Some say the hinge is one of the most important inventions second only to the wheel in everyday use. From the moment we wake up we use hinges. Hinges on the medicine cabinet and the shower door, hinges to open the refrigerator door, hinges to open your laptop and the list goes on. Nearly everything we use has some sort of a hinge. Although they are easy to over look, hinges come in an array of styles, sizes and finishes to suit your remodeling needs. Rather than trudging from hardware store to hardware store looking for the right hinge, why not shop online? It has never been easier to see the vast array of hinges that are available. From the common butt hinge to the decorative butterfly hinge the only way to see all the styles and finishes on the market is to shop online. You can browse the selection and buy your favorite hinges with the click of a button. There are several varieties of the hinge to choose from but all have some things in common. Hinges can be right or left handed based on what side of the door you are going to put them on. If you are not sure which way your hinge is handed, it is ok. They are interchangeable so you can simply flip it over to make the one you need. Hinges come in different sizes, so you would use smaller ones for a cabinet and larger ones on larger doors. But a simple rule of thumb is that if it looks big enough it will probably work. You really can’t go too small because hinges are so incredibly strong. In fact they are eight to ten times stronger than the job they are installed to do. One of the most common varieties of hinge is the butt hinge used on house doors and cabinet doors. Another type is the T- hinge. Shaped like a t it is commonly used on garage doors and chest lids and is available in decorative styles. Strap hinges are another variety. Usually used on lid that you want hinged in the center, these hinges are more functional than ornamental. Gate hinges are for gates and concealed hinges such as the Soss hinge are hidden in the door so they cannot be seen. Piano or continuous hinges are used on pianos and other such things that you want to open completely. Other hinge types wouldn’t be used in these situations because they would take away from the piece’s look. Butterfly hinges are so-called because when open they look like a butterfly. Used for decorative purposes they are especially pretty with a brass finish. The hinge is something we use every day, yet seldom think about. It can add a finishing touch to a room and really pull the look together. It has been said that beauty is in the details, and this has never been truer then with hinges. Although we take them for granted our lives hinge on hinges.