Corner Cabinet Hinges: 135° or 45° Concealed Hinge for Kitchen Corners?

April 30, 2026

A 45° concealed hinge is used for diagonal corner cabinets, whereas a 135° concealed hinge acts as a bi-fold door hinge connecting the two door sections of an L-shaped corner cabinet.

The construction and installation of kitchen corner cabinets place high demands on hardware technology. The available space in a corner requires specific opening angles and precisely coordinated kinematics so that fronts do not collide when opened and the interior remains fully accessible. Choosing the exact matching hinge is the central element. If you choose the wrong angle, the door will either fail to close or catch against the neighbouring front when opened.

This guide breaks down the technical differences between common angled hinges and provides concrete parameters for selecting the correct fittings for diagonal cabinets, L-shaped corner units, and blind corner cabinets.

Key Buying Criteria for Corner Cabinet Hinges

When selecting specialised hinges for corner solutions, several technical parameters must be matched precisely to the carcase. A standard hinge is not sufficient here.

Opening angle and carcase angle: The nominal angle of the hinge (e.g. 45° or 135°) refers to the angle at which the closed door sits relative to the carcase side. The actual opening angle indicates how far the door swings open.
Cup diameter: The standard dimension for the cup hole in the door front is 35 mm. The drilling depth is generally 11.5 mm to 12.5 mm. For very narrow frame profiles, specialised 26 mm versions exist, though these are rare in modern kitchen construction.
Overlay type: A distinction is made between full overlay (door fully overlays the carcase side), dual overlay / half overlay (two doors share a central partition), and inset (door sits flush within the carcase). For corner cabinets, the geometry of the blanking panels determines the required overlay.
Drilling pattern: System 32 is the industry standard. The fixing holes for the cruciform mounting plate on the carcase are spaced 32 mm apart and typically sit 37 mm from the carcase front edge.
Soft-close: The integration of soft-close (damping cylinders in the hinge arm or cup) prevents the front from slamming shut. This is essential for heavy corner cabinet doors made of MDF or solid wood to protect the fittings from cracking over time.

Types and Options at a Glance: 135° vs. 45°

The geometry of the corner cabinet strictly dictates the type of hinge required. A corner cabinet behaves like a finely tuned gearbox – if one gear jams, the entire system blocks.

The 45° Concealed Hinge for Diagonal Corner Cabinets

A diagonal corner cabinet features an angled front. The carcase sides meet at a 90° angle, but the front bridges the corner in a straight, diagonal line. This creates a 45° angle between the carcase side (where the hinge is mounted) and the closed door.

This is where 45-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges are used. The hinge arm is angled so that the door maintains this 45° position when closed. When opened, the hinge typically swings through a further 95° to 110° to allow full access to the interior.

The 135° Concealed Hinge for L-Shaped Cabinets (Bi-Fold Doors)

An L-shaped corner cabinet makes use of corner space via two doors set at a 90° angle to each other that fold together upon opening. This design strictly requires two different hinge types.

The 135-degree concealed hinge / cabinet hinge is not mounted to the carcase. Instead, it joins the two door sections together. When the door is closed, the two fronts sit at a 90° angle to each other. When opened, they extend to an angle of almost 180° (or around 135° relative angle minus the pivot range) so they stay out of the way.

To attach this bi-fold door to the carcase, a wide-angle hinge is required as the primary hinge. 165-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges or 155-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges are most commonly used here. Only this extreme opening angle ensures that the folded double door swings sufficiently clear so that internal pull-outs or a corner cabinet carousel fitting (such as a carousel or Le Mans unit) can be pulled out without collision.

The 90° Blind Corner Hinge

If the corner cabinet has a fixed blanking panel and only one door closing against this panel at a 90° angle (inset), a specialised blind corner hinge is required. These are found in the 90-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges category. The cruciform mounting plate is screwed directly onto the fixed front panel rather than the carcase side.

Less common, but found in specialised room layouts (e.g. angled end units), are 30-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges. These follow the same principle as 45° hinges but cater for a shallower carcase angle.

Which Hinge for Which Application? (Decision Guide)

The correct choice depends strictly on cabinet construction:

If you have a cabinet with a single continuous, angled front across the corner, then fit a 45° hinge to the carcase side.
If you have a corner cabinet with two split doors that fold together when opened, then you need a combination: 165° (or 155°) on the carcase and 135° between the two doors.
If you have a corner cabinet with a fixed blanking panel that the door closes against, then choose a 90° blind corner hinge.
If you are planning a standard wall unit or base unit directly adjacent to the corner that swings open normally, then a standard 110-degree concealed hinge / cabinet hinge is sufficient.

Installation Guide for Corner Cabinet Hinges

Installing angled hinges requires precision, as slight misalignments in the corner immediately lead to uneven gaps.

Required Tools

Cordless drill/driver
Forstner drill bit with a 35 mm diameter
Wood drill bit (usually 5 mm for System 32 pilot holes)
PZ2 Pozidriv cross-head screwdriver
Set square and folding rule or tape measure

Step-by-Step Installation

Determine cup distance (drilling distance): The distance from the door edge to the edge of the 35 mm cup hole is usually between 3 mm and 6 mm. This value affects how far the door overlays the carcase side (full overlay).
Drill the cup hole: Using the 35 mm Forstner bit, drill the cup hole into the door. The depth must be precisely 11.5 mm to 12.5 mm. If the hole is too shallow, the concealed hinge will not sit flush; if too deep, the drill bit tip may puncture the front.
Attach the cruciform mounting plate: Mount the plate to the carcase. In System 32, the first fixing hole sits 37 mm from the front edge. For bi-fold doors (135°), the mounting plate is fitted to the rear of the first door.
Clip on and perform 3D adjustment: Modern hinges feature a clip-on mechanism. Once engaged, adjust the door alignment.

Depth adjustment: Regulates the gap between door and carcase (usually +/- 2 mm).
Height adjustment: Carried out via the cruciform mounting plate (+/- 2 mm) to bring the door level with neighbouring fronts.
Side adjustment: Alters the gap width between doors. For bi-fold doors, this is the most critical step, as the doors must neither bind nor leave an excessively wide gap when closed.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Corner Cabinet Hinges

Can I use a standard 110° hinge for a corner cabinet? No. A standard hinge is designed for a 90° carcase joint with a straight front. On a diagonal corner cabinet, the door would stand proud; on an L-shaped corner cabinet, the assembly would neither open nor close properly because the pivot points of the hinge arms are not matched to the angled fronts.

What is the difference between soft-close and push-to-open on corner cabinets? These two systems are mechanically mutually exclusive. Concealed hinges / cabinet hinges with soft-close catch the door upon closing and pull it shut gently. Push-to-open systems (tip-on), however, require unsprung hinges (without spring catch), as the door is pushed open by pressing on the front. A soft-close damper would obstruct this ejection momentum.

Why is my bi-fold door on an L-shaped cabinet not closing flush? This is almost always due to incorrect 3D adjustment or incompatible hinges. If the main hinge on the carcase does not hold the door precisely in position, the error transfers to the 135° hinge between the doors. Check the depth adjustment on both cruciform mounting plates and ensure that the gap between the two front sections is at least 2 mm to 3 mm so they do not rub against each other when folding.

What cup diameter do I need for replacement hinges? In 95% of all modern kitchen furniture, the cup hole diameter in the door is 35 mm. When replacing a damaged unit, simply measure the diameter of the round metal cup on the inside of the door.

Matching Products & Categories

To configure the correct hardware for your project, browse directly through the specific hinge categories. Ensure that the drilling pattern and overlay type match your cabinet requirements.

Overview of all variants: Concealed hinges / cabinet hinges
For diagonal cabinets: 45-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges
For bi-fold doors (door-to-door): 135-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges
For bi-fold doors (carcase mounting): 165-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges
For blind corner panels: 90-degree concealed hinges / cabinet hinges
Soft-close options: Concealed hinges / cabinet hinges with soft-close