Cabinet hinge guide

Cabinet hinge numbers explained

Numbers stamped into a hinge can identify a family, component, casting, manufacturing run, or an orderable part. Their meaning depends on the manufacturer and generation.

Where is the number on your hinge?

The location of a marking matters. Choose the part where you found it, then record the other evidence before ordering.

On the round cup or moving hinge arm

Treat the marking as an identification clue, not a complete orderable part number. A Blum 38N family marking does not establish the exact model, overlay or attachment. A Grass 830 cup marking alone does not identify the cabinet-side plate.

Record the complete marking and photograph the assembly. Check the cabinet side for a separate plate, then record the cup diameter, fixing-hole pattern and overlay.

On the cabinet-side mounting plate

Record the complete plate marking and where you found it. For a confirmed Grass TEC 830 installation, the old plate code and measured overlay help you consult Grass's chart. For Blum COMPACT 33, the full old plate number and whether the plate has one or two mounting holes matter.

A plate marking alone does not verify a replacement. Compare the cabinet type, fixing method, overlay and hole positions with the manufacturer's instructions.

On the original box, invoice or product documents

Documentation may contain an orderable part number. Confirm the manufacturer, complete number and suffix, and that the documents describe the hinge actually installed. Check its mounting configuration before ordering.

No readable number, or unsure which part is marked

Photograph the hinge open and closed, its cup, cabinet-side mounting and both screw-hole patterns. Record the cup diameter, overlay and existing holes when measurable. Leave unknown details unfilled; a possible family identification is not a verified replacement.

Next, record your measurements on the printable field sheet and check your evidence in the Cabinet Hinge Finder. If there is not enough documented evidence for a specific recommendation, the result can be NO VERIFIED MATCH.

Technical references: Grass replacement and plate guide and Blum identification guidance. This guide is independent of the manufacturers.

Use numbers as evidence

Search the full marking alongside measurements and brand. A number that identifies the cup arm does not necessarily specify the mounting plate, overlay, or opening angle. Record each marking in the field sheet without treating it as a verified SKU.

Example: Blum 38N

A 38N marking can help identify the COMPACT family, but it does not establish the installed orderable model. Blum's replacement guidance cautions that numbers on hinges are component numbers, not part numbers. Its current catalog lists multiple 38N overlays and screw-on, press-in and edge-mount variants. A shared 35 mm cup or 45 mm screw spacing cannot select one of those models.

For a same-model 38N direct replacement, confirm the complete order number of the installed hinge from original purchase documentation or Blum identification, then compare overlay and mounting geometry. Do not infer an old model number from a visually similar product listing. If that evidence is unavailable, the Cabinet Hinge Finder returns NO VERIFIED MATCH.

Before ordering

Verify the manufacturer’s documentation and compare the bore, hole pattern, cabinet construction and mounting geometry. A matching number alone is not proof of a direct replacement.