Heritage Brass Hinges: The Complete Guide to Brass Door Hinges by M.Marcus

Supplied by Trade Door Handles, trusted UK supplier of architectural ironmongery since 1976, with quick nationwide delivery.

Brass hinges do more work than any other piece of door hardware, yet they are usually the last thing chosen. Choose the right brass hinges and a door swings smoothly and closes squarely for decades; get them wrong and you end up with sagging doors, squeaks and worn frames. At Trade Door Handles we offer the full range of M.Marcus and Heritage Brass door hinges, and in this guide our trade counter team explains how to choose, size and fit them.

M.Marcus is a British manufacturer based in Dudley, trading since 1940 and selling under the Heritage Brass name since the 1980s. Its Heritage Brass hinges are true solid brass hinges, and its Steel Line range adds stainless steel options, so between the two you can match almost any door, finish or budget. You can browse every style in our Heritage Brass hinges and M.Marcus hinges collections.

Many budget hinges are pressed steel with a thin plated coating. Once that coating wears through, the steel underneath rusts and can stain the door. Solid brass hinges are different: the hinge body is brass, which contains no iron and cannot rust.  The colour you see is still a finish - chrome and nickel finishes are plated onto the brass, bronze and antique finishes are applied to it, and polished and satin brass are protected with lacquer - so the surface can wear over time, but what is underneath stays sound.  That is why solid brass is the first choice for period properties, oak doors and restoration projects. If you want bare brass with no coating at all, choose natural unlacquered brass, which ages to a warm patina.

• Solid brass - traditional brass hinges with a rust-free brass body, finished by plating or lacquer in nine finishes, or left as natural unlacquered brass.
• Stainless steel - harder wearing and very low maintenance, ideal for busy family homes, rentals and commercial doors.
• Plated steel - the cheapest option; once the plating wears, the steel core can rust.

If you want stainless steel strength with a warmer look, the Steel Line range is also finished in satin brass, matt bronze, antique and matt black.

Use this quick comparison to narrow down which Heritage Brass hinges suit your door before reading the detail below.

Hinge type	Best for	Sizes	Door weight
Extruded brass butt hinge	Cupboards, wardrobes, light internal doors	2 to 4 inch	Light
Steel washered hinge	Everyday internal doors on a budget	3 x 2, 4 x 2 3/8 inch	Light to medium
Double phosphor washered hinge	Quality internal doors	3 x 2, 4 x 2 5/8, 4 x 3 inch	Medium to heavy
Ball bearing (thrust bearing) hinge	Front doors, oak and hardwood doors	4 x 3, 4 x 4 inch	Heavy
Parliament hinge	Doors that must clear deep architraves	4 x 2 x 4, 4 x 3 x 5, 4 x 4 x 6 inch	Medium to heavy
Cabinet hinge	Furniture, boxes, display cabinets	1 and 1 1/2 inch	Very light
Steel Line 4 x 3 fire door hinge	FD30 and FD60 fire doors	4 x 3 inch	Heavy

Our Heritage Brass butt hinges collection brings every door hinge in the range together. Here is what each type of these brass hinges does.

The classic plain option among brass hinges, formed from a solid extruded brass section with crisp square edges. Extruded brass hinges suit lighter doors, cupboards and joinery where an authentic traditional hinge is wanted.

The trade favourite among brass hinges for quality internal doors. Two phosphor bronze washers sit between the knuckles, so the leaves never grind together and the door stays quiet and tight for years. The double phosphor washered hinges come in the heavy HG99 series, with leaves up to 4.2mm thick, and the lighter PR88 series. For a lower cost alternative, the steel washered hinges use a single steel washer.

For heavy oak, hardwood and front doors, Heritage Brass ball bearing hinges carry the weight of the door on thrust bearings with a hardened steel pin. They give the smoothest action and the longest life of any Heritage Brass hinges, in 4 x 3 and 4 x 4 inch.

Also known as projection hinges, parliament hinges are brass hinges that throw the door forward so it can open a full 180 degrees and fold back flat against the wall, clearing deep architraves, panelling, shutters and window reveals. The third figure in the size, such as the 6 in 4 x 4 x 6, is the overall open width - the larger it is, the greater the clearance.

Fine furniture deserves proper solid brass hinges rather than thin pressed ones. Choose brass cabinet hinges in 1 and 1 1/2 inch, or see every small brass hinge up to 2 1/2 inch. Where the knuckle is on show, finial hinges add a decorative period cap.

Steel Line stainless steel hinges are the M.Marcus choice when durability or fire performance matters more than solid brass hinges can offer.

The Steel Line 3 x 2 ball bearing hinge has twin bearings for a silent action on internal doors, cupboards and wardrobes. It is not fire rated.

The Steel Line 4 x 3 fire door hinge is a heavy gauge stainless steel ball bearing hinge for fire doors. Fit three per door with intumescent hinge pads - 1mm for FD30 and 2mm for FD60 doors.

The coloured Steel Line hinges give you a satin brass, matt bronze, antique or matt black look with a stainless steel core.

Sizes are given as height x open width, so a 4 x 3 inch hinge is 4 inches tall and 3 inches across when opened flat. When choosing brass door hinges, work through these steps to find the right brass hinges first time:

1. Check the door thickness - 35mm doors usually take 3 inch hinges and 44mm doors take 4 inch.
2. Consider the weight - solid timber and oak doors need washered or ball bearing brass hinges.
3. Decide how many - two for light internal doors, three for heavy, external and fire doors.
4. Look at the surround - deep architraves or reveals call for parliament hinges.
5. Match the finish to your door handles and accessories.

Most internal doors are hung on 3 inch or 4 x 2 5/8 inch brass hinges. Browse our Heritage Brass internal door hinges or shop by size with 3 inch door hinges and 4 inch door hinges.

Heavy external doors need three 4 inch washered or bearing hinges, and solid brass hinges will not rust outdoors, although the plated or lacquered finish will weather over time. See our front and external door hinges and the popular 4 x 3 hinges. For a full checklist of what an external timber door needs, read our front door hardware guide.

After decades of advising joiners and homeowners in Kendal and Carlisle, these are the points that save the most trouble when fitting brass hinges.

A common rule of thumb is to set the top hinge about 150mm down from the top of the door and the bottom hinge about 225mm up from the bottom. On heavy or external doors, add a third hinge centrally or just below the top hinge, which carries most of the load. On fire doors, always follow the door manufacturer's positions.

• Measure the old brass hinges open flat - height and open width - and note the leaf thickness, so your new brass hinges fit the existing recess.
• Check the corners: most hinges are square, but machine-cut frames sometimes need radius corners.
• Use brass screws with brass hinges, as steel screws can rust and discolour the finish.
• Replace all the brass hinges on a door at the same time so they share the load evenly.

A squeak usually means metal is rubbing on metal. A drop of light oil on the pin often cures it, keeping it off lacquered surfaces. If the squeak keeps returning, the hinge is worn, and swapping to double phosphor washered or ball bearing brass hinges is the lasting fix.

Heritage Brass hinges are available in polished brass, satin brass, antique brass, matt bronze, satin nickel, polished nickel, polished chrome, satin chrome and natural unlacquered brass, so you can match your brass hinges to every other piece of ironmongery on the door. To care for lacquered brass hinges, wipe them with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth only and avoid metal polish, which breaks down the lacquer. Polished nickel and natural brass are living finishes that develop a gentle patina, and any lacquered finish used outdoors will weather over time, especially near the coast. If you want brass hinges that look better with age, natural unlacquered brass is the one to choose.

Brass hinges are only part of the job. For internal doors you may need bathroom turn and release sets, door bolts and push plates; for front doors, door knockers, escutcheons, letter plates, bell pushes, numerals and centre door knobs. You will find all of these in our Heritage Brass door furniture accessories range, in finishes to match your brass hinges.

Trade Door Handles is part of T.H. Wiggans Ironmongery Ltd, supplying architectural hardware since 1976 - a 50 year legacy trusted by the trade and public. Our Kendal branch has served South Cumbria, North Lancashire and West Yorkshire since 1976, and our Carlisle trade counter and showroom, opened in April 2026, serves Carlisle, West Cumbria and South Scotland. Both showrooms carry a large Heritage Brass display, so our team handles these brass hinges every day.

We stock over 30,000 products and supply architects, builders, joiners, developers, homeowners, schools, hospitals, hotels and local councils across the UK. More than just door handles.

Ready to choose your brass hinges? Browse our full hinges range or call into our Kendal or Carlisle showroom for expert advice on Heritage Brass hinges and the complete M.Marcus range.