man with drill
A continuous hinge is a long hinge with a wide range of motion, typically used in cabinet and furniture manufacturing. Also known as a piano hinge, the continuous hinge is usually used as a single unit, spanning the entire length of a door or lid’s hinge area. Hinges come in long lengths that can be cut to size and are usually pre-drilled with evenly spaced holes along each wing. In most cases, the continuous hinge is constructed of lightweight metal with a joint and pin section that is very light relative to the wings, with heavy duty examples available when needed. Hinges are also available in a selection of plastic materials suitable for epoxy fixing instead of screws or rivets.
The continuous hinge was initially developed to provide the hinge joint on piano tops, hence its alternative name. To achieve a robust yet unobtrusive joint in this application, the hinge was designed to be lightweight, with a small center pin and gaskets that allowed the piano lid to close with a very small hinge gap, or open all the way back without affect the appearance of the cabinetry. To ensure that the hinge provided sufficient strength for the often heavy lids, it was designed to span the full length of the lid, secured at regular intervals with wood screws. The hinge was eventually adopted by cabinet and furniture manufacturers for a wide variety of low-profile applications.
Generally available in extended lengths, even coming on a roll at times, the Continuous Hinge is made of light gauge rolled steel with wide flanges relative to a relatively small cross-section of the pin and joint. In most cases, the hinge pin is little more than a core of heavy-gauge wire that stretches its full length. When a hinge is needed, the required length is measured and cut with a saw. The hinge is usually pre-drilled with a series of evenly spaced holes along each wing. The holes are often close together, so during installation the number of screws or rivets used can be adjusted to suit the application.
The small articulated section of the continuous hinge allows for excellent range of motion as well as subtle joint spaces. However, they are also available in reinforced form, in case of need. A selection of continuous acrylic or lightweight plastic hinges are also available in a wide range of colours. These hinges are generally not pre-drilled to hold screws or rivets, but are designed for use with acrylic adhesives.