32 mm Hole Pattern & 35 mm Cup Diameter: Understanding Hinge Compatibility

October 14, 2025

System 32 defines the standardised hole spacing of 32 mm for mounting plates in furniture making, whilst the 35 mm cup diameter is the standard dimension for drilling the hinge cup in cabinet doors. Combining these two standards ensures universal compatibility for concealed cup hinges across various manufacturers.

What exactly are System 32 and the 35 mm cup?

In professional cabinet making, concealed cup hinges / cabinet hinges are based on precise industrial standards. System 32 is an international standard for line boring along the side panels of a cabinet carcass. The distance between the centres of two adjacent holes is exactly 32 mm. The standard setback from the front edge of the cabinet side to the front row of holes is 37 mm. This grid acts as an invisible coordinate system inside the carcass, assigning an exact position to every fitting.

The counterpart in the cabinet door is the cup hole. For most standard applications, this has a diameter of 35 mm. Concealed hinges 35 mm are the industry standard for kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, and heavy furniture frontals. The depth of the drilled hole is typically between 11.5 mm and 13 mm.

Dimensions, Standards, and Typical Values

To check hinge compatibility when replacing or building furniture, three key measurements on the unit must be verified:

Cup diameter: The standard is 35 mm. Less common specialist hinges for very thin doors or lightweight furniture use a 26 mm cup.
Cup drilling pattern: This refers to the distance between the two fixing screws to the left and right of the hinge cup. Common industrial spacings are 45 mm, 48 mm, or 52 mm.
Mounting plate hole spacing: The vertical distance between the screw holes for the cruciform mounting plate on the cabinet inner wall is exactly 32 mm in accordance with System 32.

Types of Overlay and Hinge Variants

The 35 mm cup and 32 mm hole pattern form only the basic foundation. Depending on how the door sits against the carcass when closed, the crank (bend) of the hinge arm changes. The drilling and installation dimensions for the cup and mounting plate remain identical:

Full overlay: The door covers the cabinet side edge completely. Full overlay concealed hinges are used here.
Half overlay: Two doors share a single partition wall (also known as twin doors or half-cranked). Half overlay concealed hinges are the right choice.
Inset: The door sits flush inside the carcass opening. Inset concealed hinges (sometimes called concealed hinges for inset doors) are used for this setup.

Additionally, opening angles vary. A standard choice for typical furniture doors is concealed hinges / cabinet hinges 110 degrees.

Application and Selecting the Correct Fittings

When replacing worn-out hinges, measuring the cup alone is not enough. First, confirm the 35 mm cup diameter. Next, determine the screw centre distance on the cup (drilling pattern) as well as the door overlay type. Since the mounting plates inside the cabinet usually follow System 32, existing plates can often stay in the unit provided the new hinge uses the same attachment mechanism (such as clip-on technology).

When installing new hinges, many people choose concealed hinges / cabinet hinges with soft close. The hydraulic damper integrated into the hinge arm slows down the closing motion, preventing the door from slamming shut against the cabinet. Adding soft close does not alter the routing or drilling dimensions.

Related Terms

Cup hinge: The technical term for a concealed furniture hinge fitted into a pre-drilled round recess.
Cruciform mounting plate: The cross-shaped base plate screwed onto the carcass that holds the hinge arm.
Soft close: A damping mechanism that mechanically decelerates the closing speed of a cabinet door.
Crank: The bend in the hinge arm that determines the overlay type (full overlay, half overlay, inset).