Adjusting Concealed Hinges: Correcting Height, Depth, and Lateral Overlay on Cupboard Doors

November 8, 2025

Adjusting a concealed hinge is carried out via three adjustment screws that correct the position of the cupboard door in terms of height, depth, and lateral overlay down to the millimetre.

A precise gap pattern is the visual and functional hallmark of quality in furniture assembly. When cabinet doors rub, catch, or hang crookedly, this is usually not due to a material defect, but rather misaligned mechanics. Due to the door's own weight, regular use, and climatic fluctuations, fixing screws can settle minimally over time.

This guide is aimed at installers and skilled DIY enthusiasts. It explains the systematic adjustment of cabinet hinges according to industry standards. The principles described apply to virtually all common fitting systems on the European market.

Key Adjustment Data:

Difficulty level: Medium
Time required: approx. 5 - 10 minutes per cabinet door
Required precision: Millimetre range (typical adjustment range: +/- 2 mm)

Required Tools and Materials

For professional adjustment, you only need minimal tools. However, choosing the correct screwdriver is crucial to avoid damaging the screw heads.

Screwdriver: A cross-head screwdriver of type PZ (Pozidriv), size 2, is strictly required. Most fitting manufacturers use PZ screws. A PH (Phillips) screwdriver will not grip optimally here and can destroy the profile of the adjustment screw.
Spirit level: To check the horizontal and vertical alignment of the cabinet carcass.
Spacers / wedges: Optional, to maintain a consistent gap (e.g. 3 mm) during assembly.
Cordless drill/driver: Use only for the initial installation of 35 mm concealed hinges into the wood. A cordless drill is unsuitable for fine-tuning the adjustment screws, as the torque is too high and can strip the delicate threads in the hinge arm.

Understanding Hinge Anatomy

Before using the screwdriver, it is important to familiarise yourself with the components. A standard concealed hinge consists of two main components:

The hinge cup: This sits in a standard drilled hole in the cabinet door. The standard diameter is 35 mm, with 26 mm being less common for smaller, lightweight doors.
The hinge arm with mounting plate: The mounting plate is screwed to the inside of the cabinet carcass. The hinge arm is slid onto this plate or clicked on via a clip mechanism.

The adjustment screws are located on the hinge arm. Depending on the manufacturer and model series, the exact position varies minimally, but the mechanical principle of concealed hinges / cabinet hinges remains identical.

Step-by-Step Guide: Adjusting Hinges

The gap pattern of a cabinet functions like clockwork: a deviation in one component carries through the entire system. Therefore, always proceed in a fixed order.

1. Preparation and Analysis of the Door Overlay Type

First, check how the door sits against the carcass. The geometry of the hinge arm determines the door overlay type, which affects the maximum adjustment range.

Full overlay: When closed, the door rests almost entirely on the side panel of the carcass. The hinge arm is straight.
Half overlay (twin door): Two doors share a single central carcass divider. The hinge arm is slightly cranked (cranked/bent).
Inset (internal door): The door sits flush with the front edge of the carcass side panels. The hinge arm is heavily cranked.

Ensure that the cabinet is completely level and plumb. A twisted carcass cannot be compensated for via the fittings.

2. Height Adjustment (Y-Axis)

If the door rubs at the top or bottom of the carcass, or if the horizontal gaps between two stacked doors are uneven, the height must be corrected.

Open the cupboard door.
Locate the fixing screws of the mounting plate on the inside wall of the carcass. These are usually two screws sitting in vertical slotted holes.
Loosen these screws on all hinges of the door in question by a maximum of one turn. Do not remove the screws completely.
Move the door vertically up or down into the desired position. The typical range of movement here is +/- 2 mm.
Retighten the screws hand-tight. Start with the top hinge to secure the weight.

3. Lateral / Overlay Adjustment (X-Axis)

If the door hangs crookedly (e.g. the gap is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom) or if the vertical gap between two doors is too large, the lateral adjustment comes into play.

Locate the front adjustment screw on the hinge arm (the screw closer to the hinge cup).
Turn this screw clockwise: the door moves towards the carcass side (the overlay increases, the gap to the adjacent door becomes wider).
Turn the screw anti-clockwise: the door moves away from the carcass side (the overlay decreases, the gap to the adjacent door becomes narrower).
The adjustment range is usually between + 2 mm and - 2 mm.

Important note for lateral adjustment: Never adjust just one hinge excessively. If the door hangs crookedly, turn the upper hinge slightly in one direction and the lower hinge in the opposite direction. This distributes the leverage forces evenly.

4. Depth Adjustment (Z-Axis)

Depth adjustment regulates the gap between the closed door and the front edge of the carcass. A correct distance (usually 1.5 mm - 2 mm) is essential so that the door does not bind (catch) against the carcass side when opening.

Depth is especially crucial with soft-close concealed hinges / cabinet hinges with damping. If the gap is too small, the damper cannot utilise its full stroke; if it is too large, the door bangs hard against the carcass before the damping engages.

Locate the rear screw on the hinge arm (often guided in a horizontal slotted hole or designed as an eccentric cam screw).
Loosen this screw slightly (with eccentric screws, simply turning it is sufficient).
Pull the door one to two millimetres forwards or push it backwards.
Retighten the screw.
Test the opening behaviour. Standard hinges, such as 110-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges, must open without noticeable resistance against the carcass edge.

Common Mistakes During Hinge Adjustment

Even with careful work, mistakes can occur that strain the material or restrict functionality.

Incorrect screwdriver drive: Using a PH screwdriver for PZ screws inevitably leads to cam-out and stripping of the screw head. Once the cross profile is rounded off, the hinge can no longer be adjusted.
Overtightening the adjustment screws: The threads inside the hinge arms are short. Forcing the screws beyond their resistance will strip the thread in the cast metal. The hinge is then defective and must be replaced.
Confusing soft-close with push-to-open: A soft-close system slows the door down during closing. A push-to-open system (tip-on) pushes the door open when pressed. These two mechanisms oppose each other. A damped hinge must not be installed in combination with a mechanical push-to-open catch, as the catch would have to overcome the closing force of the spring, leading to malfunctions.
Ignoring carcass alignment: Attempting to compensate for an unlevel cabinet solely through the hinges will fail. An adjustment range of a few millimetres is not enough to correct a carcass that is out of square by centimetres.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Fitting Hardware

Why is my door slamming shut despite having soft-close damping? If a damper is fitted but the door still slams hard, this is usually due to incorrect depth adjustment. The door is set too close to the carcass. The gas damper or fluid damper in the hinge cup therefore lacks sufficient travel to activate properly. Increase the distance to the carcass via the rear adjustment screw by approx. 1.5 mm.

What can I do if the screws have pulled out of the wood? If the mounting plate fixing screws no longer grip in the chipboard, driving the same screw back in will not help. The proper solution is to drill out the hole (e.g. to 5 mm or 8 mm) and insert a wooden dowel with glue. Once cured, the screw can be reinserted. Alternatively, specialised metal repair plates can be used.

How many hinges do I need for a door? The number depends on the height and weight of the door (usually MDF or chipboard). As a general rule of thumb:

Up to 900 mm height / 4-6 kg: 2 hinges
Up to 1600 mm height / 12-17 kg: 3 hinges
Up to 2000 mm height / 17-22 kg: 4 hinges
From 2400 mm height: 5 hinges

Can I use full overlay hinges for inset doors? No. The geometry of the hinge arm is manufactured specifically for the overlay type. A straight hinge arm (full overlay) positions the door in front of the carcass side. For inset doors, heavily cranked hinges must be used.

Related Categories for Your Project

If hinges are defective or you are planning a new piece of furniture, you will find the matching technical components in the relevant specialist categories: