Full Overlay, Half Overlay or Inset? Cabinet Hinge Types Compared

January 22, 2026

A full overlay hinge completely covers the carcase side, a half overlay hinge shares a centre divider with a second door, and an inset hinge places the door flush inside the cabinet frame.

Choosing the correct hinge determines the function and gap alignment of a piece of furniture. Anyone planning or repairing a cabinet inevitably faces the question of which mounting type is required. The classic concealed hinge with a 35 mm cup hole diameter is the industry standard, but the geometry of the hinge arm varies significantly depending on the position of the door relative to the carcase.

This guide explains the technical differences between the three primary hinge mounting types and how hinge geometry influences cabinet construction.

What is a Full Overlay Hinge?

The full overlay hinge is the most common construction style in cabinetmaking. In this configuration, the door rests over the front edge of the carcase side panel. When closed, the front edge of the side panel (usually 16 mm or 19 mm thick) is not visible from the front, as it is almost entirely covered by the door.

Such a hinge features a straight hinge arm without any noticeable bend. In technical terms, this is referred to as a hinge with 0 mm crank. For standard carcases, full overlay concealed hinges are typically used. A typical opening angle for this standard application is 110°.

What is a Half Overlay (Twin) Hinge?

The half overlay hinge, often called a twin hinge, is used when two doors are mounted to a single central carcase partition. Since the partition (for example, 16 mm thick) must accommodate two doors, each door can only cover roughly half of the front edge.

To achieve this, the hinge arm is slightly curved. This medium crank (usually around 9.5 mm) ensures that a defined gap is maintained between both closed doors and prevents them from colliding when opened. Anyone building or fitting a cabinet wall with continuous centre partitions will require half overlay concealed hinges.

What is an Inset (Embedded) Hinge?

With an inset hinge, the door does not sit on top of the carcase edges, but lies flush within the side panels, bottom panel, and top panel. The front edges of the carcase remain fully visible when the door is closed.

In this case, the hinge arm acts like a strongly angled lever that swings the door around the inner edge of the side panel during opening. The hinge has a high crank (usually 15 mm to 16 mm). For this construction, fitters use inset concealed hinges.

Technical Differences in Detail

The choice of hinge type directly impacts drilling dimensions, mounting plates, and gap clearances. Here are the core distinguishing features:

Crank (bend of the hinge arm):
Full overlay: 0 mm (straight arm)
Half overlay: approx. 9.5 mm (slightly bent)
Inset: approx. 16 mm (strongly bent)
Gap clearance: For full overlay, only the side gap to the adjacent wall or adjoining cabinet must be calculated. For half overlay, the gap between the two doors is critical (usually 3 mm to 4 mm). For inset doors, an all-round gap of at least 1.5 mm to 2 mm must be planned so that the door does not scrape against the inside of the carcase when swinging open.
Mounting plate position: For full overlay and half overlay doors, the cruciform mounting plate is typically fitted at the standard distance (e.g. 37 mm from the front edge, System 32). For inset doors, the door thickness (e.g. 19 mm) plus the desired gap clearance must be added to the standard mounting plate setback.

Regardless of the mounting type, modern concealed cabinet hinges generally feature a cup diameter of 35 mm. Mini hinges with a 26 mm cup size are only used for very light or narrow doors. When looking for replacement hardware, the 35 mm concealed hinges category provides the standard industry size.

Which Hinge Type Should You Choose?

The decision for one of the three variants is generally made during the initial planning phase of the cabinet construction.

Choose full overlay for:

Individual standalone cabinets (e.g. bathroom cabinets, single chests of drawers).
Kitchen wall units placed side by side (where each cabinet has its own side panels).
Cabinets where the carcase edges should be hidden for aesthetic reasons. A standard model such as 110-degree concealed cabinet hinges covers 90% of these use cases.

Choose half overlay for:

Large wardrobes with continuous central divider partitions.
Multi-section office storage units.
Cost and material efficiency: material is saved because two doors share a single 19 mm panel instead of requiring two separate carcases.

Choose inset for:

Designer furniture where the carcase material (e.g. solid timber) serves as a visible frame around the door front.
Display cabinets or furniture with specialised profiled edges.
Combinations with flush fittings such as modern furniture handles to achieve a completely flat front design.

Regardless of the mounting type, selecting the right closing mechanism is also essential. Please note: soft-close (hydraulic damping during closure) is an entirely different mechanism to push-to-open (spring-assisted release for handleless fronts). Those seeking quiet operation should choose soft-close concealed cabinet hinges.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Hinge Mounting Types

How do I tell if my broken hinge is full overlay or half overlay?

Place the hinge flat on a table. If the hinge arm forms an almost straight line from the cup to the mounting plate, it is a full overlay hinge. If the arm has a distinct step (approx. 1 cm), it is a half overlay hinge.

Can I convert a full overlay door into an inset door later on?

No, this is not possible without woodworking modifications. An inset door must fit precisely inside the internal dimensions of the carcase. A full overlay door is larger in width and height than the internal opening and would have to be cut to size.

What is the standard opening angle across these hinge types?

The standard opening angle for all three hinge types is 110°. However, for specialised applications, such as internal drawers that pull out from behind a door, hinges with 155° or 165° (wide-angle hinges) are required to swing the door fully clear of the drawer path.