Installing Hinges

Mounting a cabinet door with a mortise hinge sounds simple, but poses some questions: Which of the many types of mortise hinge should you use? What's the difference between rolled and extruded hinges? Do you mount hinges to the door or the case first?

Phil Lowe, a masterful furniture maker and teacher who's mounted thousands of pairs of hinges, is your engaging guide through these questions. He'll also show you how to first fit the door to the case, how to mark and pare out the mortises quickly and precisely, and most important, how to solve the problem of a door that doesn't quite close flat against the case.