Full mortise hinges have become synonymous with doors. The doors in most residential homes and commercial buildings use hinges of this type. Like all hinges, full mortise hinges consist of two leafs that are held together with a pin in the middle. One of the leafs is attached to the door, whereas the other leaf is attached to the frame. Full mortise hinges, however, f
What Is a Full Mortise Hinge?
A full mortise hinge is a type of hinge that’s designed to sit flush with both the door and the frame with which it’s used. In other words, both of their leafs are installed into a cutout. There’s a cutout on the door, and there’s another cutout on the frame. To install a full hinge, you may place the leafs in these cutouts. Once inserted into the cutouts, you can secure the leafs to the door and frame using screws
How They Work
Full mortise hinges receive their namesake by their complete or “full” mortise. Mortise means that an object, such as a hinge, sits flush with a given surface. It doesn’t protrude or otherwise stick out. Rather, it fits perfectly into a cutout to provide a flush surface. Full mortise hinges follow these characteristics by offering a flush finish.
It’s important to note that there are half mortise hinges as well. Half mortise hinges still feature two leafs that are held together by a pin. The difference is that half mortise hinges only have one leaf that’s flush. With a half mortise hinge, the leaf that’s installed on the door is placed inside of a cutout. The leaf for the frame, conversely, is placed directly on the surface of the frame. Therefore, only the leaf for the door is flush.
Benefits of Full Mortise Hinges
Why should you use full mortise hinges exactly? When used for doors, they offer a cleaner and smoother appearance that’s not found in half mortise and other types of hinges. Neither of the leafs will stick out. All full mortise hinges sit flush with the doors and frames with which they are used.
You can find full mortise hinges available in many materials. There are carbon steel full mortise hinges that are able to withstand extreme stress without sustaining damage, and there are stainless steel full mortise hinges that offer protection against corrosion. Other materials in which full mortise hinges are made include aluminum, bronze and copper.
Full mortise hinges are more difficult to install than half mortise hinges. With that said, they’ve become the preferred choice for doors. If you’re planning to install one or more doors, you may want to choose full mortise hinges.