Concealed Cup Hinges for XXXLutz Wardrobes: 35mm Replacement Hinges

A concealed cup hinge with a 35 mm cup diameter is the industry standard for modern furniture and serves as a direct replacement for broken hinges in common cabinets from major furniture retailers.

When a wardrobe door sags, rubs, or no longer closes properly, the issue is usually a worn-out fitting. Cabinets from large home furnishing retailers like XXXLutz use standardised hardware systems for their front panels. For the fitter or skilled DIY enthusiast, this means a broken hinge can easily be replaced with a standard replacement part, provided the technical parameters match precisely. The replacement requires no specialist knowledge, simply the accurate measurement of the existing drill holes and the determination of the correct overlay type.

The Most Important Buying Criteria for Replacement Concealed Hinges

To find the exact replacement part for a cabinet, four core technical criteria must be observed. Any deviation from these dimensions will result in the door failing to mount or adjust properly.

The Cup Diameter

The most distinctive feature of a cabinet hinge is the cup, which is recessed into a precisely routed recess on the inside of the door. One dimension has established itself across the furniture industry: Concealed hinges 35 mm are the absolute standard for wardrobes, kitchen wall units, and sideboards. Less frequently, typically for very light or small doors (such as in bathrooms), 26 mm is used. Before replacing, the diameter of the hole in the wood must be checked using a ruler or calliper.

The Overlay Type

The position of the door when closed relative to the cabinet side determines the overlay type. This is the most frequent source of error during replacement.

• Full overlay: When closed, the door sits over the side panel of the cabinet, concealing the front edge of the wood almost completely. Concealed hinges full overlay are required for this setup. The hinge arm is straight (uncranked).
• Half overlay: Two doors meet on a single central cabinet divider. Each door covers only half of the front edge of the centre partition (approx. 8 mm to 9 mm per door). Concealed hinges half overlay are used here. The hinge arm is slightly curved (half cranked).
• Inset: The door does not sit on top of the cabinet carcass side; instead, it sits flush between the side panels. The front edges of the carcass remain fully visible. Concealed hinges inset are engineered for this purpose. The hinge arm has a pronounced bend (fully cranked).

The Opening Angle

The angle indicates how far the cabinet door can open at maximum. For standard cabinet doors on wardrobes or chests of drawers, concealed hinges / cabinet hinges 110 degrees are generally sufficient. If internal drawers are fitted behind the door, the door must swing entirely clear of the internal opening width. For this, wide-angle hinges such as concealed hinges / cabinet hinges 155 degrees or even 165° are mandatory, as a standard opening angle would cause a collision between the drawer runner and the inside of the door.

The Drilling Pattern (Hole Spacing)

Alongside the 35 mm cup, the distance between the two screw holes to the left and right of the cup must match. Common spacings (drilling patterns) are 45 mm, 48 mm, or 52 mm. If this dimension does not match the replacement hinge, new holes will need to be drilled into the door.

Types and Options at a Glance

The concealed cup hinge acts as the joint of the cabinet, much like a human knee, absorbing and stabilising the weight and leverage of the door during every movement. Consequently, there are mechanical upgrades that can be considered during replacement.

With or without soft-close damping Older cabinets often feature hinges with simple sprung closing mechanisms. The door bangs audibly against the carcass. Replacing them is the ideal opportunity to upgrade to concealed hinges / cabinet hinges with damping (Soft Close). An integrated cylinder cushions the closing motion over the final centimetres and pulls the door quietly against the carcass. Important: Soft-close damping is a mechanical brake and must not be confused with push-to-open mechanisms, which are used for handleless fronts to push the door open.

Mounting plates (Cruciform mounting plate) A hinge always consists of two parts: the hinge arm (on the door) and the cruciform mounting plate (on the carcass). These plates are screwed into the system holes (frequently System 32, with 32 mm hole spacing). Modern variants utilise clip-on technology, where the hinge clips onto the plate without tools instead of being screwed down.

Which Hinge for Which Application? (Decision Guide)

Choosing the exact component depends strictly on the structural layout of the furniture piece:

• If a classic cabinet door completely covers the outer side panel of the carcass, then select a full overlay hinge with a 110° opening angle.
• If two doors share a central partition wall on a wide wardrobe, then a half overlay hinge (twin overlay) is required.
• If the door is set flush inside the carcass frame (often seen in display units or designer furniture), then choose concealed hinges for inset doors.
• If pull-outs or internal drawers are fitted behind the wardrobe door, then opt for a wide-angle hinge (155° or 165°), as the door will otherwise block the full-extension runners.
• If dealing with specialised corner units (e.g. in L-shaped kitchens), then special angles are often required. Depending on the construction, concealed hinges / cabinet hinges 45 degrees or concealed hinges / cabinet hinges 90 degrees are used here.

Installation Advice: Replacing and Adjusting a Cup Hinge

Replacing a defective hinge takes only a few minutes, provided the dimensions of the replacement part match.

Required tools:

• Cordless screwdriver or hand screwdriver with a PZ drive (Pozidriv, typically PZ2)
• Ruler or calliper

Step-by-step installation:

1. Removal: Open the door. For clip-on hinges, press the release catch at the rear end of the hinge arm and remove the door. For older models, loosen the fixing screw on the mounting plate. Next, unscrew the two cup screws in the door and remove the broken hinge.
2. Fitting: Insert the new hinge into the 35 mm hole in the door. Ensure it is aligned at an exact 90-degree angle to the door edge, and secure it with the two screws.
3. Hanging: Position the door against the carcass and place the hinge arm onto the cruciform mounting plate. Apply gentle pressure until it engages (an audible click confirms clip-on fitting).
4. Adjustment (3D adjustment): A new hinge must be adjusted to ensure the door reveals run parallel.

• Depth adjustment: Loosening the rear screw on the hinge arm allows the door to move closer to or further away from the carcass (gap width).
• Lateral adjustment: The front screw on the hinge arm moves the door to the left or right. This ensures the door does not catch on the adjacent cabinet.
• Height adjustment: This is carried out directly on the cruciform mounting plate. By loosening the mounting screws on the carcass, the entire door can be shifted up or down by several millimetres.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions about Replacement Hinges)

Can I use any 35 mm hinge as a replacement for cabinets from major furniture retailers? Yes, in most cases, the cup drill holes are standardised. However, it is essential that, in addition to the 35 mm cup diameter, the overlay type (full overlay, half overlay, or inset) matches the old hinge precisely.

What exactly does full overlay mean? Full overlay describes a setup where the closed cabinet door covers the side carcass wall almost completely when viewed from the front. The hinge used for this application is straight and has no crank on the hinge arm.

Why is my cabinet door no longer closing properly? This is usually caused by a worn tension spring inside the cup hinge or an improperly adjusted cruciform mounting plate. Re-adjusting the adjustment screws will correct misaligned gaps; if the door closes without any holding force, the hinge must be replaced entirely.

Can I easily retrofit hinges with soft-close damping? Yes, changing from standard hinges to models with integrated damping is straightforward, as long as the cup diameter and drilling pattern match. The damping mechanism is integrated directly into the hinge arm or cup and requires no extra space inside the carcass.

How do I measure the cup diameter correctly? The measurement is taken directly across the cylindrical routed recess on the inside of the cabinet door, ideally using a calliper. On standard furniture, this recess has a diameter of exactly 35 mm.

Do I also need to replace the mounting plate on the carcass when replacing a hinge? It is strongly recommended to always replace the hinge and mounting plate together as a set. The clip mechanisms and spacings from different manufacturers are often incompatible with one another, even if the hinge looks visually similar.

Matching Products & Categories

For the professional replacement and repair of furniture, suitable fittings categorised by technical specifications can be found across the following ranges:

• Concealed hinges / Cabinet hinges (Full overview of all dimensions and angles)
• Concealed hinges 35 mm (The standard for common wardrobes and kitchen units)
• Concealed hinges full overlay (For standard overlay doors)
• Concealed hinges / Cabinet hinges with damping (Soft Close) (For silent closing)