A fits hinge is a traditional hinge by which a door or window is hung in a frame, made up of two loose halves connected by a central pin. The fits hinge — known in English as a lift-off hinge or paumelle — is related to the paumelle and bommer hinge. The hinge makes it easy to lift the door out of the frame.
Build-up
A fits hinge consists of two parts:
- Door leaf — screwed onto the door, with a hollow sleeve
- Frame leaf — screwed onto the frame, with an upright pin
- Pin — forged element over which the door’s hollow sleeve fits
By lifting the hollow sleeve of the door over the pin on the frame, the door hangs in the hinge. When removing the door it is simply lifted out of the hinge.
Application
Lift-off hinges are mainly used for:
- Classic internal doors — in listed houses and churches
- Exterior doors with classic appearance — country houses, farms, garden houses
- Shutters — for large stable shutters and gates
- Restoration — replacing original hardware
- Garden doors and gates — especially in rural style
Pros and cons
Pros
- Easy to remove door — handy when moving, painting
- Classic appearance — suits older architecture
- Robust — forged versions last centuries
- Easy to maintain — pin can be greased
Cons
- Burglary risk — outward-opening doors can be lifted off
- Possible draught gap — not always a perfect seal
- Screw fixing — old frames may pull out screws
Security
To prevent burglary by lifting off the door, with lift-off hinges these accessories are common:
- Hinge bolt — fixed pin in the frame that locks into the door
- Anti-snap cylinder — for modern cylinder locks
- Three-point lock — a lock engaging at top, middle and bottom
In modern new builds, butt hinges or mortise hinges are preferred because they offer better burglary resistance.
Related terms
- Paumelle
- Bommer hinge
- Mortise hinge
- Hardware
- Hinge bolt
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