European hinges
Beginner Restoration Skill Level Tips and Tricks

How to Adjust and Fix Hinges

Recently I had two problems with hinges and I thought it would be a good opportunity to share with my readers how to fix broken hinges and how to adjust hinges. 

European hinges can be confusing and sometimes you don’t want to touch something and risk messing them up more. By the time you are done reading this you will know just how to adjust them and you can go straight to your kitchen to straighten everything out. 

About Concealed and European Hinges

These types of hinges are the most common used hinges today. They are popular because you can completely hide them. They also come with a soft close option. (Which is my absolute favorite) 

How to adjust European Hinges

The pictures below shows three different parts to adjust hinges. 


European hinges and how to adjust them
  1. Move the door from side to side. Sometime the gap between doors is larger on the top or bottom. The first screw will close that gap. You don’t have any further action other than screwing the screw in our out.
  2. The center screws are to adjust from top to bottom. Maybe one of your doors is slightly lower than the other one. Loosen all the hinges on that door. Move the door up or down to level and then tighten the screws.
  3. This screw will move your door in or out. This is particularly important on flush mount doors. But sometimes with can help with gaps in your doors as well. On this hinge it is a direct-action screw like screw #1. I have seen other hinges that you may have to manually adjust the door in or out and then re-tighten.

how to adjust hinges

Broken off Hinges

This one is fun and quick. Ever have a door fall off? Like you put it on it goes on great and wood does the crazy things that wood does and it breaks off? Yup just happened to me. Screws fell right out.

My big tip is always have duct tape and tooth picks. (one day I will teach you my duct tape tricks.) I used tooth picks for this problem.

Heres my broken off door. The holes are now way too big to put the screws back in. Got my wood glue and toothpick.

hole repair for hinges
hole repair for hinges

Little dab of wood glue on the toothpick and stick it in the hole break it off let dry. Simple as that!

Now use the same hole and put your door back on.

Thanks for reading and happy fixing,

Tara Lou

** Affiliate links please read my disclaimer page for more information.

Tara Lou

Mama, wife, furniture connoisseur, small business owner, nature-lover, homebody, hunter.

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