Frameless Corner Cabinet Design and Hinge Options

Companies make hinges for frameless corner cabinets, but the cabinets need to be put together just right for the hinges to work properly. August 29, 2006

Question
My next project has an angled front corner cabinet. A recent project had three of them, but I wonder if there is a better way to build them. My concern is with the front edges of the sides and how they fit with the doors. I beveled the edges at a 45 to provide a flat surface for the doors. My Blum corner hinges didn't work as promised when I followed the directions, so I ended up inserting some blocks square to the door and attached my standard Salice 120° hinges to the blocks. I would like to avoid inserting blocks. I also don't want to have to put a spacer/scribe next to the cabinet to allow clearance for adjacent doors.

The attached picture shows how the corner cabinet is placed with a cabinet immediately adjacent. Each cabinet will have a door. Does anyone have a better solution than my previous effort? What hinges did you use and do you have guidance for mounting them? Did you bevel the edges at a 45 or leave them square?

Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor A:
Your drawing shows an error in construction for this hinge to work, which it does - and perfectly. The edge of the top and bottom of the cabinet should be flush with the side walls. Typical a 5/8 melamine corner will be 24 x 24. Cabinet sides 12"deep, you should be cutting the top and bottom 24 x 1-1/4 for side and back, = 22-3/4 x 23-3/4. Measure 12" from back on two opposing sides and cut diagonal. Your drawing shows cabinet deck flush with side walls.



From contributor B:
Our primary work is commercial cabinet do not do many corner cabinets but we have found that this configuration works the best for us. We consider this a specialty cabinet, so after that parts cut on the router they go to the SP Dept. and they put it together for us. The big reason why we do this is because we do not have to fight with 45-degree hinges.


Click here for full size image



From the original questioner:
Thanks guys. I am going with the drawing in the Blum catalog, after first modeling it with some scrap. I use e-cabinets and find it does a poor job of illustrating the assembly of these cabinets. It also makes a serious error in sizing the doors and they won’t clear adjacent doors. In the last project I had to take a 1/2" off one door after using the suggested size. I discovered this flaw during the install. The Blum catalog even tells you how to size the door.

To contributor B: I did my last set just as indicated in your reply. It was a solution that worked, but I think the corner hinge without the blocks is a little more elegant. It should be easier too. I used Salice hinges and normally do, but they don't have the drawings and directions that Blum does.



From contributor A:
The setback of 37mm for the hinge plate screws is the same for Blum and Salice. As long as you do this with a square edged panel, and not a 45 degree cut panel, any corner hinge will work. I use a thicker bumper on this door to keep it at the proper angle when closed. The built up corner is a lot of work and you lose access to the full inside of the cabinet, not to mention cutting the shelves to fit.