GUIDE 02 · REMOVING A DOOR

Take it off. Keep the fittings.

Usually, we need the bare door — not your hinges, handles or screws. First identify the hinge and photograph the fittings, so you can put everything back where it belongs.

Read the whole guide before starting

Start with the right kind of door

This guide is for an ordinary side-hung cabinet door with an identified concealed hinge. You will need a suitable hand screwdriver, removable labels, a labelled bag and a soft, flat place to put the door.

Ask for help instead of dismantling: lift-up or spring-loaded fittings, glass doors, large or heavy doors, damaged fixings and integrated-appliance fronts. If the door cannot be comfortably supported, arrange a suitable helper or professional.

Send a hinge photo for help

01. Make putting it back easy

Photograph the door closed, then open. Take clear close-ups of every hinge and its cupboard mounting plate, including model markings. Label the door’s position and its top edge. Keep the pictures with your project.

Clear the working area. Have the padded surface ready before releasing anything. Support the door throughout; do not let it hang from the last hinge.

02. Identify how it releases

Identified clip-on hinge: on the illustrated type, a small lever at the rear of the hinge arm releases the arm from its mounting plate. Support the door, release the hinges one at a time and lift it away carefully. Leave the plates attached to the cupboard.

No matching release clip? Stop here. Screw-on or slide-on systems have a different release method, and a visible screw may adjust the door rather than release it. Send us a photograph or follow the instructions for the exact hinge model. Do not force or prise the arm off.

Watch Blum’s CLIP top removal video

External manufacturer video, for Blum CLIP top BLUMOTION only. It does not cover every hinge. Nothing plays automatically.

03. Take the hinge cups off the door

Lay the removed door with its finished face on clean padding. For the ordinary screw-fixed cup shown below, remove the two retaining screws on the cup’s flange with the correct screwdriver, then lift the hinge out carefully.

Some cups are pressed into dowels, use INSERTA levers or have other fixings. They need their own release method. If you cannot identify yours, leave it in place and ask us before continuing. Do not dig around the recess or enlarge a hole.

04. Keep the hardware at home

Remove an ordinary handle only when you can safely identify and access its retaining screws. Photograph the positions first. Keep the handle, hinges and screws together in a labelled bag at home; leave the cupboard mounting plates where they are.

We normally assess the bare door. The photographs tell us about the hardware. Send a hinge or other fitting only if the consultant specifically asks for it and confirms how it should be packed.

Before you post anything: this is a preliminary service preview. No parcel is currently accepted automatically. We must first confirm that a sample is needed, provide the receiving address and agree the return of your original.

Request a sample assessment