Hinge jig

What is a hinge jig?

A hinge jig is a purpose-made template that positions your cutting or drilling tool so hinge locations are exact and repeatable. Whether you are installing a heavy entry door or hanging new kitchen cabinet doors, a jig sets the setback, depth, and spacing so the hinge seats perfectly and the door swings without binding. Most jigs are designed to work with a handheld router, power drill, or both.

Common uses and applications

• Installing butt hinges on interior or exterior doors
• Drilling cup holes for concealed European-style cabinet hinges
• Laying out evenly spaced holes for piano hinges on boxes or lids
• Replacing old hinges without shifting the door alignment
• Producing consistent results across multiple doors or cabinets

Using a jig greatly reduces measuring errors and speeds up repetitive work, especially in kitchens, built-ins, closets, and whole-house door projects.

Types and variations

• Cabinet concealed hinge drilling jigs: These align the 35 mm cup hole (and often the two small screw pilot holes) for European-style hinges. Many include an adjustable fence that sets the distance from the door edge, plus depth stops to prevent drilling through.
• Butt hinge mortising jigs: Used with a router or chisel to cut a shallow recess (mortise) so the hinge leaf sits flush in a door and its jamb. Some are fixed-size plates for common hinge sizes; others are adjustable to fit different leaf widths and heights.
• Combination door hinge jigs: Kits that position multiple hinge mortises along a full-size door. They often include spacers and templates so spacing is consistent from door to door.
• Piano hinge hole jigs: Long alignment guides that help drill straight, evenly spaced pilot holes for continuous hinges.
• DIY shop-made jigs: Simple templates made from plywood or MDF for one-off projects. These work well if you only need a specific hinge size but require careful setup.

Materials range from plastic to aluminum or steel. Premium jigs add micro-adjustment, anti-slip pads, clear scales, and bushings that guide the router bit or drill.

How to choose the right hinge jig

• Match the hinge type: Pick a concealed hinge jig for Euro hinges and a mortising jig for butt hinges. One jig rarely does both well.
• Confirm size compatibility: Check hinge leaf size, radius or square corners, and for cabinet hinges, the cup diameter (commonly 35 mm; some small hinges use 26 mm) and door thickness.
• Look for depth control: Depth stops on drill jigs and fine depth setting on routers protect against blow-through.
• Check adjustability and scales: Clear markings for setback from the edge, hinge spacing, and metric/imperial scales make repeat work easier.
• Consider tool compatibility: For router jigs, verify guide bushing size and baseplate compatibility. For drill jigs, confirm bit size and whether a self-centering bit fits.
• Build quality: Rigid bodies, non-marring pads, and secure clamps help maintain accuracy over time.

How to use a hinge jig

Always test on scrap of the same thickness first, mark a reference face, and wear eye and hearing protection.

Concealed cabinet hinges (35 mm cup) with a drilling jig

1. Mark door orientation and hinge side. Most doors use two hinges; tall or heavy doors may need three.
2. Set the jig setback: Many manufacturers specify the distance from the door edge to the cup hole center, often 3–5 mm. Check your hinge spec.
3. Set drill depth: Typical cup depth is about 12–13 mm for 18–19 mm doors. Leave enough material so you do not break through the face.
4. Clamp the jig: Ensure it seats flush against the door edge and lies flat on the face.
5. Drill the cup with a sharp 35 mm Forstner bit: Keep the drill perpendicular and clear chips often. Stop at the set depth.
6. Drill pilot holes for the two small mounting screws using the jig’s guides or a self-centering bit.
7. Test fit the hinge: The cup should be snug and flush with the surface. Make minor setback tweaks if needed before repeating on the rest.

Butt hinges on a door and jamb with a router mortising jig

1. Lay out hinge positions: A common guide for interior doors is top hinge about 7 in (180 mm) down from the top, bottom hinge about 11 in (280 mm) up from the bottom, and a third hinge centered between or roughly 9 in (230 mm) below the top hinge for tall or heavy doors. Follow your local standard or hardware instructions.
2. Set hinge size in the jig: Adjust for leaf width and height. Verify whether your hinge has square or radius corners.
3. Set router depth: Match the mortise depth to the hinge leaf thickness so it sits flush.
4. Clamp the jig: Align it to your layout marks and secure firmly to prevent creep.
5. Rout the mortise: Use a sharp straight bit with the guide bushing specified by the jig. Make shallow passes to reduce tear-out.
6. Square the corners if needed: If your hinge has square corners, pare them with a sharp chisel.
7. Transfer locations to the jamb: Use the mounted hinge on the door as a reference or repeat the same jig settings on the jamb.
8. Drill pilot holes: Use a self-centering bit to avoid skewing the hinge.

Care and maintenance

• Keep surfaces clean: Vacuum dust and wipe resin from faces and fences so the jig registers flat.
• Inspect fasteners: Tighten thumbscrews, depth stops, and clamps before each session.
• Replace worn bushings or sleeves: Sloppy guides lead to oversized mortises or misaligned holes.
• Store flat: Avoid warping of plastic or wood jigs by keeping them flat and out of heat.
• Sharpen or replace bits: A crisp router bit or Forstner bit cuts cleaner and reduces heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Drilling the cup hole too deep and breaking through the door face.
• Using the wrong setback for a concealed hinge, causing doors to rub or misalign.
• Forgetting to mirror left and right doors and drilling on the wrong edge.
• Routing a butt hinge mortise too deep so the hinge binds.
• Not clamping the jig securely, which lets it drift during a cut.
• Skipping pilot holes, leading to screws that wander or split the wood.
• Ignoring corner style on butt hinges (square vs radius) and not matching the mortise.

Related terms

• Butt hinge
• Concealed hinge (European hinge)
• Mortise
• Forstner bit
• Guide bushing
• Self-centering drill bit (often called a Vix bit)
• Template guide
• Router baseplate

Practical examples

• Kitchen refresh: You are converting face-frame cabinets to soft-close concealed hinges. A 35 mm hinge jig lets you drill consistent cup holes with the correct setback across 20 doors in an afternoon.
• Interior door replacement: Using an adjustable mortising jig and router, you cut crisp, flush recesses for three 3.5 in butt hinges per door, then transfer the same layout to the jambs for a clean fit.
• Toy chest with a piano hinge: A hole-spacing jig helps you align and drill a straight row of pilot holes so the continuous hinge sits flat and the lid opens smoothly.
• Gate repair: A simple shop-made plywood jig guides your router to refresh worn butt hinge mortises, keeping the existing reveal and latch alignment intact.