Door Hinge Size Chart: Match Hinge Size to Your Door

What does a 3.5-inch hinge at 88.90 mm mean?

On the default — a 3.5-inch hinge — the millimetres are 88.90 mm and the class is residential. The millimetres are the inches times 25.4: 3.5 × 25.4 = 88.90 mm. A 3.5-inch hinge is the standard size for a home interior door — the height that spreads the door’s weight across two leaves without cutting a mortise deeper than the door edge can take. Whether that is the right hinge depends on the door — a solid-core or exterior door sizes up one row, and a cabinet door sizes down.

Three things about the model are worth stating plainly.

First, the conversion is 3.5 × 25.4 = 88.90 mm, and the class is residential — the millimetres and the class are two outputs, never the same number. Second, the meaning is 88.90 mm of hinge for a home interior door — the household standard, the middle of the 3.5–4 in residential zone, not the size of the door itself. And third, a width between rows sizes UP: 4.25 in converts directly to 107.95 mm, but the chart gives the 4.5-in row at 114.30 mm — commercial — because a hinge that is too small sags and a hinge that is too big still holds — all listed in Accuracy & limitations.

The worked example, line by line

Setup: hinge 3.5 in.

Line 1 — the millimetres. 3.5 × 25.4 = 88.90 mm.

Line 2 — the class. 3.5 in sits in the 3.5–4 in residential zone — residential.

Line 3 — the check. At 4.25 in the direct conversion is 107.95 mm, which sizes up to the 4.5-in row at 114.30 mm — commercial.

Every door hinge size in the table, checked

The table runs from 2 to 12 inches. Every width in the table sits inside one of the four classes: 2–3 in are cabinet hinges, 3.5–4 in are residential hinges, 4.5–5 in are commercial hinges and 6–12 in are heavy hinges. The classes are closed at both ends — 3.5 in is a residential hinge, 5 in is a commercial hinge and 12 in is a heavy hinge. Widths below 2 in and above 12 in match NO standard class — below 2 in the hinge is a cabinet or box hinge sized by the maker; above 12 in the hinge is a gate or industrial hinge sized by the door maker. The table is a synthesis of published door-hanging guidance for household use — a 3.5-in hinge for a standard interior door is the published standard, and the hinge roughly doubles as the door grows. Hinge size varies by door weight, thickness and use — size up one row for a solid-core or exterior door, and always check the door maker’s own table for the exact product.

No hinge page of any kind exists on this site — the closest pages are the bolt-size-chart page and the screw-size-chart page, which cover fasteners, not hinges. This page is the door hinge’s own size chart: hinge height in inches and millimetres, by class, with a live lookup that sizes up to the next row.

2 in: 2 in = 50.80 mm; cabinet — The bottom of the table, a cabinet hinge.

2.5 in: 2.5 in = 63.50 mm; cabinet — A cabinet hinge, one row above the bottom.

3 in: 3 in = 76.20 mm; cabinet — A cabinet hinge, the top of the cabinet zone.

3.5 in: 3.5 in = 88.90 mm; residential — The household standard, the middle of the residential zone.

4 in: 4 in = 101.60 mm; residential — A residential hinge, the top of the residential zone.

4.5 in: 4.5 in = 114.30 mm; commercial — A commercial hinge, the bottom of the commercial zone.

5 in: 5 in = 127.00 mm; commercial — A commercial hinge, the top of the commercial zone.

6 in: 6 in = 152.40 mm; heavy — A heavy hinge, the bottom of the heavy zone.

7 in: 7 in = 177.80 mm; heavy — A heavy hinge, one row above the bottom of the heavy zone.

8 in: 8 in = 203.20 mm; heavy — A heavy hinge, the middle of the heavy zone.

10 in: 10 in = 254.00 mm; heavy — A heavy hinge, one row below the top.

12 in: 12 in = 304.80 mm; heavy — The top of the table, a heavy hinge.

The reverses, worked backwards

Smallest table row whose width reaches 100.00 mm: At the displayed 4-in row the figures are 4 in = 101.60 mm; residential. At the 3.5-in row the figures are 3.5 in = 88.90 mm; residential — below 100.00 mm — so the 4-in row is the smallest table row whose width reaches 100.00 mm.

Largest table row whose width STAYS at or below 100.00 mm: At the displayed 3.5-in row the figures are 3.5 in = 88.90 mm; residential. At the 4-in row the figures are 4 in = 101.60 mm; residential — above 100.00 mm — so the 3.5-in row is the largest table row whose width STAYS at or below 100.00 mm.

Smallest table row that needs a residential hinge: At the displayed 3.5-in row the figures are 3.5 in = 88.90 mm; residential. At the 3-in row the figures are 3 in = 76.20 mm; cabinet — cabinet — so the 3.5-in row is the smallest table row that needs a residential hinge.

Smallest table row whose width reaches 150.00 mm: At the displayed 6-in row the figures are 6 in = 152.40 mm; heavy. At the 5-in row the figures are 5 in = 127.00 mm; commercial — below 150.00 mm — so the 6-in row is the smallest table row whose width reaches 150.00 mm.

Largest table row whose width STAYS at or below 150.00 mm: At the displayed 5-in row the figures are 5 in = 127.00 mm; commercial. At the 6-in row the figures are 6 in = 152.40 mm; heavy — above 150.00 mm — so the 5-in row is the largest table row whose width STAYS at or below 150.00 mm.

Smallest table row that needs a heavy hinge: At the displayed 6-in row the figures are 6 in = 152.40 mm; heavy. At the 5-in row the figures are 5 in = 127.00 mm; commercial — commercial — so the 6-in row is the smallest table row that needs a heavy hinge.

What the defaults assume

The defaults are a 3.5-inch hinge — 3.5 in = 88.90 mm; residential. With 2 in, 2 in = 50.80 mm; cabinet. With 2.5 in, 2.5 in = 63.50 mm; cabinet. With 3 in, 3 in = 76.20 mm; cabinet. With 3.5 in, 3.5 in = 88.90 mm; residential. With 4 in, 4 in = 101.60 mm; residential. With 4.5 in, 4.5 in = 114.30 mm; commercial. With 5 in, 6 in, 7 in, 8 in, 10 in, 12 in, 5 in: 127.00 mm — commercial; 6 in: 152.40 mm — heavy; 7 in: 177.80 mm — heavy; 8 in: 203.20 mm — heavy; 10 in: 254.00 mm — heavy; 12 in: 304.80 mm — heavy. With Width 0, 0 in = 0.00 mm; matches no standard class — no hinge at all — 0.00 mm and no class. With Width -0.5, 0 in = 0.00 mm; matches no standard class — a negative width is floored to 0.00 mm — no negative hinge. With Width 4.25 in, 4.25 in = 114.30 mm (direct 107.950 mm — sizes up to the next row); commercial — the direct conversion is 107.95 mm — it sizes up to the next row. With Width 14 in, 14 in = 304.80 mm; heavy — past the top of the table — clamped to the 12-in row with the note to size by the door maker’s table. With Width 1 in, 1 in = 50.80 mm; matches no standard class — below the smallest hinge on this chart — clamped to the 2-in row with NO class. With Width 5.5 in, 5.5 in = 152.40 mm (direct 139.70 mm — sizes up to the next row); heavy — the direct conversion is 139.70 mm — it sizes up to the next row. With Width 2 in, 2 in = 50.80 mm; cabinet — exactly on the row — the bottom of the table. With Width 3.33 in, 3.33 in = 88.90 mm (direct 84.582 mm — sizes up to the next row); residential — the direct conversion is 84.582 mm — it sizes up to the next row. With Width 9 in, 9 in = 254.00 mm (direct 228.6 mm — sizes up to the next row); heavy — the direct conversion is 228.6 mm — it sizes up to the next row. With Width 11 in, 11 in = 304.80 mm (direct 279.4 mm — sizes up to the next row); heavy — the direct conversion is 279.4 mm — it sizes up to the next row. With Width 0.05 in, 0.05 in = 50.80 mm; matches no standard class — below the smallest hinge on this chart — clamped to the 2-in row with NO class. With Width 25.4 in, 25.4 in = 304.80 mm; heavy — past the top of the table — clamped to the 12-in row with the note to size by the door maker’s table.

A note on the rounding: the millimetres are displayed to two decimals, half-up. All twelve table rows convert to exact one-decimal millimetres, so the table itself carries no rounding trap — the trap lives in the size-up edges, where a between-rows width converts to a fractional millimetre. At 4.25 in the direct conversion is 107.95 mm — it sizes up to the 4.5-in row at 114.30 mm. At 3.33 in the direct conversion is 84.582 mm — it sizes up to the 3.5-in row at 88.90 mm. At 5.5 in the direct conversion is 139.70 mm — it sizes up to the 6-in row at 152.40 mm. At 9 in the direct conversion is 228.6 mm — it sizes up to the 10-in row at 254.00 mm. At 11 in the direct conversion is 279.4 mm — it sizes up to the 12-in row at 304.80 mm. The page prints the direct conversions so the sizing up does not mislead you.

Output · formula · meaning

Who uses this

• The homeowner hanging a new interior door: they learn a 3.5-in hinge is 88.90 mm — residential — and they check the 4-in row to see the first row at or above 100.00 mm.
• The renter replacing a sagging cabinet hinge: they learn a 2-in hinge is 50.80 mm — cabinet — and they check the 3.5-in row to see the first row needing a residential hinge.
• The contractor fitting a heavy front door: they learn a 6-in hinge is 152.40 mm — heavy — and they check the 5-in row to see the last row at or below 150.00 mm.
• The student learning door hardware: they learn the hinge size is the height in inches times 25.4 — and they check the 6-in row to see the first row needing a heavy hinge.

Accuracy & limitations

The math is first-principles: the millimetres are the hinge size in inches times 25.4, and the class comes from the sized-up table row — all in inches and millimetres, the millimetres displayed to two decimals half-up. There is NO division in this calculator — nothing can be undefined — but there IS sizing up: a 4.25-in width converts directly to 107.95 mm, but the chart gives the 4.5-in row at 114.30 mm — commercial — because a hinge that is too small sags. A 3.33-in width converts directly to 84.582 mm, but the chart gives the 3.5-in row at 88.90 mm — residential. A 5.5-in width converts directly to 139.70 mm, but the chart gives the 6-in row at 152.40 mm — heavy. For widths above 12 in the core clamps to the 12-in row (304.80 mm) and reports the heavy class with a note to size by the door maker’s table; for widths below 2 in (but above 0) it clamps to the 2-in row (50.80 mm) and reports NO class. At 0 in the figure is 0.00 mm — a real figure, not undefined — and a negative width is floored to 0.00 mm. The classes are closed at both ends: cabinet 2–3 in, residential 3.5–4 in, commercial 4.5–5 in, heavy 6–12 in — so 3.5 in is a residential hinge, 5 in is a commercial hinge and 12 in is a heavy hinge. The table is a synthesis of published door-hanging guidance for household use — a 3.5-in hinge for a standard interior door is the published standard, and the hinge roughly doubles as the door grows. Hinge size varies by door weight, thickness and use — size up one row for a solid-core or exterior door, and always check the door maker’s own table for the exact product. What the model cannot do is say whether the hinge will hold your door: it says nothing about the door’s weight — whether the door is hollow-core or solid — and it says nothing about the frame — whether the frame can take the screws. Use it to pick the size — then check the bolt-size chart, screwdriver size chart and screw size chart before you buy the screws.

Frequently asked questions