterfly hinge device does not allow removing the installed door from the hinges. That is, if the need to remove the door leaf arises, the hinges will have to be completely dismantled. Not everyone likes the unusual design when the door is open.

Sometimes, when using this model of fasteners, there are distortions of the door frame, which do not add beauty and harmony. Butterfly hinges are only suitable for light doors: this model cannot cope with heavy oak leaf. To carry out the installation of the hinges, the door leaf must be perfectly flat to avoid distortions. Due to the listed disadvantages, mortise loops are more popular for this type of work.

I hope the article was useful, in addition, check out how to install door trims.