What Is a Cranked Hinge?

A cranked hinge is a type of specialty hardware that is often used to hang cabinet doors. All cranked hinges have at least one leaf that is bent at an angle, generally 90 degrees. Full-cranked units feature leafs that are both bent or angled. When the door is closed, these hinges look just like traditional butt hinges, with the pin connecting the two leafs visible from the outside. Installers who use a cranked hinge often do so because these hinges allow doors to open farther than standard hinges, and may allow up to 180 degrees of opening.

In a single or half cranked hinge, one of the two leafs is bent at a 90 degree angle, while the other remains flat. When the flat plate is installed along the edge of a door frame or cabinet frame, the cranked leaf can be installed along the edge of the door. As the door is opened, it pivots around the knuckle between the two leafs, which some refer to as cranking out. This pulls the entire door out in front of the frame and clear of the opening, resulting in more room inside the cabinet or doorway. A half cranked hinge also allows the door to open more than 90 degrees, making it well suited to pull-out shelves.

With a double or full cranked hinge, both leafs are bent at a 90 degree angle. One leaf is attached to the frame of a door or cabinet, and the other is fastened to the edge of the door. When both leafs are bent in this manner, it allows the door to pivot fully out of the opening, past the edge of the frame, and out to a full 180 degrees. This full 180 degrees of opening can be achieved even if other doors or obstructions are located nearby, as the hinges provide additional clearance to bypass these objects. This type of hinge is particularly common on European-style cabinets, which feature a door that completely covers the frame on all four sides to create a clean, modern look.

Cranked hinges are available in both self-closing and standard varieties. Self-closing models feature a built-in spring that automatically closes the door each time it is opened. Generally, each door or cabinet requires only one self-closing hinge, so that the remaining hinges are not spring loaded. These hinges can be found in many finishes to match any type of decor. For added protection against rust or corrosion, buyers should look for stainless steel, brass, or galvanized materials.