How to Hang a Ledge & Brace Door with T Hinges

What are T Hinges?
How to Choose T Hinges
Tools Required
How to Fit T Hinges to a Ledge & Brace Door
How to Fit a Ledge & Brace Door to a Frame Using T Hinges

What are T Hinges?

Named after their horizontal "T" shape, T hinges are a classic design often found in farm houses, barn conversions, and country cottages. Their popularity is rising, becoming a staple piece in more contemporary and traditional properties alike.

The length of the strap gives T hinges an excellent load capacity and looks wonderful on ledge and brace plank doors.

How to Choose T Hinges

First, you'll need to consider the size of your hinges. This depends on the size and weight of your door. Traditionally, the strap would span across 2/3rds of the width of the door, but as long as it reaches at least halfway it should be able to support the weight.

Two hinges are normally used, but if you have particularly heavy doors, you may want to add a third hinge. If you're unsure what your door needs, talk to your joiner/carpenter, or get in touch with us for more advice.

The second thing you'll want to consider is the look of your T hinges. You can choose between our three Blacksmith finishes (Black, Beeswax, and Pewter Patina) and our two signature styles (rounded Penny End and elegant Arrow Head).

Once you've selected your T hinges, you can choose a thumblatch set in a matching style and finish. Our Bean thumblatches are designed to match our Penny End hinges, and our Gothic thumblatches pair well with our Arrow Head hinges.

Tools Required

T hinges
Ledge & brace door
Tape measure
Pencil
Screw driver
Electric drill
Drill bits
Fixing screws

How to Fit T Hinges to a Ledge & Brace Door

1. Choose your T hinges

Firstly, you need to decide where you'd like your T hinges to be positioned on your door. You may choose to use two or three T hinges (or maybe more depending on the weight and size of your door). Many people choose to fit their T hinges on the ledges (horizontal planks of wood) on their ledge & brace doors, but you could also fit them above or below these points.

It's also important to consider the style and finish of your T hinges. From The Anvil's Penny End and Arrow Head T hinges are incredibly popular and can be paired with matching Bean or Gothic thumblatches, respectively. We offer these styles in Pewter, Beeswax, and Black finishes.

In this example, we've chosen to position our Pewter Penny End T hinges slightly below the horizontal braces.

2. Position your T hinges

With your door laying down, position the T hinges so that the fixing plate will be screw fitted to the center of the door jamb. Fixing the hinges to the center of the door jamb edge will give the strongest fit.

Place all your T hinges at the same time so you can envision how the door will look once fitted. When you're happy with the position of your hinges, use a pencil to mark the position of the screw holes, ensuring you don't move the hinge while marking.

3. Drill your pilot holes

Using the marks you made in the previous step, carefully drill pilot holes for all the screws. Ensure these pilot holes don't go too deep - they're only there to guide the screw into the wood. Avoid drilling all the way through to the other side of the door.

4. Fit your T hinges

With a hand-held screw driver and the screws provided with your T hinges, fit your T hinges to the surface of the door. Be careful when tightening the screws to avoid slipping and damaging the surface of the door. Also, ensure you do not over-tighten the screws.

How to Fit a Ledge & Brace Door to a Frame Using T Hinges

1. Position your ledge & brace door

With your T hinges already fitted to your door, start by holding your ledge & brace door up to the door frame. Use some sort of spacer to ensure there is enough space for the door to move on its hinges.

The position of the fixing plate should be in the centre of the door jamb. Once you're happy with the positioning of your door, mark the position of the screw holes with a pencil.