Picture a pair of French doors opening from a living room onto a verandah. On standard butt hinges, they swing about 90-something degrees and then stop — fouling on the architrave, jutting into the room, permanently in the way. On parliament hinges, the same doors swing a full 180 degrees and lie flat against the wall, effectively disappearing. Same doors, same frame; the only change is the hinge.
What Makes a Parliament Hinge Different
A parliament hinge (sometimes called a projection hinge) has wide leaves — often with a distinctive shaped or waisted profile — and a knuckle that projects well clear of the face of the door and frame. That projection is the entire trick.
On a standard butt hinge, the pivot axis sits almost at the door face, so anything proud of that face — architraves, skirting, wall linings — blocks the door's travel. A parliament hinge moves the pivot axis outward, away from the door, so the door arcs around those obstructions instead of into them. With sufficient projection, the door clears the architrave completely and folds back flat against the adjacent wall.
Where Parliament Hinges Belong
French doors and double doors. The classic application. Doors folded flat against the wall keep the full opening clear and make inside and outside feel continuous.
Doors opening onto verandahs, patios and decks. External doors that should sit flat against the external wall when open, rather than swinging into the traffic path.
Hallway and connecting doors. Anywhere a part-open door eats circulation space, folding it flat against the wall recovers the room.
Heritage joinery. Parliament hinges have a long history in Australian period homes, and their shaped leaves suit traditional doors — particularly in brass and bronze finishes.
Getting the Projection Right
The size you need depends on what the door has to clear. The working question is: how far does the obstruction (usually the architrave) project past the pivot line? The hinge's projection must exceed that distance for the door to fold fully flat.
In practice:
- Measure the depth of the architrave or reveal from the face of the frame.
- Choose a parliament hinge whose open width places the knuckle beyond that measurement.
- When in doubt, size up — excess projection costs nothing in function, while insufficient projection means the door still fouls and the exercise was pointless.
Parliament hinges are specified by their open width (the dimension across both leaves when flat), and larger sizes give greater projection. Check the dimensions on the specific product listing against your measured obstruction.
Parliament vs Broad Butt Hinges
These two solve overlapping problems and are often confused:
| Parliament Hinge | Broad Butt Hinge | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf shape | Wide, often shaped/waisted | Wide, square/rectangular |
| Projection | Greatest — designed for full 180° fold-back | Moderate — clears deep reveals |
| Typical use | French doors folding flat to a wall | Doors in deep-set frames and thick architraves |
| Aesthetic | Traditional, decorative | Conventional, understated |
Rule of thumb: if the goal is a door lying flat against the wall, choose parliament. If the goal is simply clearing a deep reveal so the door opens fully, a broad butt hinge often does it with a more conventional look. Our broad butt hinge guide covers that side in detail.
Installation Notes
- Load ratings matter more here. The projected knuckle gives the door extra leverage on its fixings, so respect the manufacturer's door weight guidance and use all screw holes with full-length screws into sound timber.
- Three hinges per door on full-height doors, as always.
- Check the folded position. Before final fixing, confirm the door actually clears everything through its full 180° arc — including door handles, which can hit the wall before the door does. A wall-mounted door stop positioned for the lever saves your plasterwork.
- Pairs of doors: each leaf hinges to its own jamb, folding to opposite walls — measure clearances on both sides.
Finishes
Because parliament hinges are visible in profile when the door is open, finish matters more than on a concealed butt. Brands like Tradco produce parliaments across the traditional and contemporary palette — polished and satin brass, polished and satin chrome, matt black, bronze and more — letting you match the hinges to levers and door furniture exactly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do parliament hinges work on external doors? Yes — verandah and patio doors are a core use. For outward-opening external doors, remember the knuckle sits outside, so consider security in the overall door specification.
Can I fit parliament hinges to my existing doors? Usually, yes. The leaves mortise into the door and frame edges like standard butts, though recess dimensions differ, so existing recesses may need adjustment or patching.
How much weight can they carry? It varies by size and construction — always check the specific hinge's stated capacity, and remember ratings typically assume three hinges fitted.
Why are they called parliament hinges? The name is traditional and its origin murky — the popular story links them to doors in the Houses of Parliament. What matters is the projection, not the etymology.
Prime Hardware stocks parliament hinges in traditional and contemporary finishes at primehardware.com.au and in our Annangrove showroom. Start your hinge selection with our Complete Guide to Door Hinges