Concealed Hinges Suitable for IKEA Ivar Cabinets: Choosing Hinges for Wooden Doors Correctly

A concealed hinge is a hidden cabinet hinge anchored via a 35 mm cup hole in the door that allows three-dimensional adjustment.

If you want to fit doors to shelving units or cabinets made of solid wood, such as the models in the IKEA Ivar series, or replace existing fittings, you must pay attention to the exact technical specifications of the hinges. Solid wood behaves differently from laminated chipboard, and choosing the wrong fitting leads to jamming doors or torn-out screws. This guide explains the technical criteria for selecting compatible hinges for wooden doors.

Key Buying Criteria for Hinges on Solid Wood Doors

When choosing fittings for un-drilled wooden doors or replacing defective hinges, exact dimensions are strictly necessary.

• Cup diameter: The standard for cabinet doors is 35 mm. Smaller variants with 26 mm are only used for very light or narrow frames. For solid pine doors, concealed hinges with 35 mm are strictly required to support the door's own weight safely.
• Cup depth: The drilled hole in the wood must generally be 11.5 mm to 12 mm deep. The door thickness should therefore be at least 15 mm to 16 mm so that the drill bit point does not break through the front face.
• Drilling pattern: The distance between the fixing screws on the hinge cup is usually 45 mm, 48 mm, or 52 mm. When installing onto new solid wood, this plays a minor role as the holes will be drilled from scratch anyway.
• Fixing method: For solid wood, screw-on hinge cups are used. Fixing is carried out with wood screws (drive PZ or TX, diameter 3.5 mm to 4 mm). Pre-drilling with a 2 mm wood drill bit prevents the pine from splitting.

Overlay Types: How the Door Sits on the Carcase

The position of the door when closed defines the required crank (bend) of the hinge arm. There are three basic construction types that are not interchangeable.

Full Overlay (Surface-Mounted Door)

With full overlay, the door sits completely in front of the carcase side panel. Viewed from the front, the carcase side is not visible or only minimally visible (as a narrow gap). The hinge arm on this variant is straight; it features no cranking. This mounting type is chosen when a single cabinet is closed with doors. Suitable hardware can be found in the category for full overlay concealed hinges.

Half Overlay (Twin / Dual Overlay Door)

The half overlay is used when two doors are mounted to a single, central carcase dividing wall. Each door covers the front edge of the side panel by only half (approx. 7 mm to 9 mm) so that both doors can open without collision. The hinge arm is slightly cranked for this purpose. For such constructions, half overlay concealed hinges are the technically correct choice.

Inset (Internal Door)

With an inset mounting, the door does not sit on top of the carcase side, but sits flush between the side panels. The front edges of the cabinet carcase remain fully visible from the front. The hinge arm is heavily cranked. If you want to install doors flush into a shelving frame, you require inset concealed hinges. Alternatively, these are also referred to as concealed hinges for inset doors.

Opening Angle and Soft-Close: Mechanics in Detail

In addition to positioning on the cabinet, the mechanics in the joint determine convenience and accessibility.

The Right Opening Angle

• 110° Standard: For conventional cabinet doors, an angle of 110° is the technical standard. It allows convenient access to the cabinet interior. 110-degree concealed hinges cover around 80 % of all applications.
• 155° / 165° Wide Angle: If internal drawers or pull-outs are to be installed behind the wooden door, the door must swing completely clear of the internal cabinet space. For this, hinges with an opening angle of 155° or 165-degree concealed hinges are strictly required. These so-called wide-angle hinges or zero-protrusion hinges prevent the full-extension runner from colliding with the open door.

Mechanics: Soft-Close

A hinge with integrated damping decelerates the door gently like a shock absorber in a car before the wood strikes the carcase. The damping cylinder absorbs the kinetic energy and closes the door silently over the final centimetres. On solid wood doors, which have a higher dead weight than chipboard, this significantly reduces mechanical stress on the cruciform mounting plate in the carcase. Corresponding concealed hinges with soft-close are the standard for modern furniture design. Important: Soft-close must not be confused with tip-on (push-to-open). A damped hinge pulls the door closed, whereas push-to-open systems push the door open and require un-sprung/undamped hinges.

Which Hinge for Which Case? (Decision Guide)

• If you want to fit a wooden door flush inside a shelving bay, then choose a hinge for inset mounting.
• If the door should cover the cabinet side panels from the front, then you need a hinge for full overlay.
• If you are lining up multiple cabinet units and attaching two doors to one central divider, then reach for half overlay.
• If you are planning internal drawers behind the door, then fit a wide-angle hinge with 155° or 165°.

Installation Notes for Un-Drilled Wooden Doors

Installing concealed hinges in untreated or varnished solid wood requires precise tools.

Required Tools:

• Cordless drill/driver
• Forstner drill bit (35 mm)
• Wood drill bit (2 mm) for pre-drilling
• Set square and folding ruler
• Screwdriver (PZ2 or TX)

Drilling Procedure:

1. Marking: Mark the centre of the hole on the inside of the door. The standard distance (cup margin) from the edge of the door to the edge of the 35 mm hole is usually 4 mm to 5 mm. The centre of the hole is therefore located exactly 21.5 mm to 22.5 mm from the door edge.
2. Drilling: Position the 35 mm Forstner bit exactly perpendicular. Drill to a maximum depth of 12 mm. When working with soft pine, use high rotational speed and light pressure to prevent tearing the wood fibres.
3. Fitting: Insert the hinge cup, align it at a 90-degree angle to the door edge, and mark the two fixing holes. Pre-drill these with the 2 mm bit to a depth of about 10 mm.
4. Adjustment: After clicking the hinge arm onto the cruciform mounting plate in the carcase, proceed with 3D alignment. Use the front screw on the hinge arm to adjust the lateral side gap. The rear screw regulates depth, and the mounting plate screws define the height.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many hinges do I need per door?

For wooden doors up to 900 mm in height and weighing up to 7 kg, two hinges are sufficient. For doors up to 1600 mm in height (approx. 13 kg), three hinges are required. For tall cabinet doors up to 2000 mm (approx. 17 kg), four hinges must be fitted to prevent the timber from warping.

What does System 32 mean in cabinet making?

System 32 is an international standard in cabinet construction. It describes a continuous line of holes in the carcase sides with an exact hole spacing of 32 mm and a diameter of 5 mm. The mounting plates of concealed hinges are standardised to this grid dimension and can be fixed directly there using Euro screws.

Why is the wooden door rubbing against the carcase?

This is usually due to incorrect gap adjustment. If the door rubs against the carcase on the handle side, the front adjustment screw on the hinge arm (overlay adjustment) must be turned clockwise. This moves the door away from the carcase side.

Can I retrofit hinges with soft-close damping?

Yes. If the existing mounting plates are to remain screwed inside the cabinet, you must ensure that the new hinges with integrated soft-close come from the same manufacturer and use the same clip system. Alternatively, the complete concealed hinge / cabinet hinge including the mounting plate can be replaced, provided the 35 mm cup diameter matches.

Suitable Categories for Your Project

To find the right hardware component for your solid wood projects, navigate directly to the specific fittings. Correct mechanics are crucial for the longevity of cabinets. When purchasing, always pay attention to the combination of overlay type, opening angle, and cup diameter.