# how many hinges



## pjrodgers (Nov 25, 2008)

How do I determine how many hinges to install on a heavy solid wood 30x80 entry door? How do I correctly space them?


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

3 hinges for a solid door. 7" down from the top to the top of the upper hinge. 7" up from the bottom to the bottom of the lower hinge and center the 3rd one.


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## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Also: You can use 4" heavier duty residential hinges, with four screw holes on the hinge plates.

Example: http://www.hardwaresource.com/Store_ViewProducts.asp?Cat=1349


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## Jeeper1970 (Nov 11, 2008)

I would use four myself, like AWBC mentioned.

To really answer your question, I believe all hinges have a weight rating. If you can find out the rating of the hinges you wish to use, multiply that rating times the number of hinges you want to use, it should equal or be greater than the weight of the door.

If the hinges are rated for 25 lbs. each, and the door weighs 80 lbs., you'll want to use four hinges. If the door only weighs 70 lbs., you can get away with three hinges.


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## duckdown (Dec 30, 2008)

3 is the min and is fine if you are hanging a solid pine door. If you are going for really heavy wood like Mahogany, I would choose 4 hinges. Why aren't you considering a prehung door? It is a lot simplier...


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## diy-581 (Feb 2, 2008)

Hinges have weight ratings, but for most of the ones that you find at your typical big-box building supply store, I would hazard to guess that you won't find it listed since their weight ratings are quite sufficient for the typical doors that people put in their homes, even if they are using solid wood doors. Traditionally, exterior doors have 3 hinges on them and interior (hollow core) ones have 2 hinges.

There are companies that make hinges for VERY heavy doors...

http://www.waiteenterprises.com/doorhinges.htm

Something to bookmark, just in case you ever need a hinge for a 20,000 lb door...


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## henrybo (May 6, 2011)

What you need are 4 1/2" heavy duty BALL BEARING hinges. Use 3 of them. The old timers always put one about 7" from the top, 10" from the bottom, and one in the center. In today's world 7" from top and bottom and one in the center.


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