How to Make Concealed Hinges on Cabinets

Concealed hinges are also called cup hinges and Euro hinges. They are two-piece units that are attached to the inside right edge of the cabinet and onto the doorframe. Euro hinges give cabinets a sleek and modern look. They are a popular choice for cabinetry styles with clean and simple lines, such as Shaker and Craftsman wood cabinets and solid panel laminate cabinets. Don’t let the mechanism scare you from taking on concealed hinges as a do-it-yourself project. Installation is not as difficult as it might look. The key is to use the right type of drill and bit to bore out the round, flat-bottom hole for the hinge faceplate. One you get that done, you’re good to go.

Cabinet doors
Wood filler (if needed to refill old holes on preexisting doors)
Wood stain, or primer and paint
2 Euro cup hinges for each cabinet door
Tape measure
Carpenter’s pencil
Forstner-type bit
Drill press or dedicated jig with a Euro-style bit to bore circular holes
Screwdriver
Square

Instructions

- 1
  Use a screwdriver to remove screws and hardware on existing cabinet doors, if applicable. Fill any existing holes or bores with wood filler and allow eight hours drying time, and then re-stain or paint the areas on the sides of the cabinet and on the base of the cabinet, if applicable. You should also stain, or prime and paint new doors prior to installing the hinges. Allow stain or paint to dry for 24 hours.
- 2
  Sit the doors on a level worktable with the inside panel facing you. Use two hinges for each cabinet. Position the upper and lower hinges on each door. A standard measurement for positioning the hinges is 3 3/8-inch from the top and bottom of the cabinet door. However, do not add hinges in the same spot as prior hinges or bore holes. Position the hinges at least 1-inch away and create a new hinge location so you can drill into “fresh” wood.
- 3
  Use a carpenter’s pencil to trace and mark the positions for the screw holes and the flat-bottom hole for each hinge along the inside right side of each cabinet.
- 4
  Attach a Forstner-type bit on your drill press to make the flat-bottom hole. Suitable and less expensive alternatives to a drill press are dedicated jigs that can bore European-style circular openings.
- 5
  Follow your trace mark to bore the flat-bottom circles onto each cabinet door.
- 6
  Attach the screws for the hinge with a screwdriver. Use a square to keep the hinge straight and aligned when you attach the screws.
- 7
  Stand each cabinet door next to its corresponding opening. Start at the left and work to your right to install each door. Take your first door and hold it in position and with the inside of the door facing you so you can mark the positions for the hinge on the doorframe.
- 8
  Use the carpenter’s pencil to fill in the space for the screw holes on the cabinet frame. Attach the screws to secure the upper and lower hinges with a screwdriver.
- 9
  Repeat this step for each cabinet door and its hinges to complete your concealed hinges project.

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