How to Adjust Cabinet Hinges: A Step-by-Step Guide

August 25, 2026

Cabinet doors that rub against one another, hang crookedly, or fail to latch flush against the carcase are common issues in both new installations and older kitchens. Over time, daily use and seasonal humidity changes cause timber and board materials to shift slightly, loosening fittings. Fortunately, modern concealed cabinet hinges—commonly known as European or cup hinges—are engineered with built-in three-dimensional adjustment. With a simple Pozidriv screwdriver and a methodical approach, you can easily square up your doors without rehanging them.

Understanding 3-Way Concealed Hinge Adjustments

Standard 35 mm concealed hinges allow adjustments across three axes: vertical (up and down), horizontal (side-to-side), and depth (in and out). Before you turn any screws, inspect the cabinet front to identify exactly where the gaps are uneven or where the doors catch.

Side-to-Side (Horizontal): Alters the gap between adjacent doors or aligns the door edges with the outer cabinet carcase.
Height (Vertical): Moves the entire door up or down to align the top and bottom edges across a run of units.
Depth (In/Out): Adjusts the gap between the back face of the door and the front edge of the cabinet frame to prevent rubbing or binding.

Step 1: Adjusting Side-to-Side Alignment

When adjusting hinge lateral movement, you will work with the front screw located directly on the hinge arm.

Locate the horizontal adjustment screw, which sits closest to the door panel on the hinge arm.
To move the top of the door to the right, turn the screw clockwise on the top hinge. To move it to the left, turn it anticlockwise.
Make small adjustments—quarter to half turns at a time—and close the door to check the reveal. Repeat the process on the bottom hinge in the opposite direction if you need to correct a diagonal tilt.

Step 2: Correcting Door Height

Vertical adjustments ensure that all cabinet doors in a run sit on an identical horizontal plane. Unlike horizontal alignment, height adjustments are made directly on the mounting plate fixed to the internal carcase wall.

Loosen the two vertical fixing screws on the mounting plates of all hinges attached to that door.
Gently slide the door up or down by hand until the top and bottom margins match the adjacent units.
Tighten the screws securely while supporting the weight of the door to prevent it from slipping out of position.

Some modern mounting plates feature a dedicated central cam screw for height, allowing you to raise or lower the door without loosening the primary fixing screws.

Step 3: Depth and Flushness Adjustments

If a door does not close fully or catches against the cabinet frame when opened, depth correction is required. The depth screw is usually positioned towards the rear of the hinge arm.

Turn the rear screw anticlockwise to release the grip, or use the built-in cam to shift the hinge arm forward or backward.
Slide the door inward to create a flush seal with the carcase, or outward if the door is binding against the unit frame.
Retighten the screw once the door opens and closes freely with an even 1 mm to 2 mm clearance gap along the front edge.

Troubleshooting Loose Fixings and Worn Screw Holes

If you find that turning a screw yields no movement, or if the mounting plate wobbles, the wood screw threads inside the carcase may have stripped. In high-use kitchens, standard chipboard screws can work loose over time. You can resolve this by replacing standard screws with slightly wider gauge repair screws, fitting threaded brass inserts, or using hinge repair plates that provide fresh anchor points directly into sound material.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which screwdriver should I use for hinge adjustment?

Always use a PZ2 (Pozidriv) screwdriver rather than a standard Phillips driver. European hinge screws are manufactured to the Pozidriv standard; using the wrong bit risks rounding off the screw heads.

Do I need to adjust both hinges equally?

For height adjustments, yes—both mounting plates must be altered simultaneously so the door remains level. For side-to-side and depth adjustments, tweaking only one hinge is often sufficient to correct a diagonal lean or localised rubbing.