Buying Guide · April 2026
If you've ever shopped for concealed cabinet hinges and wondered what "35mm cup" means, whether your cabinets have it, and what happens if they don't — this guide answers all of that, clearly and completely.
What is a hinge cup?
A hinge cup (also called a hinge bore or hinge pot) is the circular recess drilled into the back face of a cabinet door to house the barrel of a concealed (Euro-style) hinge. It's the round hole the hinge "snaps into."
When you look at a European-style soft close hinge, one end has a round metal dome — that's the cup. It sits inside the drilled recess and is held in place by a small screw or snap-in clip. The other end — the mounting arm — screws into the interior wall of the cabinet box.
Key definition
The hinge cup is the part of the hinge that goes into the door. The mounting plate is the part that screws into the cabinet box. Together they form one complete concealed hinge.
Cross-section of a concealed hinge: the cup sits inside the door, the arm connects to the mounting plate on the cabinet box.
Why 35mm? Where did this standard come from?
The 35mm diameter became a global industry standard in the 1960s, pioneered by Austrian hardware manufacturer Blum. As European-style concealed hinges spread worldwide, cabinet makers and manufacturers universally adopted this single dimension — making the system interchangeable across brands.
The practical benefit is significant: a 35mm cup hole drilled for one hinge brand will accept hinges from virtually any other. Whether you're buying Furniware, Blum, Grass, or Salice, they all use the same 35mm cup. You're never locked into a proprietary system.
The universal standard
35mm diameter, 12.5–13.5mm deep. These two dimensions define hinge cup compatibility. If your existing holes match these, you can swap to any modern concealed hinge without re-drilling.
How to tell if your cabinets already have 35mm cup holes
Before ordering new hinges, check whether your cabinet doors already have 35mm cup holes. Here's how:
Open a cabinet door and look at the back face. If you see a round circular recess — not a flat surface with a hinge screwed directly onto it — you almost certainly have a 35mm cup hole.
Measure the diameter. Use a tape measure across the widest point of the hole. It should measure approximately 35mm (about 1-3/8 inches). Significantly different? You may have an older non-standard system.
Check the depth. Insert a pencil and mark how deep it goes. Standard depth is 12.5–13.5mm (about 1/2 inch). Shallower holes from older hinges may not seat a modern hinge cup correctly.
Look at your existing hinge. If it has a round dome on the door side, it's a cup hinge. The cup diameter is usually stamped on the arm — "35" or "Ø35."
Pro tip
Hold a US quarter next to the hole. A quarter is 24mm wide. The cup hole should be noticeably wider. If it's roughly the same size, you might have a 26mm system — found in some older European imports.
What drill bit do you need for a 35mm cup hole?
You need a 35mm Forstner bit. This specialized flat-bottomed bit bores clean, flat-floored holes — exactly what a hinge cup requires. Spade bits and hole saws will not work: they leave rough edges and incorrect depth profiles that prevent the hinge from seating properly.
| Bit type | Works? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 35mm Forstner bit | Yes | Flat bottom, clean edges, precise depth. The only right tool. |
| Spade bit | No | Rough, uneven floor — the hinge cup won't sit flat. |
| Hole saw | No | Cuts through the material — you need a recess, not a through-hole. |
| Standard twist bit | No | Wrong profile and size — creates a tapered, pointed-bottom hole. |
| Hinge boring machine | Yes | Used in cabinet shops. Consistent production results, overkill for DIY. |
Drilling tips for a clean cup hole
- Drill perfectly perpendicular to the door face — an angled bore will cause the hinge to hang crooked.
- Set depth stop to 12.5mm (about 1/2 inch). Going deeper weakens the door and can break through.
- Drill at 1,000–1,500 RPM. High speed burns the wood and roughens the edges.
- Mark the centre point with an awl before drilling to prevent the bit from wandering.
- For MDF or particle board, use a sharp bit and go slow — these materials tear out easily.
What types of hinges use a 35mm cup?
Virtually all modern concealed (Euro-style) cabinet hinges use a 35mm cup. The cup size never changes — what changes is the arm geometry, which determines overlay and opening angle.
By overlay
- Full overlay — door fully covers the cabinet face frame. Common in frameless (European) cabinets.
- Half overlay (1/2") — door covers half the frame. Used when two doors share one center partition.
- 3/4" overlay — the most common size in American face-frame kitchens.
- Inset — door sits flush inside the opening. Different arm geometry, same 35mm cup.
By function
- Soft close — hydraulic damper slows the door in the last 15°. Same 35mm cup.
- Self-closing — spring-loaded, no hydraulic dampening. Same 35mm cup.
- Wide angle (170°) — for corner cabinets. Same 35mm cup.
- Push-to-open — no handle needed. Same 35mm cup.
The bottom line
The 35mm cup hole is universal across hinge types and functions. Once you have the hole, you can install any style or brand of concealed hinge — soft close, standard, wide angle — without re-drilling.
What if your hole is the wrong size?
Hole is too small (26mm or 32mm)
Found in older European imports. Two options: re-drill with a 35mm Forstner bit centered on the existing hole (the larger bore cleanly covers the old one), or source specialty legacy hinges — limited availability and more expensive.
Hole is too large (rare)
Fill with a wood plug and wood glue. Let cure for 24 hours, then re-drill a clean 35mm bore.
Hole depth is too shallow
Carefully extend the depth with a 35mm Forstner bit, checking frequently. You're working close to the original material — go slowly.
Before you re-drill
Confirm your overlay size first. The cup centre is typically 22.5mm from the door edge for a standard 3/4" overlay setup. Mark carefully before boring.
Frequently asked questions
Do all soft close cabinet hinges use 35mm cups?
Yes — virtually all modern soft close concealed hinges use a 35mm cup. The soft close mechanism is built into the arm, not the cup, so the cup size stays at 35mm regardless of function.
Can I use any brand's hinge in a 35mm hole?
Yes. The 35mm standard is cross-brand compatible. Furniware, Blum, Grass, Salice, Häfele — any concealed hinge labeled "35mm cup" will fit. You may need to reposition the mounting arm if swapping brands on existing cabinetry.
What's the difference between a 35mm cup and a "boring hole"?
They're the same thing. "Boring hole," "hinge bore," "hinge pot," and "cup hole" all refer to the 35mm drilled recess. "Boring" is simply the technical term for drilling a flat-bottomed hole.
How far from the door edge should I drill the cup hole?
The standard centre-to-edge distance is 22.5mm from the door edge to the cup centre. This works for most overlay sizes. Always check the hinge spec sheet — some brands specify slightly different inset values.
My door is only 16mm thick. Can I still drill a 35mm cup?
It's tight. Standard cup depth is 12.5mm, leaving only 3.5mm of material — risky on thin doors. Look for a hinge with a "shallow cup" at 11mm depth, or choose a surface-mount cup style for very thin doors.
Do I need a jig to drill accurate cup holes?
For a single door: a centre-punch mark and a drill press is enough. For multiple doors: a hinge-boring jig (under $30) ensures consistent placement across all doors. Cabinet shops use dedicated boring machines for production volume.
Ready to upgrade your cabinet hinges?
Furniware's 4D adjustable soft close hinges fit standard 35mm cup holes — and install in under 3 minutes per hinge.