Butterfly hinges - the best solution for a home wizard

Many of those who prefer to cope independently with non-global home repair work often lack experience and some tools. Buying them for the sake of one time is simply not profitable, so home craftsmen are trying to find a way out and do what they have. For example, to install an interior door, having only a screwdriver, you need to buy special overhead hinges - butterfly door hinges.

From this article you will learn everything about this fitting.

Features loops butterflies

Conventional overhead hinges need to cut - to deepen in the door butt and the box so that between them there is no gap. It is quite another thing - hinges door hinges. When folded, it is like a single card with a shaped slot. And in the open position, the middle part unfolds, leaving a hole in the center of the map.

Being installed in place, such a loop does not form gaps between the door and the box, since one part is inserted into the other, and not superimposed on it.

The main advantage of such fittings is the ease of installation and the absence of the need for any tools other than a screwdriver or a screwdriver.

What are the "butterflies"

Such loops differ in several parameters. The main one is constructive. They can be flat - for doors without a porch, and with a bend - for doors with a porch.

They can also be:

• Left;
• Right;
• Universal - suitable for installation on the door with either side opening.

Council Before buying, always pay attention to this moment, otherwise you risk to purchase inappropriate fittings.

Equally important is the material from which the door butterfly hinges are made. The stronger and more resistant it is to loads, the longer the product will last.

Most often loops are made of steel, stainless steel or brass. And additionally protect against corrosion and high humidity with any coating.

It may be:

• Electroplating chromium, zinc or nickel;
• Polymeric powder coating, which, in addition to reliable metal protection from rust, allows loops to give almost any shade for a harmonious combination with the color of the door leaf.

Accordingly, they differ in color.

Among products with electroplated coating most often imitations of such metals and alloys are found, such as:

• Copper;
• Bronze;
• Chromium;
• Gold;
• Silver.

They can be shiny or matte.

Another important parameter is the brand. Quality hinges can be found only from reputable manufacturers of door fittings. The price is higher, but they serve for decades.

For reference. Judging by the reviews, Apex fittings have the best quality among Russian brands.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the described fittings include:

• Ease of installation: a tie-in of the door hinge butterfly is not required, so it is installed without prior preparation of the canvas and box;

• Dense, without cracks, fit the canvas to the door frame;
• Original appearance;
• Sufficiently long service life, subject to the quality of the product itself and the correctness of its installation.

They also have drawbacks that need to be remembered if you are going to hang the doors with your own hands.

• The weight of the door leaf should be small, since the hinges are not designed for a serious load.

Note. Most often, the recommended weight of the canvas is no more than 25-30 kg. That is, we are talking only about interior doors made of lightweight materials.

• The mounting surface must be perfectly flat, otherwise the cards will not converge or will be located in different planes.
• To remove the door from such hinges, they will have to unscrew the screws, as the butterflies are all-in-one.

Professionals prefer conventional mortise hinges to butterflies. However, they are very popular, especially among home craftsmen.

How to hang a door on a butterfly loop

Before telling you how to install the butterfly door hinges, I would like to advise you to decide on their number. As a rule, for a standard interior door of MDF and similar materials, two hinges are enough. But there may be more if the weight of the canvas exceeds 25 kg and the height is 2 m.

In addition to the loops themselves, you will need:

• Screws for fixing them, which are often included;
• Screwdriver or screwdriver;
• Level;
• A simple pencil;
• Tape measure or long ruler;
• Any gaskets or wedges for fixing the canvas in the box when marking.

Installation instructions are given in the table:

Picture	Description
	Using a ruler, measure 20-25 cm from the top edge of the web and mark with a pencil the center of the top loop.
	Repeat the same on the other side, noting the center of the bottom loop. In case there are more than two loops, divide the distance between the two extreme marks for the remaining loops into equal segments.
	Place the web in the box and secure it in position with gaskets. Be sure to use the level to check the horizontal and vertical position of the sides. Transfer the tags from the end of the canvas to the box
	Attach the hinge to the door, aligning its center with the mark, and with a pencil mark the attachment points through the holes in the inner card.
	Drill holes for the screws at the designated points.
	Attach an internal loop to the end. At the same time try not to tighten the screws immediately, do it evenly, without distortions of the part.
	Fix the remaining hinges in the same way.
	Make sure that in the closed position, the external card lies flat on the face plane. If this is not the case, twist the inner cards, placing the pieces of cardboard under them.
	Temporarily remove the hinges and repeat everything, starting with marking the holes on the door frame. Then finally secure both halves of the loops, each on its side.

As you can see, everything is quite simple. But if you need to remove the door, you will have to unscrew the screws again.

Conclusion

In the case when you need to install light interior doors in the apartment yourself, the best option for high-quality installation will be door hinge hinges. Even a beginner can handle it.

But remember that they are not suitable for entrance doors and heavy canvases from natural solid wood. They need to hang on the classic loop. You can learn more about the installation process by watching the video in this article.