Hinges are important part of our daily lives, which demand attention owing to their utilization. Hence, their selection becomes important. In the previous article, we have discussed a few preliminary steps involved in the selection, and here we will discuss a few more in detail.

Important Tips to Select Door Hinges

The following are a few more important tips to select the hinges for your industrial and commercial doors.

Select the Right Base Material: Industrial and commercial door hinges are made of different materials. Most common ones include the following:

304 or 316 Stainless Steel: These steel varieties are corrosion resistant, durable, and have an excellent aesthetic appeal.
Carbon Steel: These steel variants have high corrosion resistance, strength, and can easily withstand heat and adverse environmental conditions.

Choose the Proper Hinge Weight: Door weight is an important consideration in hinge selection. Based on the door weight, hinges are mainly distinguished into the following types:

Heavy Weight, Ball Bearing Hinges: As the name suggests, these hinges are designed for heavy duty doors that are used in high traffic areas.
Standard Weight, Ball Bearing Hinges: These hinges are suited for medium weight doors that are used in medium traffic areas.
Residential, Plain Bearing Hinges: These hinges have thinner leaves and are suited for residential applications.
Standard Weight, Plain Bearing Hinges: These hinges are designed for lightweight doors.

Consider the Bearing Structure: Hinges are supported by various bearing structures. Most important ones among them include:

Ball Bearings (BB): Ball bearing hinges are designed to throw knuckle weight against steel raceways. Standard hinges are equipped with two ball bearings, whereas heavy duty hinges are equipped with four ball bearings. These additional bearings ensure smooth functioning of doors.
Plain Bearings: Hinges with plain bearings are used on lightweight doors used in low traffic areas. As the name indicates, these hinges use bronze bushings

Consider the Door Weight:

Consider the height to width ratio into your hinge sizing referred in our hinges as radial load.

Choose the Mounting Option: Hinges are nowadays available in various mounting configurations. These mounting configurations are decided on the basis of holes in the hinges. Some popular configurations include:

No holes for weld-on applications
Standard slots or holes
Standard countersunk holes
Custom slot sizes, holes, and patterns

Hinges with no holes are mostly welded onto the doors. These hinges are suited for applications, wherein the hinges require no maintenance or regular repairing. However, most hinges are provided with slots, holes, custom studs, or threaded inserts, which makes mounting easier. You can also consider non-standard patterns; however, they may incur additional tooling charges.

Finish Options: This is one of the most important things you would consider in a hinge. Different types of finishes help improve aesthetics as well as the performance of hinges. The following are some common finish options offered by manufacturers:

Plain
Primer
Zinc Plated
Hot Dipped Galvanized
Powder Coated
316L Type of Stainless Steel
304L Type of Stainless Steel

All the above-mentioned points will help ease your selection. If you are still confused, then it is better to approach the door hinges manufacturer whom you are considering. Kiesler Machine is one of the leading manufacturers of heavy-duty door hinges for commercial and industrial applications in the US.