opening and swing on either surface hinges or butt hinges, Sliding doors roll on tracks of metal or plastic.

HINGES

Hinges are made in many styles and shapes. If the kind of hinge is not specified, select a design that blends well with the cabinet being constructed. Some types of hinges are the surface, butt, offset, semiconcealed, pivot, piano hinge, and the new European-style hinge.

The surface hinge mounts on the exterior surface of the door and frame. It is made straight for flush doors or offset for lipped doors. This type of hinge is used when it is desirable to show the hardware, such as early American furniture.

The butt hinge is used on flush doors when little hardware must show. When it is installed, only the pin of the butt hinge shows when the door is closed. These hinges require a little extra time to install. It is recommended that you recess or mortise the hinge into the wood.

The offset hinge is used on lipped doors that are made from plywood. The offset hinge comes in various sizes to match the thickness of the plywood and the offset hinge must be mortised, rather than surface-mounted.

The semiconcealed hinge is designed for lipped and overlapping doors. This hinge has one leaf exposed on the face of the cabinet and the offset leaf is mortised into the door. Before the door is rabbeted, check the hinge to ensure that you rabbet the door to the proper depth.

The pivot hinge is used on overlay doors. It is fastened to the top and bottom of the door and to the inside of the case. It is used frequently when there is no face frame on the case. The doors completely cover the face of the case.

The continuous or piano hinge is a one-piece hinge that usually extends the whole length of the door. It is installed like a butt hinge, and only the hinge pin is exposed. This type of hinge is used when the door is subjected to heavy use.

The European hinge can be used on overlay or flush doors and is an excellent hinge used for frameless cabinets. This hinge has two leafs - the hinge cup leaf and the adjustable leaf. The hinge cup fits into a 1 3/8-inch hole (use a forstner bit to drill hole) on the cabinet door. The other leaf is screwed to the side panel of the cabinet. This leaf has an oval adjustment screw that allows the hinge to adjust up and down while the center mechanism adjustment has two screws that adjusts the hinge left and right.

The number and size of hinges depend on the dimensions of the door. There are two rules to follow: First, on any door that is longer than 2 feet, install three hinges; second, the total length of the hinges should equal at least one sixth of the length of the hinged edge. For example, if the door is 24 inches in height, use two 2-inch hinges; if the door is 34 inches, use three 2-inch hinges. When only two hinges are required, they are usually placed one quarter of the way from the top and bottom of the door. When three hinges are required, install the first hinge in the center and the other two hinges are placed 4 to 5 inches from the top and bottom.

CATCHES

Some hinges are self-closing; therefore, they eliminate the need for installing catches to hold the door closed. Others require catches. There are many kinds of catches available for holding doors.

Catches should be placed in the most out-of-the-way position possible. For instance, they are placed on the underside of shelves instead of on top.

Magnetic catches are used widely. They are available in single or double magnets of varying holding power. An adjustable magnet is attached to the inside of the case and a metal plate to the door. Other types of catches are the roller type and the friction type.

Elbow-type catches are used to hold one door of a double set. It must be released by reaching in back of the door. These are used when one of the doors is locked against the other.

Bullet catches are spring-loaded and fit into the edge of the door. When the door is closed, the catch fits into a recessed plate mounted on the frame.

LAMINATING COUNTER TOPS

In cabinetwork, the countertops are usually covered with a 1/16-inch layer of high-pressure plastic laminate. Although this material is very hard, it does not possess great strength and is serviceable only when it is bonded to plywood, particle board, or wafer wood. This base, or core material, must be smooth and is usually 3/4-inch thick.

Plastic laminate is a very tough material. It is widely used for surfacing counter tops, kitchen cabinets, and many other kinds of cabinetwork. It can be scorched by an open flame but resists heat, alcohol,