Zanda hinges buying guide
Zanda hinges are stainless steel and brass door hinges made to match Zanda handles, in finishes that include stainless steel, satin brass, ember bronze, graphite nickel, brushed nickel, matt black and white. This collection holds Zanda butt hinges with a loose pin or a fixed pin, bearing hinges for heavier or busier doors, fast fix bearing hinges, lift off hinges and a concealed hinge with three-way adjustment rated for 60kg. This guide explains how each type works, which door each suits, how to read the sizes, how many hinges a door needs, how to choose between a loose pin and a fixed pin and how to match the finish to your handles. For hinges from every maker, see hinges, and for other door parts, see door accessories and Zanda door hardware.
What a butt hinge does
A butt hinge is two flat leaves joined by a pin. One leaf is fixed to the edge of the door and the other to the door frame, and the pin lets the door swing. It is the standard hinge for hinged doors in Australian homes. The leaves are normally set into shallow cuts in the door and frame, called rebates, so that the hinge sits flush and the door closes without a gap.
The size of the hinge is given as height by width by thickness, for example 100 by 75 by 2.5mm. The height is the length of the leaf along the door edge. The width is the overall width of both leaves and the pin when the hinge is flat. The thickness is the thickness of the metal in each leaf. A thicker leaf is stronger and suits a heavier door.
Loose pin hinges
The Zanda butt hinge with a loose pin is 100 by 75mm, in brass with an electroplated finish, offered in ember bronze and satin brass, and in stainless steel and white. It is the practical choice for doorways where occasional door removal is likely, such as maintenance access or tight installation corridors. With a loose pin design, the door can be lifted off without removing the fixings.
To remove the door, you slide the pin out of the hinge, and the leaves separate. Then the door lifts off the frame. This is useful when you paint a door, carry it through a narrow hall or replace it. The hinge suits both residential and commercial applications and comes with matching timber and metal frame screws.
Fixed pin hinges
The Zanda butt hinge with a fixed pin is 100 by 75 by 2.5mm in 304 grade stainless steel. In a fixed pin hinge the pin cannot be taken out, so the door cannot be lifted off its hinges from outside. The door cannot be lifted off from outside. That makes a fixed pin hinge the usual choice for an external door, where a removable pin would let someone take the door off its frame.
Use fixed pin hinges where the hinges face outwards or where security matters. The hinge is fixed in the same way as a loose pin hinge, with a rebate and screws, but you cannot separate the leaves. To take the door off, you remove the screws from one leaf.
Bearing hinges
The Zanda bearing hinge with a fixed pin is 100 by 75 by 2.5mm in brass with an electroplated finish. It is designed for doors that see frequent use or carry extra weight, with integrated bearings that reduce the friction that causes squeaking. It is offered in brushed nickel, matt black, white, graphite nickel, ember bronze and satin brass.
A bearing sits between the knuckles of the hinge and lets the leaves turn more smoothly. That matters on a heavy timber door, a busy family entry or a door in a house where you notice every noise. The integrated bearings give smoother, quieter operation and that the fixed pin gives added security. Use bearing hinges on solid doors, entry doors and doors that are opened many times a day.
Fast fix bearing hinges
The Zanda fast fix bearing hinge is 100 by 70 by 2.5mm in stainless steel with a fixed pin and a button head tip. Fast fix hinges are also often called hirline or quick fix hinges they give rapid installation without lowering quality or durability. It offers smooth action, and the stainless steel gives corrosion resistance.
The 70mm width is a different measurement from the 75mm of the standard Zanda butt hinge, so check the rebate in your door before you swap one for the other. The finishes include satin brass and white. Choose the fast fix hinge when speed of fitting matters, for example when you are hanging several doors and want a hinge that goes in quickly.
Lift off hinges
The Zanda lift off hinge is 100 by 75 by 2.5mm in stainless steel with an electroplated finish, in ember bronze among other colours. It is designed for doorways that may need to be opened fully without the door leaf in place, because the door lifts clear of the hinge pin when open. The hinge suits accessibility applications and frequent door removal, and the door lifts clear of the frame without removing fixings.
A lift off hinge has a handing. It is sold per hinge, as right hand or left hand, and the configuration shown is left hand. Check which way your door swings before you order. A hinge ordered with the wrong handing will not lift off in the right direction.
Because the door lifts away from the frame, a lift off hinge widens the clear opening, which helps in tight corridors and for people using wheelchairs or walking frames. It is also useful where a door has to be removed for cleaning or for moving furniture.
Concealed hinge with three-way adjustment
The Zanda concealed hinge in stainless steel is rated for 60kg. It is an invisible hinge for heavy duty doors, completely hidden when the door is closed, which gives a streamlined finish. It allows three-dimensional adjustment, in depth, vertical and horizontal, so the door can be aligned with the wall exactly, including where the door is frameless.
The hinge is 152mm long and 25mm wide, opens to a maximum of 150 degrees, is reversible for right or left hand doors and comes with self-lubricating anti-friction washers. It is fire proof and tested for 200,000 cycles. It suits a flush, frameless door in a modern interior, where visible hinges would spoil the line. The door must be prepared to take it, with a pocket in the door and the frame, so give the door maker the product page before the door is made.
Choosing a hinge for the door
Start with the position of the door. An internal door that is rarely taken off can use a loose pin or a fixed pin hinge. An internal door that you want to remove often suits a loose pin or a lift off. An external door suits a fixed pin or a bearing hinge. A heavy solid door or a busy door suits a bearing hinge. A flush frameless door suits the concealed hinge.
Then check the size. A standard internal door takes 100 by 75mm. A lighter door might take smaller hinges, but a heavier door should have the thicker 2.5mm leaf. Match the size to the rebate already cut in the door and frame, or to the one your joiner will cut.
How many hinges
Most internal doors take three hinges, one near the top, one near the bottom and one in the middle. A light, short door can take two. A tall, heavy or solid timber door benefits from three, and some heavy doors take four. Use the same type and size on every hinge of a door. The product pages sell Zanda hinges individually, so order the number you need and one spare if you like.
Spread the hinges to share the load. The top hinge carries the most pull, because the weight of the door tries to lever it away from the frame. A good fit at the top hinge keeps the door square.
Rebates and fitting
Butt hinges sit in rebates cut into the door edge and the frame. The depth of the rebate must match the thickness of the leaf, so that the hinge is flush with the surface. A 2.5mm leaf needs a deeper rebate than a thinner one. If you are replacing hinges and keeping the old rebates, choose the same height and width and a leaf that is not thicker than the old one.
The hinges come with matching timber and metal frame screws. Use the screws supplied, and fix every screw hole. Tighten evenly, and check that the door swings freely and closes without rubbing. If the door binds, one hinge is likely set too deep or too proud.
Replacing existing hinges
Take one old hinge off the door and measure it. Record the height, the overall width when flat, the thickness of the leaf and the position of the screw holes. Look at the rebate behind it. If the new hinge is the same size, it will drop into the same rebate and the same holes, and the door will hang as before. If the new hinge is wider or taller, the rebate needs cutting wider or longer, and the old holes need filling.
Replace all the hinges on a door at the same time, so the door hangs evenly. Support the door while you work, with a wedge under the bottom edge, so it does not drop when the last hinge comes off. Fit the new hinges one at a time, starting with the middle hinge, then the top and the bottom, and check the swing after each.
Hinge pins and sagging doors
A door that sags or rubs on the latch side often has a loose top hinge or worn screw holes, and not a faulty hinge. Tighten the screws. If the screws spin, replace them with longer ones that reach the stud or the solid timber behind the frame. A bearing hinge reduces wear on the knuckle, so the door sits true for longer. A fixed pin hinge holds its alignment well because there is no pin to wear loose.
For a heavy door that keeps dropping, consider adding a fourth hinge or changing to a bearing hinge with a 2.5mm leaf. Check the frame as well. If the frame has moved, a new hinge will not cure the problem, and a carpenter should look at it.
Painted doors and hinges
Fit hinges after the door and frame are painted or sealed. Paint on the pin or in the knuckle makes the hinge stiff and can lock a loose pin in place. If the hinge is already on the door, mask the knuckle and the leaf edges before painting. Remove paint from the pin with a solvent that does not harm the finish, and never scrape an electroplated surface.
A loose pin hinge makes painting simpler, since the door can come off and lie flat. A lift off hinge does the same without even removing the pin.
Choosing between brass and stainless steel
The Zanda butt hinges are made of brass in some types and stainless steel in others. The brass hinges, such as the loose pin and the bearing hinge, have an electroplated finish and suit interior doors and sheltered entries. The stainless steel hinges, such as the fixed pin, the fast fix and the lift off, suit places where corrosion resistance matters. The fixed pin hinge is 304 grade stainless steel.
If the hinge is outdoors, or in a bathroom or laundry with steam, stainless steel is the safer base. If the hinge is inside a dry room, either works. Choose by finish first, then check the base metal.
Finishes and matching handles
The product pages stress that Zanda hinges are made to match Zanda door handles. Satin brass hinges sit with satin brass handles, ember bronze with ember bronze, and so on. Where the hinge and handle come from the same maker, the finish names normally match. Where you mix makers, compare the colours in person, since the same name can differ.
The finishes in the range include stainless steel, satin brass, ember bronze, graphite nickel, brushed nickel, matt black and white. Not every type comes in every finish, so check the product page. For a door that will be seen from both sides, such as an entry door, choose the same finish on both faces, and carry it to the door stop and the lock. See door stops.
Doors for people who need more room
The lift off hinge can help where a doorway has to be as wide as possible. Because the door lifts clear when open, you can remove the leaf to widen the opening for a short time, for moving equipment or for a person who needs more clearance. It suits accessibility applications. If a doorway must meet accessibility requirements, check the requirements with your builder or designer, since the product product page alone does not set the clear width.
Caring for hinges
Wipe hinges with a soft damp cloth and dry them. Avoid abrasive pads and strong chemical cleaners, which can mark an electroplated finish. A squeak is usually dry metal. A little light machine oil or a silicone spray on the pin stops it, and bearing hinges are built to need less of this. Check the screws from time to time, since a loose screw lets the hinge move and lets the door sag.
If a door starts to drop and rub, tighten the top hinge first. If the screw holes are worn, fill them with timber dowels or longer screws into the frame.
Common mistakes to avoid
The first mistake is using a loose pin hinge on an external door. The second is confusing the 100 by 70mm fast fix size with the 100 by 75mm butt hinge. The third is forgetting the handing on a lift off hinge. The fourth is fitting too few hinges to a heavy door. The fifth is mixing finishes across hinges and handle. The sixth is ordering a concealed hinge for a door that has not been prepared for it.
A short list avoids all six: hinge type, size, handing, count, finish and door preparation.
Our recommendation
For an internal door that may need removing, choose the loose pin butt hinge. For an external or security door, choose the fixed pin hinge. For a heavy or busy door, choose the bearing hinge. For quick fitting, choose the fast fix bearing hinge. For accessibility or frequent removal, choose the lift off hinge in the right handing. For a flush, frameless door, choose the concealed hinge. Match the finish to the Zanda handle.
Check the rebate, the thickness and the count, and the door will hang straight and swing quietly.
Questions about Zanda hinges
What size are Zanda butt hinges?
The standard butt hinge is 100 by 75mm. The fixed pin, bearing and lift off hinges have a 2.5mm leaf, and the fast fix bearing hinge is 100 by 70mm.
What is the difference between a loose pin and a fixed pin hinge?
A loose pin hinge lets the door be lifted off without removing fixings. A fixed pin hinge cannot be separated from outside, so the door cannot be lifted off.
Do lift off hinges come in left and right?
Yes. They are sold per hinge as right hand or left hand.
What does the concealed hinge carry?
It is rated to 60kg, with three-way adjustment and a maximum opening of 150 degrees.
Do the hinges come with screws?
The hinges come with matching timber and metal frame screws.
