# Vertical Opening Door Question



## MrStyle (Aug 30, 2013)

I have a set of built in cabinets that I have made that will have some small "mock drawers" ( 8 inches tall by about 30 inches wide) that will actually be doors that open vertically.










Anyone made some doors this size that and just used normal hinges that open vertically?

My question is simple - Are vertical opening hinges required? some vertical hinge examples here

I dont mind getting the verticals but figured I would avoid it if I could and is there anything else I should consider before starting on the doors?

Also - joinery might not be the best forum for this question.. but seemed like best fit for me….

Thanks


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

I am having trouble understanding your question. The link shows a wide variety of hinges, and stays. So I will try>

Are vertical opening hinges required? only if you want the door to lift up vertically, if you want it to swing open hinged at the top, you can use a variety of hinge and stay combinations.

is there anything else I should consider before starting on the doors? The spaces look small, many of those stays and vertical lift systems need a fair amount of space, and many have length requirements as well. I would look at that. Most are also set up best for overlay door systems, not inset.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I put a vertical opening door over our fridge using ordinary hinges, but I hold the door open with a homemade "lock" that didn't cost much and works really well. If you play around with an old fashioned screen door spring, you'll notice that when it's straight, you can push on the ends (toward the center) and it's stiff. That's how I hold the door in the open position. To close, simply bump it (flex it) with your hand, and ease the door down. Of course, I had to work out brackets to hold the ends without the spring interfering with itself when it's closed. Requires some playing around with the geometry to get it right. The door is small and light enough that I only needed to support it at one end. You have to find a spring of the right length and stiffness, and you have to work out your own brackets. I just happened to have stainless steel tubing of the right diameter to slip over the ends of the spring, so made the brackets out of that.

My wife thinks it's cute and always demonstrates it to visitors. It is interesting that when you lift the door full open, the spring automatically snaps into holding position.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

*Runs* Brilliant, how bout a pic of that.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

I wanna see that too! Did you think of using the spring, or had you seen it done before?


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I'll try to get some pics in the next few days. I stumbled on the idea while playing with a spring one time (don't ask), but it was several years before I had an occasion to try it out. But I doubt if I am the first one to come up with this.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Okay, me again. The spring I used was about 8" long (hard to say for sure, because I don't remember how far into the ss tubing ends the spring goes). Diameter is 7/16". For a larger, heavier door, you might want a heavier spring. Mine comes from Century Spring (you can google them), but I bought it from my local hardware store, which has an extensive offering of their products. Since a spring can fold in any direction (vertically or horizontally), it's important to have the end brackets designed so it can only fold vertically. The simple brackets I made constrain it from folding inappropriately. I happened to have the stainless tubing.

You can get both the spring and tubing from Hardware Sales in Bellingham, WA.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

that is supper sexy.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

How about the lid protectors sold at Rockler? I used them on toy boxes. Check my projects.

Edit: aren't those a little low to have vertical opening doors?


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## Yonak (Mar 27, 2014)

rws, that's pretty slick. When you described it earlier, I was envisioning the tubing was long enough to meet close to the middle and the spring only bending at the break. It looks like it works quite well. Thanks for sharing it.


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