Measure the door’s overlap—not the hinge arm
Cabinet hinge overlay is the distance the closed door extends beyond the cabinet opening at the measured edge. For replacement hinges, record the hinge-side overlay in inches or millimeters, then match the cabinet construction, cup drilling and mounting system.
A 1/2-inch face-frame overlay is a measured size. A frameless half-overlay hinge is a shared-partition application. Those phrases do not describe the same thing, even when the hinges look similar.
Start by identifying the cabinet and its reference edge
| Construction | Reference for overlay | Replacement implication |
|---|---|---|
| Face frame | The edge of the opening in the front frame, not the outside edge of the whole cabinet. | Choose the face-frame hinge family and its required overlay dimension. |
| Frameless, single side panel | The opening edge of the cabinet side panel. | Match the hinge, plate and boring distance that create the needed coverage and reveal. |
| Frameless shared partition | Each door’s overlap onto the common partition. | A half-overlay application must preserve both doors’ clearance; it is not a fixed 1/2-inch size. |
| Inset door | Door fits within the opening rather than covering its front edge. | Do not order an overlay hinge by treating the inset reveal as an overlay. |
A concealed cup hinge is a mounting style; soft close describes the closing action. Neither tells you the overlay. Some hinge systems support more than one cabinet construction with specific mounting plates, so evaluate the complete system rather than the cup alone. Blum’s CLIP top product overview illustrates why plate selection matters; it is not an interchangeability claim for Berta hinges.
For terminology alongside this worksheet, see cabinet hinge types and mounting styles. Keep the face-frame versus frameless distinction above as the starting point.
How to measure cabinet hinge overlay
Use a rule with a clear zero point, low-tack tape suitable for the finish and a fine pencil or removable mark. Support a loose or sagging door and establish its intended aligned position first; otherwise you will copy the misalignment into the replacement measurement.
- Close the door in its intended position. Check the adjacent doors and normal reveal. Do not force a damaged hinge into a temporary position.
- Mark the door edge on tape. Place the tape on the cabinet front at the hinge side without damaging the finish. Mark exactly where the closed door’s outer edge lies.
- Open the door safely. Keep the mark and the opening edge in the same reference plane. Do not remove all hinges from an unsupported door.
- Measure from opening edge to mark. That distance is the overlay at that point—not the frame width or the door-to-door gap.
- Repeat near both hinges. Record each value and photograph the reference. A difference can indicate sag, adjustment, a non-square opening or a tapered reveal that needs diagnosis.
Do not round a questionable measurement to the nearest available hinge. First verify alignment and the measuring reference, then compare the required overlay with the exact product drawing and permitted adjustment range.
Cabinet hinge overlay sizes: inches and millimeters
These six fractions are clearly named choices in the reviewed Berta 105° face-frame selector. They are purchasing labels, not a statement that one hinge adjusts continuously across the whole chart.
| Listed face-frame overlay | Metric conversion | How to use the value |
|---|---|---|
| 3/8 in | 9.525 mm | Match a measured hinge-side overlap and the complete face-frame installation. |
| 1/2 in | 12.700 mm | Do not confuse this fraction with a frameless half-overlay hinge. |
| 3/4 in | 19.050 mm | Check adjacent-door clearance and required frame coverage. |
| 1 in | 25.400 mm | Measure from the opening edge, not the outside cabinet edge. |
| 1-1/4 in | 31.750 mm | Verify the cup and frame mounting details for this specific option. |
| 1-1/2 in | 38.100 mm | A larger overlay is not simply a wider adjustment setting on a small-overlay hinge. |
Catalog check required on the additional option: the same product’s selector says 1-5/16 inch, while its description lists 5/16 inch. These equal approximately 33.338 mm and 7.938 mm respectively—a full inch apart. Confirm the label and drawing before choosing that option; neither is treated as verified by this chart.
Use door and opening widths as a cross-check—not the primary measurement
For a single rectangular door with equal left and right overlay and no unusual rebate, a useful check is:
Example: an 18-inch door over a 17-inch opening gives 1/2 inch on each side only when the door is centered and both overlays are equal. If the door is offset, the two overlays can differ while the overall width calculation remains unchanged.
For two equal doors over one opening with no center stile, include the center gap in the width balance. Do not divide the combined excess width by four or assume a shared center partition exists. A face frame with a center stile requires each opening and door to be measured separately.
For a simple frameless shared partition, its thickness is divided between two door overlaps and the remaining central reveal. With an illustrative 18 mm partition and a 2 mm reveal, symmetrical coverage is 8 mm per door. That is arithmetic, not a hinge or drilling specification: the actual arm, plate, boring distance and door thickness still must produce the approved motion.
Record the drilling and hardware envelope
| Replacement check | Why matching overlay alone is insufficient |
|---|---|
| Cup diameter and depth | A matching diameter can still leave insufficient door thickness for the new cup depth. |
| Cup-to-edge boring distance | Changes the overlay and opening behavior for a given hinge/plate system. |
| Door-side fixing centers | Existing screw or dowel locations may differ even with a nominal 35 mm cup. |
| Plate style, height and fixing centers | Controls the mounting geometry and whether the hinge physically clips or screws on. |
| Door thickness, profile and edge shape | Affects cup clearance, minimum reveals and door movement. |
| Opening angle and nearby objects | Check handles, walls, drawers and pull-outs through the complete swing. |
| Closing action | Standard spring closing, soft close and push-to-open are different functions. |
| Door size, weight and hinge count | Use the manufacturer’s application limits, not overlay size, to establish support. |
The reviewed face-frame product lists a 35 mm cup and 11 mm cup depth. The frameless 105° full-overlay product lists a 35 mm cup and 12.5 mm depth; the 110° half-overlay product lists 35 mm and 12 mm. The half-overlay listing contains inconsistent inch equivalents, so use a confirmed metric drawing and the actual hardware—not the conflicting converted labels.
After selecting compatible hardware, use the hinge adjustment diagram to understand alignment adjustments. Adjustment is fine-tuning within a specified range, not a repair for the wrong overlay family.
Replacement hinge overlay worksheet
| Record for each door | Your measurement / identification |
|---|---|
| Cabinet construction | Face frame / frameless / shared partition / inset ____ |
| Hinge-side overlay | Upper point ____; lower point ____; units ____ |
| Door and opening | Door W × H × thickness ____; opening W × H ____ |
| Existing hinge / plate | Brand ____; stamped model ____; plate mark ____ |
| Door drilling | Cup diameter ____; depth ____; edge distance ____; fixing centers ____ |
| Cabinet fixing | Mounting plane ____; plate height ____; fixing centers ____ |
| Movement | Opening angle ____; neighboring wall / handle / drawer clearance ____ |
| Replacement evidence | Exact product / overlay option ____; matched drawing ____ |
| Before ordering | Photographs attached ____; any catalog conflicts resolved ____ |
Include one photograph of the closed door and its measured overlap, one of the entire open hinge and plate, and one close-up of any stamped code. A tightly cropped cup photo omits much of the information needed for a responsible replacement match.
Compare the correctly identified hinge family
These examples are not interchangeable. Match your measured worksheet to the exact product and plate specification.
105° Face-Frame Overlay Hinges
Face-frame family with specified overlay options and soft close. The link selects the 1/2-inch option; change it only after measuring your door.
View face-frame overlay options
105° Full-Overlay Frameless Hinges
Frameless full-overlay family. Standard spring closing, not soft close. Verify the plate and drilling before treating it as a replacement.
View full-overlay frameless hinges
110° Half-Overlay Frameless Hinges
Frameless shared-partition family with soft close. Half overlay is an application, not a 1/2-inch face-frame measurement.
View half-overlay frameless hingesKeep corner doors and restrictor clips separate from overlay selection
A folding corner door can use a door-to-door hinge as well as a cabinet-side hinge. Measuring one door’s overlay does not identify both components. Use the Lazy Susan hinge identification guide for those assemblies instead of ordering a regular overlay hinge by appearance.
A restrictor clip changes an approved hinge’s opening limit, not the overlay dimension. Read hinge restrictor clip compatibility before adding one. Browse the hinges collection only after separating construction, overlay, mounting and closing function.
Frequently asked questions
Is half overlay the same as a 1/2-inch overlay?
No. Half overlay usually describes two frameless doors sharing a cabinet partition. A 1/2-inch face-frame overlay describes a measured 12.7 mm overlap.
Does full overlay always mean one fixed size?
No. The resulting overlap depends on the hinge family, mounting plate, drilling distance, door and cabinet construction. Obtain the full-overlay measurements for the actual system.
Can I reuse an existing 35 mm cup hole?
Only after checking depth, edge distance, fixing centers, door thickness and the compatible plate. Matching the cup diameter alone is not enough.
Should I change every hinge to the largest overlay offered?
No. Overlay is a fit requirement, not a performance upgrade. A different overlay can change reveals, collisions and how neighboring doors meet.
Sources and specification checks
Berta product references: 105° face-frame hinges, 105° full-overlay frameless hinges and 110° half-overlay frameless hinges. General multi-application plate context: the Blum CLIP top overview linked above. Fractions are converted using 25.4 mm per inch; dimensional examples do not replace an approved hinge drawing.
