155° or 165° Wide-Angle Hinge? Concealed Hinges for Cabinets with Internal Drawers

January 18, 2026

A wide-angle hinge with a 155° or 165° opening angle and zero protrusion ensures that the open cabinet door does not project into the clear opening of the carcass, allowing internal drawers to be pulled out without collision.

Anyone building or retrofitting cabinets with internal pull-outs quickly encounters a geometric problem: standard hinges usually only open the door up to an angle of 110°. In this position, the door edge still obstructs the clear internal width of the cabinet. A concealed hinge / cabinet hinge for wide angles acts as a space coordinator here, moving the door completely out of the path of the drawer.

For joiners and fitters planning larder units or wardrobes with internal drawers, choosing the correct hardware is essential. The following guide breaks down when a 155° angle is sufficient, when 165° is required, and which technical parameters must strictly be observed during installation.

Key Buying Criteria for Wide-Angle Hinges

When selecting the right hinge for cabinets with internal pull-outs, millimetres make the difference between success and failure. The following technical specifications must be clarified in advance.

Zero Protrusion

This is the crucial factor for internal drawers. A hinge with zero protrusion (often called a zero-protrusion hinge) is kinematically designed so that the door swings completely clear of the internal carcass width when opened at 90°. If protrusion were present, the door would still project several millimetres into the carcass at 90°. As a result, the internal pull-out would collide with or scratch the inside of the door when extended.

Cup Drilling and Drilling Pattern

The standard diameter for the recess routed into the door to accommodate the hinge cup is 35 mm. Concealed hinges with a 35 mm diameter are the industry standard for furniture doors made of chipboard or MDF. The drilling depth is generally between 11.5 mm and 12.5 mm. The distance between the fixing screws on the cup (drilling pattern) varies depending on the manufacturer, with distances of 45 mm or 52 mm being common.

Damping (Soft-Close)

Modern fittings feature an integrated damping cylinder in the hinge arm or cup. Concealed hinges with damping (soft-close) absorb the momentum of the closing door and pull it silently against the carcass over the final degrees of movement. Please note: soft-close must not be confused with tip-on or push-to-open mechanisms. Push-to-open systems push the door open and require unsprung hinges, whereas soft-close strictly requires a closing spring.

155° or 165° – Which Concealed Hinge for Which Application?

Both 155-degree and 165-degree hinges belong to the wide-angle hinge category. They utilise a complex multi-pivot mechanism (often designed as a seven-pivot hinge) to throw the door far outward. The choice depends on the specific installation setup.

The 155° Wide-Angle Hinge

A concealed hinge with 155 degrees is the classic choice for a standard larder unit fitted with internal drawers.

Kinematics: It is primarily engineered to ensure precise zero protrusion.
Stability: Due to the slightly smaller maximum opening angle, the hinge arm is often more compact and rigid, which is advantageous for very heavy and tall doors (e.g. 2000 mm in height).
Application: Ideal for tall kitchen units where the door does not necessarily need to fold completely flat against adjacent units, but the interior must remain 100% accessible for internal pull-out shelves.

The 165° Wide-Angle Hinge

A concealed hinge with 165 degrees opens the door even wider, positioning it almost parallel to the adjacent carcass side or wall.

Kinematics: These hinges generally provide zero protrusion as well. However, the pivot mechanism often extends slightly further into the room.
Application: Frequently used on corner cabinets in conjunction with bi-fold hinges (e.g. for carousel units), but equally suitable for cabinets with internal pull-outs. If the user requires maximum clearance in front of the open cabinet, the 165° angle is the correct option.

Selecting the Correct Door Overlay Type

In addition to the opening angle, the position of the door relative to the carcass must be determined. Trade professionals distinguish between three overlay types, achieved via different crankings of the hinge arm.

Full overlay: When closed, the door rests over the front edge of the carcass side. Only a small gap (reveal) of approx. 1.5 mm to 2 mm remains visible on the outside. A concealed hinge for full overlay with a cranking of 0 mm is used for this application.
Half overlay: Two doors share a single central carcass divider (e.g. in a continuous run of wardrobes). Each door covers only half of the front edge. A concealed hinge for half overlay features a cranking of approx. 9.5 mm.
Inset: The door sits flush inside the carcass frame; the front edges of the carcass remain fully visible. A concealed hinge for inset doors has a large cranking (approx. 16 mm to 18 mm). Note: With inset doors, the internal drawer width must be calculated to be correspondingly narrower, as the hinge and the door thickness occupy space inside the cabinet.

Installation and Adjustment in System 32

Wide-angle hinges are usually installed using a cruciform mounting plate. Professional furniture construction relies on System 32.

Dimensions: The drill holes for the mounting plate in the carcass side are spaced 32 mm apart. The standard distance from the front edge of the carcass to the front drill hole is 37 mm.
Fixing: The plates are fixed either with Euro screws (Ø 5 mm) into pre-drilled 5 mm holes or directly into the board using wood screws (Ø 3.5 mm or 4 mm, with PZ or TX drive).
Adjustment: High-quality wide-angle hinges offer 3D adjustment. Using adjustment screws on the hinge arm, the door can be precisely aligned in height (typically ± 2 mm), in depth (gap relative to the carcass), and in lateral overlay (gap width between two doors).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Wide-Angle Hinges

What does zero protrusion mean for a concealed hinge? Zero protrusion means that when the cabinet door is open at 90°, it does not protrude into the clear internal width of the cabinet carcass. The edge of the door aligns completely flush with the inside wall of the carcass. This is essential to prevent internal drawers from catching on the door when pulled out.

Can I simply replace a 110° hinge with a 155° hinge? Yes, replacement is straightforward in most cases, provided the new hinge has the same cup diameter (usually 35 mm) and the same overlay type. When replacing a concealed hinge with 110 degrees, check whether the existing cruciform mounting plate is compatible or if it should be replaced alongside the new hinge.

How many wide-angle hinges do I need per door? The required number of hinges depends on the weight and height of the door. As a technical guideline: for doors up to 900 mm in height and 4 kg to 6 kg in weight, 2 hinges are sufficient. Up to 1600 mm in height (approx. 12 kg to 17 kg), 3 hinges are required. For tall larder units up to 2000 mm in height, 4 to 5 hinges should be fitted to prevent the door from sagging.

Are wide-angle hinges compatible with all internal drawers? Generally yes, as long as the hinge guarantees zero protrusion. However, pay attention to the mounting height of the kitchen cabinet pull-outs. The runner must not be installed at the exact same height as the hinge, because the hinge arm and mounting plate take up space on the inner carcass wall. Always plan runner positions between the hinge locations.

What must the cup hole distance to the door edge be? The cup drilling distance (the distance from the edge of the door to the edge of the 35 mm hole) for wide-angle hinges is typically between 3 mm and 6 mm. The exact dimension depends on the required reveal and the carcass side thickness, and should be taken from the technical data sheet of the respective hinge.

Matching Hardware Categories for Your Project

To put these theoretical parameters into practice, you need the right hardware for your carcass construction. The following categories organise hinges according to their opening angle and specific functionality: