Expert: Jamie Yocono - 7/11/2006

Question
I want to hang an old front door I bought at a antique store in a cased opening in my office and put it on a hinge so the door swings both ways. The door is heavy so the small hinges for lightweight cafe style doors will not work. What would you suggest as a solution. The door is just about the perfect size so space is somewhat of an issue. Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hi Jon,

The hinge you want is called a double acting spring hinge. They're fairly common, and come in a variety of "strengths" based on the weight of the door. Since you mentioned that the door is heavy, you will need a heavy duty set. If you don't see a designation of "heavy duty" when shopping for your hinge, you might try calling it a commercial hinge.

You can probably find a hinge like this in any decent hardware supply house. I've seen them used many times in restaurants, so you could even try a kitchen supply store.  Kitchen doors are usually fire rated, hence, they're heavy. So the type of hinge used in kitchens would be perfect for your application.

I don't know what side of the country you live on, so I can't point you to a supplier in your area. But I did do a Google search and found many sites that will sell you this type of hinge. Try copying and pasting the following:

http://www.thehardwarehut.com/door_spring_hinges.php
http://www.hardwaresource.com/Store_ViewProducts.asp?Cat=118
http://www.door-hardware.net/newhinges.html
http://www.nextag.com/Franklin-Spring-Hinge-6-80550930/prices-html


Good luck, I hope this helps. Feel free to write back if you have any further questions after reading this.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com