How to Install Butt Hinges

These butt hinges from Horton Brasses – while not the cheapest option – are always reliable and lovely. When I can’t afford the fancy forged hinges (or would rather spend that money elsewhere), I most often reach for 2-1/2″ butt hinges from Horton Brasses (item PB-409, about $42 per pair, including screws and shipping). And while butt hinges are available at any hardware store and at a range of price points (some incredibly cheap in both price and quality), I know the extruded brass Horton hinges are always exactly the same and thus interchangeable. I can use one I have on hand to lay out the mortises, and when the new set arrive, I know they’ll fit. (That, however, is perilous behavior – indulge in it at your own risk.) And I know they’ll come with the finish-matched slot-head screws I request. And no, I get no kickbacks from Horton Brasses (or anyone else). This is a more minimalist look than strap hinges of any kind, but I like the way they look, and they take up zero usable…