Quick answer
A cabinet hinge adjustment diagram should identify three movements: side-to-side for door gaps, height for top and bottom alignment, and depth for how far the door sits from the cabinet. Identify the matching adjustment point before turning a screw.
For the frameless layout illustrated below, the front hinge-arm screw controls side adjustment, the rear arm screw controls depth, and height is adjusted at the mounting plate. The two screws securing the hinge cup to the door are not alignment controls.
Cabinet hinge adjustment diagram: the three controls
These enlarged excerpts come from the adjustment illustration published with Berta’s 110° full-overlay 3D hinges for frameless cabinets . A, B and C are the reading labels used in this article. The screwdriver in each drawing identifies the relevant adjustment point.
Tap a drawing to open the complete source image. “Front” and “rear” describe positions along the hinge arm relative to the door cup, not the left and right sides of your screen.
Match the plate as well as the hinge. The product photograph and linked installation drawing show different-looking mounting-plate details. Use these illustrations to identify the movement, then confirm the control on your installed hardware. The height methods below are alternatives—not instructions to loosen every mounting screw.
What does 3D hinge adjustment mean?
Here, 3D means three adjustment axes, not a three-dimensional rendering. “Six-way adjustable” describes movement in both directions on those axes: left/right, up/down and in/out. It does not mean six adjustment screws or six opening angles.
| Control | Door movement | Problem it addresses | Do not confuse it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · Front arm adjustment | Side-to-side | Uneven side gaps or neighboring doors touching. | The screws fixing the cup to the door. |
| B · Rear arm adjustment | In and out | A front sitting proud or too close to the cabinet. | A clip-release lever or soft-close mechanism. |
| C · Mounting-plate height adjustment | Up and down | A whole door sitting higher or lower than its neighbor. | The side-adjustment screw on the arm. |
| Cup fixing screws | Secure the hinge to the door | Loose attachment, if the screw holes and material are sound. | A fine-adjustment control. |
Need to identify the hardware first? Use the cabinet hinge types guide . Adjusting the wrong overlay hinge will not turn it into the correct one.
Before adjusting concealed hinges
Open the door and inspect the cup, arm and cabinet-side attachment. If the mounting plate moves against the cabinet, fix that attachment problem first. An adjustment screw cannot compensate reliably for loose or damaged mounting material.
Use a hand screwdriver with a tip that fits the actual screw head. Support the door whenever an adjustment involves loosening a fastening. Keep your fingers clear of the moving links and do not remove a fixing screw from an unsupported door.
Close the door gently and note what is wrong: a tapered gap, a height difference, or a front that sticks out. Photograph the starting position. This gives you a reference if a trial adjustment moves the door away from the target.
Side-to-side: fix uneven gaps and rubbing edges
On the illustrated frameless hinge, use the arm adjustment screw nearer the cup. Make a small turn, close the door gently, and compare the gap again. Reverse the adjustment if it moves the door in the wrong direction.
A gap that is wrong by the same amount from top to bottom calls for a broadly even sideways movement. Coordinate the side adjustments across the door’s hinges rather than correcting only one end.
A gap that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom calls for a different correction at the two ends. Make the smallest change at the relevant hinge and recheck the entire door. Moving every hinge equally will shift the door but will not, by itself, remove the taper.
Do not memorize “clockwise means right.” The useful direction depends on the mechanism and which side the door is hinged on. Observe the door’s response to a small adjustment. There is no verified universal turn-to-distance rule for these two Berta hinge families.
Depth: bring the door into line with adjacent fronts
Depth adjustment changes the space between the back of the door and the cabinet front. Use it when a door stands farther out than its neighbor or binds because it sits too close to the cabinet.
For the illustrated layout, identify the rear arm adjustment. Where the hinge uses a depth cam, turn that control without loosening the cup fixings. A slide-and-clamp design requires its own release-and-retighten procedure; do not apply that method to a cam hinge by assumption.
Check the front at both top and bottom. Unequal depth settings can leave one corner proud even when the center gap looks straight. Keep the clearance specified for your cabinet and hinge; pulling the door as tight as possible is not the goal.
If the door still will not close, check for an obstruction, displaced bumper, loose mounting or damaged hinge before making more adjustments. A closing problem is not automatically a failed soft-close damper.
Height: raise or lower the door without guessing
Height adjustment happens at the cabinet-side mounting arrangement. This is where generic “turn the third screw” advice often causes confusion. Check which mechanism is actually installed.
Cam-adjustable mounting plate
Use the identified height cam to move the plate and door. Keep the main fixing screws secure unless the instructions for that exact plate say otherwise. Work across the hinges to maintain a consistent door position.
Slotted mounting plate
Support the full door weight. Loosen only the specified plate fixings enough to permit movement, keeping them engaged. Reposition the door, then secure the fixings before removing support and testing.
For a whole door that sits too low, bring its hinge positions up together. On a door with more than two hinges, the intermediate hinges must accommodate the corrected position; they should not hold the door back or twist it.
If you cannot identify a height cam or an approved slotted adjustment, stop and check the supplied instructions. Do not create adjustment travel by enlarging holes or loosening unrelated screws.
A practical cabinet door alignment sequence
The sequence below is a troubleshooting workflow, not a new mounting specification. If the door is binding, restore safe movement before chasing small cosmetic gaps.
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Stabilize the hardware
Check sound fastenings and a fully engaged hinge-to-plate connection. Correct loose attachments before using the alignment controls.
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Establish the height
Align the door with the intended cabinet and neighboring fronts. Use the height method for your plate and keep the door supported where required.
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Set the side gaps
Separate an overall sideways offset from a tapered gap. Adjust the appropriate hinges in small amounts and recheck both ends.
-
Set depth and test the full movement
Align the front without removing necessary clearance. Open and close gently, inspect all edges, and confirm every fastening you loosened is secure.
Which screw should you adjust? Start with the symptom
| What you see | First adjustment to check | When adjustment may not solve it |
|---|---|---|
| Doors touch along their meeting edges | A · Side, if the overlay and hardware are correct. | Wrong door size, wrong overlay or incorrect mounting. |
| Center gap tapers from top to bottom | A · Different side correction at the relevant hinges. | A cabinet or door that is not square. |
| One whole door sits lower | C · Height across that door’s hinges. | Loose mounting, damaged fixing holes or incorrect drilling. |
| One front sits farther out | B · Depth, checked at the top and bottom. | Warped front, different bumpers or an obstruction. |
| Door binds before closing | Inspect contact; check B if the hinge-side gap is too small. | Wrong hinge geometry, a damaged part or blocked movement. |
| Door drops again after adjustment | Check fixing security and hardware condition. | Failed screw holding is a repair issue, not a cam setting. |
| Door hits a wall at full opening | Check the opening-angle and clearance solution. | 3D alignment does not set a new opening-angle limit. |
For a door that opens too far, use the hinge restrictor compatibility guide . Do not assume a restrictor for a 105° model fits a 110° hinge.
105° face-frame hinges: same movements, different hardware
Berta’s 105° soft-close face-frame hinges are listed as six-way adjustable. They are the relevant alternative for framed cabinetry, but they are not a substitute for the frameless hinge’s screw map.
The linked face-frame PDF provides overlay and mounting information; it does not supply the same three-panel adjustment illustration shown above. Confirm the controls for your selected overlay and hinge version before loosening anything.
Use adjustment for fine alignment after choosing the correct overlay. It cannot turn a hinge intended for one overlay into a substantially different overlay size.
View the Berta face-frame mounting template . For general product questions, see the Hinges FAQ.
When to stop adjusting and check the installation
Stop if a screw reaches its travel limit, spins without holding, or requires force. Also stop if the mounting area is cracked, the hinge is bent, or the door will not remain secure. More turning will not repair those conditions.
Compare the door and cabinet before replacing a working hinge. A wrong overlay, unsuitable mounting plate, inaccurate drilling or distorted cabinet can prevent alignment even when the adjustment mechanism functions.
Corner and bi-fold doors need their own hinge instructions. The ordinary 110° diagram is not a screw map for a 135° or 165° system. Use the Lazy Susan cabinet hinge guide to identify the corner hardware first.
Compare Berta’s frameless and face-frame options
Choose a replacement only after confirming cabinet construction, overlay and the hinge-to-plate arrangement. Similar appearance or the same cup diameter alone does not establish a match.
110° Soft-Close 3D Hinges
For full-overlay doors on frameless cabinets. Review the product’s adjustment illustration and match the mounting plate before installation.
Attachment: Clip-on hinge-to-plate connection
Pack: 20 hinges with installation screws
105° Face-Frame Soft-Close Hinges
For cabinets with a front face frame. Select the overlay that matches the door and verify the adjustment controls on that version.
Opening: 105°
Pack: 20 hinges with installation screws
Unsure which screw or hinge you have? Contact Berta Store about hinge compatibility with the product or order reference. Have clear photographs of the open hinge, mounting plate and closed-door gaps ready.
Frequently asked questions
Which screw adjusts a cabinet door side to side?
On the frameless layout illustrated here, use the front adjustment screw on the hinge arm, nearer the door cup. It is separate from the screws securing the cup to the door. Compare your actual hinge before using this location.
Which screw raises or lowers a cabinet door?
Height is adjusted at the mounting plate or the hinge’s specified mounting arrangement. A cam plate uses a height cam; a slotted plate uses a supported reposition-and-retighten procedure. The two methods are not interchangeable.
What is the difference between 3D and six-way hinge adjustment?
Both describe movement along three axes: height, side and depth. Six-way counts the two directions on each axis. Neither term identifies the screw layout by itself.
Should I turn the adjustment screw clockwise or counterclockwise?
Make a small controlled adjustment and observe the door. Reverse if it moves away from the intended position. Do not apply a universal “clockwise moves right” rule across different hinges or opposite-handed doors.
Should I adjust the top hinge or the bottom hinge?
For a whole-door offset, coordinate the relevant adjustments across the hinges. For a tapered gap or one proud corner, the ends may need different corrections. Check the entire door after each change.
Does a 3D adjustment screw change the soft-close speed?
The alignment controls discussed here change door position, not damping speed. Correct binding and clearance first. Only change a damper setting when the instructions for the exact hinge identify one.
Can this diagram be used for face-frame or Lazy Susan hinges?
Use it to understand the three movements, not as an exact screw map. Face-frame, corner and bi-fold hinges can use different bodies, mounting plates and adjustment mechanisms.
Bottom line
Secure the hinge first, identify the movement you need, and adjust one control at a time. Check side gaps, height and depth separately. If the door still will not align within the available travel, investigate the hardware fit and cabinet construction instead of forcing the screws.
Diagram sources and scope
Berta source illustration: The three enlarged drawings above are excerpts from the existing Berta frameless hinge adjustment image . The same adjustment page appears in the linked frameless hinge PDF . The separate door-load chart is not used as an alignment specification here.
Model information: Consult the 110° full-overlay product , the 105° face-frame product and the instructions supplied with your hardware. The face-frame template is a mounting reference, not a verified adjustment-screw map for every overlay.
General adjustment principles: Blum’s three-dimensional adjustment guidance distinguishes height, side and depth, including cam-height plate options. Schrock’s cabinet adjustment guide covers fixing checks and supported slotted-height adjustment. These explain mechanisms, not cross-brand screw positions or compatibility.
