Aventos are Blum lifting mechanisms that provide a high level of convenience when using upper kitchen cabinets. The special design of the fittings allows you to effortlessly open even the heaviest facades.
These lifts are also distinguished by the fact that freedom of movement and useful space in the kitchen are not constrained by unnecessary structural elements and do not clutter up the space above the hostess’s head. What positive qualities does the Blum lifting mechanism have, as well as how to simply, quickly and correctly adjust it with your own hands, we will consider further.
VIDEO: Installation of AVENTOS HF
Please review the Video to further understand the installation process.
How to install Aventos HF? Everything is quite simple. We will walk you through the installation step by step from design to adjustment. In general, no special knowledge, skills or craftsmanship is required. Essentially, installing an HF lift is like a child's Lego set. If you follow the instructions, everything will work out. We have creatively revised the BLUM installation instructions and believe that this information is quite sufficient, however, if you are in doubt or the information is not enough, use the official BLUM catalogue. Our prices for Aventos HF
What types of canopies are there for cabinets, and how to adjust them? Expert advice on selection and installation
There have always been problems with hanging kitchen cabinets. In particular, this concerned the horizontal level, which was difficult to maintain using conventional hinges. But more recently, a solution has emerged that can save us from all the existing problems with hanging cabinets - adjustable canopies.
A simple and at the same time effective method will facilitate the installation process.
Agree that the modern mount looks much nicer and neater
Cabinet hanging mechanisms
Initially, furniture was mounted on the wall using nails or screws. The disadvantage of fasteners is their fragility and fragility. The cabinet could collapse at any moment. This is especially dangerous for glass doors on modern headsets. But such canopies are still used today.
Classic hinges
This is a pendant in the form of metal plates 1.5-2 mm thick. They are attached directly to the wall using a regular or L-shaped self-tapping screw (crutch) screwed into a dowel.
There are several types of loops available:
- Simple pendants differ in the location of the mounting hole: at the top and in the center. The most aesthetically pleasing devices are those with a pear-shaped groove in the middle. They are not visible after installation. But this complicates the installation: when hanging a cabinet, you have to aim for a long time to get onto the suspension. Attached to vertical racks, designed for cabinets with a small load. When the groove is located at the top, it is easier to install furniture. The number of holes for self-tapping screws can reach 5, versus 2 for hinges with central fastening. They can withstand furniture with greater load. Screw to the sides of the cabinet.
- The corner canopy is non-adjustable - bolted to the top shelf of the box and to the wall. There are no installation problems, but the suspension is visible from both sides. The shape allows the cabinet to be hung close to the wall or moved away.
- P-shaped - screwed onto the box with self-tapping screws in 2 places: the upper horizon and the vertical post. This allows you to strengthen the structure through screeding. The time required to draw markings is reduced, since the horizontal position of the cabinet can be adjusted.
It is impossible to combine aesthetics and ease of installation of furniture hinges. Either they attach easily and stick out on the wall, or they are not visible, making them difficult to hang.
Mounting strip
Modern suspensions are easy to attach and easily move in the horizontal and vertical plane. The adjustment block is attached to the side panel of the cabinet through 2 through holes.
There are mechanisms designed for different capacities. The maximum load on weak suspensions is 35 kg, on reinforced ones - 130. A fixing hook comes out of the block.
To attach it, you need a strip that is mounted directly to the wall.
Advantages of adjustable hangers:
- a single strip on which the cabinet is supported is more reliable than a point fastening with screws;
- Possibility of hanging alone;
- adjusting the cabinet relative to the wall and floor;
- no strict requirements for marking - an error of 1.5 cm is allowed;
- Possibility of attaching to a kitchen apron.
Adjustment and Leveling
At this stage, you need to work at the construction level - determine the correspondence of the frame parts to the door leaf. To do this, the level is applied to 3 planes - to the two sides and to the front. They should be as even as possible. That is, there should be no gaps or deviations between the frame and the door leaf.
Alignment begins with adjusting the vertical gap. To do this, pressing the facade against the frame, tighten the fixing screws on the strip. Then close the door and check the possible angles of inclination with a building level.
By adjusting the screws, all gaps between the facade and the frame are eliminated. For example, if the upper corner is tilted to the right, tighten the screws on the upper hinge and loosen the screws on the lower one.
Then they begin to adjust the doors according to their height. Two self-tapping screws located on the “ears” of the strike plate are responsible for this. To begin with, loosen the screws on all hinges, raise or lower the canvas (depending on the situation). Then tighten the screws until they stop, holding the facade in the desired position.
If the door does not press well against the frame body or when pressed the opposite side bounces off, then adjustment of the hinges along the plane is also necessary. To do this, tighten the adjusting bolts located on the bar.
Hanging height
Consider the distance from the countertop to the bottom of the cabinet. Minimum – 45 cm, average – 90 cm. At a height of 110 cm, hang only one shelf.
You can also use the formula:
H=h1+h2+h3-45mm, where the letters are the height:
- H – from the lower stop (table top, floor) to the bar;
- h1 – furniture above which the box is hung;
- h2 – kitchen apron;
- h3 – wall cabinets.
Subtract 45 mm from the resulting sum of all heights - this is the standard indicator of suspension shrinkage.
Focus on the height of people who most often use things from the closet. The optimal distance would be when a person reaches with an outstretched arm to the top shelf and takes the item without the risk of dropping it. But also leave enough space above the countertop.
- Standard parameters of a kitchen set
- Expert opinion
- Bashir Rabadanov
- Technologist at the furniture company Woodband
Installation of AVENTOS HF power mechanisms.
First, we install the power mechanisms on the cabinet body. It doesn’t matter what kind of facades you have, MDF, aluminum frames or something else.First you need to drill two holes with a diameter of 5 mm and a depth of at least 5 mm. This is done in order to fix the Aventos HF mechanism.
The red in the figure shows the protruding edges, which will fit into the drilled holes.
Let's start marking the holes. kH is the height of the cabinet, H is the distance from the top edge of the cabinet, which is what we need. If the body height is from 480 to 549 mm, then H is calculated using the formula:
H=kHx0.3-28mm,
if the body height is from 550 to 1040 mm, then according to the formula:
H=kHx0.3-57mm
Example:
Let’s say our case height is 720 mm, so we calculate using the second formula.
H=720×0.3-57=159 mm
All dimensions are ready, now we drill holes, fix the mechanism and screw in the 4th self-tapping screw with a diameter of 4 mm and a height of 35 mm.
Show prices for Aventos HF
Advantages of lifting elements for kitchen cabinets
The Bloom mechanisms have the following positive qualities:
- Ease of use. These devices are designed to not in any way restrict the freedom of movement of a person working in the kitchen. During the cooking process, you can leave the front open and not worry about it falling on the owner’s head, because Blum Aventos provides reliable fixation.
- Easy to open and quiet during the process. Easy opening plus silent closing of the facade doors is achieved through the functioning of the built-in BLUMOTION shock absorption system.
- Multifunctionality. Thanks to the SERVO-DRIVE and TIP-ON motion technology, opening facades without handles becomes comfortable.
- Possibility of stopping the shelf door in any position. A power mechanism that works smoothly and is adjusted to the weight of the façade allows such manipulation to be carried out regardless of the position of the element.
- Unity of design between lower cabinets and upper cabinets. The presence of horizontal gaps determines the appearance of the furniture and should never be cut with vertical “slits”. When using Blum Aventos lifting mechanisms, you can choose the appropriate position to match the appearance of both upper and lower cabinets.
Installation of top strikers.
We install counter strips on the cabinet ceiling. The strike plate is what the top front hinge is snapped onto and secured to (Clip top 120° hinge without spring). This counterplate is the same as for attaching the levers, but more on that below.The 175H5400 strike plate is installed regardless of the type of façade, MDF, aluminum, etc.
The position of the striker along the width of the cabinet will depend on the addition of holes for the hinge cup on the facade; there are no special standards here; either measure these dimensions on the facade or ask the facade manufacturer.
If you have completed this task, let's move on to installing strikers on the facades.
Our prices for Aventos HF
Tandemboxes have a modern design, but metaboxes are outdated
Metaboxes have the same type of appearance, regardless of the size range - they have ribbed metal sides, mostly white, cream, and less often gray. All this, of course, is already outdated and, as you understand, there is only one design option.
| Rice. 6. What is called the traditional design of the sides of metabox drawers |
Blum has options for increasing the height of the side walls using rails, as well as using Boxside. There are solutions for the sink drawer using, among other things, the mentioned add-ons for the side walls of the guides.
| Rice. 7. Increasing the height of the side walls of metaboxes using Boxside and rails |
| Rice. 8. Again Boxside and metaboxes for the drawer under the sink, this solution is also possible |
Tandem boxes have many design options, the sides of the drawers are different, but the guides are the same
Installation of strikers on wide facades.
Wide facades are MDF, chipboard, solid wood facades, wide aluminum frames. Installation of strikers for such facades group 1 the same as in the previous section. Note that the positions of resp. strips along the width of the facade depend on the addition of holes for the hinge cup.The second group of reps. The slats are a mount for the HF lift levers. Let's count them. All strike plates are of the same type - 175H5400.
Let's first calculate X using an example. Let's assume cabinet height KH = 720 mm. Then, according to the table at the bottom of the figure, X = 47 mm. This X dimension is set off from the center line of the lower façade.
Difficulties usually arise when calculating the position from the edge of the facade.
SFA is the overlay of a façade on a side wall. Let's look at it with an example.
Let’s say the width of the case is 600 mm, then the width of the facade is 596 mm (but it can be different!), the thickness of the case wall is 18 mm (but it can be different!), then the overlap of the facade on the side wall will be 16 mm. This is SFA.
SFA= Cabinet wall thickness - (Cabinet width - Front width)/2
Then b = SFA + 12.5
For our example it will be 28.5 mm
Difficulties usually arise when calculating the position from the edge of the facade.SFA is the overlay of a façade on a side wall. Let's look at it with an example.
Let’s say the width of the case is 600 mm, then the width of the facade is 596 mm (but it can be different!), the thickness of the case wall is 18 mm (but it can be different!), then the overlap of the facade on the side wall will be 16 mm. This is SFA.
SFA= Cabinet wall thickness - (Cabinet width - Front width)/2
Then b = SFA + 12.5
For our example it will be 28.5 mm
Price calculator for Aventos HF
Tandemboxes have richer options for internal organization
How to make a drawer for a wardrobe with your own hands?
Basically, metaboxes are sold in a minimal configuration, that is, they are only metal sidewalls or, in the best case, you can also buy roof rails. Although, it is worth paying tribute to the Blum company - for their metaboxes they have developed a system of internal dividers, and there is also the previously mentioned Boxside to increase the height of the side walls, which is similar to the same solution for tandemboxes.
| Rice. 16. The maximum configuration of the Metabox drawer from Blum, and in the photo there is a rare option when an additional mechanism is installed that allows the drawer to extend completely |
For tandemboxes, there are much more options for internal organization, with different configurations and for any budget. Several examples of all this diversity are shown in the photo below.
| Rice. 17. Stainless steel trays for cutlery in a tandembox drawer |
| Rice. 18. Exotica - a device for cutting cling film into a tandembox box |
| Rice. 19. Divider system called Orga Line for tandembox drawers |
| Rice. 20. System of railings and dividers in a tandem box for organizing a storage area |
Installation of hinges.
Clip top 120° hinges without spring.
Clip top medium hinges
First we install the hinges on the upper facade. In the case of wide fronts - these are hinges Clip top 120° without spring for Aventos HF - 70T5550.TL, if the upper facade is narrow aluminum frames, then the hinge is 72T550A.This is a drawing for installing hinges for wide facades, regardless of whether the hinges are top or middle.
Then we install the middle hinges on the lower facade. For wide facades, the 78Z5500T hinge is used. For narrow aluminum frames - hinge 78Z550AT.
Blum kitchen fittings
Blum kitchen fittings are one of the highest quality and most reliable fittings, which is why the Tasty Kitchens salon primarily uses them in its work.
Hinge with overhead closer
Loop 110 gr. with built-in closer
Overhead hinge with built-in closer in black onyx color
Overhead hinge with built-in closer 155 g
Overlay loop for door closer 95 gr. Overhead hinge for aluminum frame
Overlay loop + 45 gr. with built-in closer Lifting mechanism HL
Lifting mechanism HK
Lifting mechanism HK-XS
Lifting mechanism HK-S Lifting mechanism HF Lifting mechanism HS
Tandembox "Antaro" under the sink
Tandembox “Antaro” under the sink, black
Tandembox "Antaro" low
Tandembox "Antaro" high
Tandembox "Antaro" internal
Tandembox "Antaro" internal large
Metabox with railing
Medium metabox with closer
Metabox with high door closer
Metabox low
"Legrobox" low
"Legrabox" high
"Legrabox" internal
"Legrabox" internal high
Tandembox "Intivo"
Tandembox bottle holder “Antaro”
Installation of Aventos HF
1. Now let’s look at the installation of Aventos HF. After you have installed the power mechanisms, install the telescopic arms, as shown in Figures 1 - 2 - 3, they will also be supports for the upper facade during installation. Please note the warning.
2. Then we place the upper façade on the telescopic arms and snap the upper hinges onto the strikers, Figures 4-5.
3. Take the lower facade and snap the middle hinges onto the counter strips of the upper facade, Figures 6-7.
4. Now we snap the telescopic lever mount onto the strike plate of the lower façade of the upper façade, Figures 8-9-10.
5. Carefully lower the facades by the handle, down, and see what happens, Figure 11.
What is the asking price?
The price of a branded metabox from Blum is around 1,000 - 1,500 rubles, Chinese analogues cost 2-3 times less. The price of tandem boxes is higher, somewhere around 3,000 - 4,500 rubles.
It turns out that the price of a tandembox is approximately 2,500 rubles higher than the price of a metabox. In a kitchen with an area of 10-15 sq. m. on average about 5 drawers. As a result, a kitchen with tandembox drawers will be 12,500 rubles more expensive.
| If you have the opportunity to allocate an additional 10,000 - 15,00 rubles for the kitchen, then, based on all the advantages of tandem boxes, choose these drawer guides. |
Adjusting hinges and fronts
1. We make preliminary adjustments to two pairs of hinges: upper and middle, ensuring that the facades are installed exactly along the body with equal gaps. What and where to turn is shown in the figure. Don’t forget - this is a preliminary adjustment, equalize “more or less”
2. Next, we align the facade with our hands, as shown in the figure, ensuring that both facades are in the same plane. It is necessary that the latch fig. 1 on the telescopic lever was perpendicular to the lever.
3. Snap the latch Fig. 2, open and close the facades, if there is no plane (the facades are humped), use an awl to pry the latch into its original state (snap it off) and re-align the facades.
4. Again we snap and check, raising and lowering the facades.
5. Again we adjust the upper and lower hinges to the ideal position of the facades.
Internal drawers based on tandembox
Standard inner drawer (height M)
Includes the usual drawers with a height of 83 mm, a set of guides with BLUMOTION or TIP-ON, 2 decorative caps, 2 rear wall holders of height M, a set of fastenings for the front wall M, a front wall for individual cutting.
To ensure that the inner drawer opens with the front when opening, the inner drawer is equipped with a special handle and latch. The handle allows you to unhook the inner drawer if necessary.
| Rice. 20. Tandembox inner drawer |
| Rice. 21. Handle with latch for the inner drawer on tandembox guides |
| Rice. 22. The photo shows the handle of the internal drawers and the latch that is attached to the facade |
| Rice. 23. The handle is installed on the front wall of the inner drawer |
To prevent the bottom of the inner drawer from sagging, you will need to secure a special lock.
| Rice. 24. Clamp for connecting the bottom and front wall of the drawer of the inner tandembox drawer |
To install the latch, a hole is drilled in the facade and the latch is installed.
| Rice. 25. Installing a latch for an internal tandembox drawer |
| Rice. 26. Tandembox inner drawer in a latched state |
| Rice. 27. The inner tandembox drawer is detached from the main drawer |
Inner drawer with single rail (height B)
2 railings are added, the rear wall holders and the front wall fastenings are changed to height B. The height of the drawer becomes 140 mm.
| Rice. 28. Inner drawer with single railing (height B) |
Inner drawer with double railing (height D)
4 railings are added, the rear wall holders and front wall fastenings are changed to height D. The height of the drawer becomes 204 mm.
| Rice. 29. Inner drawer with double railing (height D) |
Inner drawer with double wall BOXSIDE (height D)
2 railings are added, two double-walled BOXSIDE sides, rear wall holders and front wall fastenings are changed to height D, drawer height 209 mm.
| Rice. 30. Inner drawer with double-walled side panel BOXSIDE (height D) |
| Rice. 31. Inner drawer with double-walled side panel BOXSIDE |
The system of transverse and longitudinal partitions allows you to organize the internal space of the box with Boxside sides.
| Rice. 32. Longitudinal partition with two transverse partitions for a tandembox with side walls Boxside |
There is a difference. Blum hinges and simple furniture hinges with a closer, using the example of Boyard.
When ordering, most people are logically concerned with the questions “which kitchen fittings are best?” and overall quality of kitchens . And in this matter we cannot ignore furniture hinges - as a rule, the main fittings in a kitchen set. But since everyone wants the best price/quality ratio , it cannot be considered separately from cost.
And in this review I will compare furniture hinges with door closers. A hackneyed phrase, clarifications and names in which are not always specified. You will find out what the difference is with economy class hinges for a price that differs from 4 to 7 times and it will be easier for you to decide whether it is worth it. For example, I take overhead loops: Blum cliptop blumotion and Boyard. It is worth noting that simple loops can also include nameless loops and those with little-known names. This is what they look like:
You can immediately note the convenience, accuracy and durability of adjusting the “Blum” hinges thanks to the left adjustment screw firmly fixed in the body. And when viewed from the side, you may even get the feeling that Chinese hinges are stronger and more reliable. This is wrong. Apparently different alloys are used + the quality of assembly and the accuracy of fitting of the components play a role. The Austrian ones have never called us or confronted us with a warranty issue, which cannot be said about economy fittings. Investigation from the inside shows that the accuracy of Blum's manufacturing is much higher. All bushings, hinges, housings are adjusted and do not play. The seals are made so that there is no possibility of falling out during operation. The absence of backlash means that the facades do not need adjustment after a long time. The kitchen doors hold all the gaps and tilts set by the assembler. Simple hinges, even in a new state, have micro-plays in the latch, at the base of the closer piston, at its head, in each hinge. Number 1 shows the gaps that can be seen in the photo. The more free movement, the more the facade will “sag” over time and adjustment will be required. After a long time, adjustment does not help and you have to change the hinge or twist the fastening in the kitchen body. Gaskets 2 have an assembly gap and may even come off before installation or during operation. Then the central hinge made of 5 plastics begins to play a lot and it is extremely difficult to adjust the doors to the required gaps. Such questions have never arisen regarding Austrian products. Compare for yourself. In the general plan, differences in length are visible (4). Little things, but Blum sometimes fits into places where a simple loop wouldn’t fit. For some reason, the cup (3) is made by most companies in the form of a simple loop as in photo (3) and takes on less load from the weight of the facade, placing it on the screws. While the soft-closing closer built into the Blum hinge is at the same time a fulcrum for the weight of the façade, relieving the load on the self-tapping screws. I can also note the convenience of removing and installing the facade with expensive hinges thanks to the perfect latch on the edge (on the right) While in an economy version such a latch can “stick”, play, be difficult to press, or the spring may even fall out.
I would also like to note the BLUM mounting strips with precise settings, which protect the kitchen body and ensure the exact position of the doors throughout their service life: There is simply nothing to play with and they reduce the human factor (of the assembler). Any housewife can adjust such hinges with one hand!
The main advantage of the Blum furniture hinge with a closer compared to Boyard, FGV, GTV, TDM, Hettich is the absence of a piston and the built-in closer in the hinge cup! The video at the end shows the difference in how the loops work. It is this unique design that ensures smooth closing at any angle and time of initial opening, be it 5 or 45 degrees! When buying simple hinges, put up with light pops and the absence of a closer at façade opening angles of less than 15 degrees! This is a design feature; the piston in the loop simply does not have time to extend and the closer does not work.
A useful feature of premium hinges will be the door closer shut-off latch (first photo). This will allow you to customize doors of different sizes - each in its own way!
How to choose
When you come to the store, it can sometimes be difficult to make a choice. The main problem for many people is the way the loop is applied. If you are not particularly versed in them, then it is worth getting acquainted with the main classification:
- invoice;
- semi-invoice;
- loose-leaf.
When everything has become more or less clear with the view, it’s worth deciding which line of Blum hinges to choose.
