Kitchen Cupboard Stays: Choosing for Lift Up Doors

 

Short answer: a kitchen cupboard stay holds an upward-opening door open so it stays where you put it. For a wall unit, specify soft close, because the door is above your head and a door that drops is a door that catches somebody. Work out the force from the weight of the door rather than the size of the cabinet and fit stays in pairs.

Why lift up doors need a stay at all

A conventional door swings sideways and gravity holds it wherever it is. A lift up door works against gravity all the way, so without a stay it does one of two things: it falls shut the moment you let go, or it needs to be held while you reach past it.

A stay solves both. It takes some of the weight on the way up so the door is easy to lift, then holds it open once it is there.

Soft close is not optional at head height

This is the point worth being firm about. A wall cupboard door sits directly above the worktop, which is where hands and heads are. A door that closes under its own weight arrives with real force.

Soft close controls the last part of the travel so the door settles rather than drops. On a base unit it is a nice feature. On a wall unit it is the difference between a door and a hazard.

Some of our kitchen cupboard stays include soft close, so check the individual product rather than assuming.

Work out the force from the door

The force a stay needs is set by the weight of the door, not the size of the cabinet. Two doors of the same dimensions in different materials need different figures and a door with a glass panel or a heavy handle weighs more than the bare board.

Our stay calculator asks for the height, width and thickness of the door together with its material, then returns a recommendation. That is a better route than reading across from another job.

For gas strut stays specifically, our IntAfit lift up soft close range runs from 50N to 150N, which covers most domestic lift up kitchen doors.

Check the door clears the run

Worth thinking about before you commit, because it is a design decision rather than a hardware one. A lift up door swings up and out through an arc. Two things to check.

• Does it clear anything above? A cornice, a shelf, a ceiling on a tall run.
• Does it clear the neighbouring doors? A lift up door beside a conventional swing door can catch it part way through the travel.

Hold a piece of card the size of the door against the cabinet and swing it through, before the doors are made.

Fit them in pairs

One each side. It shares the load so each stay works within its rating and it keeps the door level as it lifts. A door on a single stay lifts unevenly and puts that twist through the hinges.

Base units and pantry flaps

The same principles apply lower down, with one difference: the safety argument for soft close is weaker at waist height, so it becomes a comfort choice rather than a necessity. The force calculation does not change.

For a flap that drops down to horizontal rather than lifting up, you want a bureau cabinet stay instead. Those are designed to support a flap level.

Frequently asked questions

What is a kitchen cupboard stay?

A fitting that holds an upward-opening cupboard door open and takes some of its weight on the way up. Some include soft close for the way down.

Do I need soft close on a lift up kitchen door?

On a wall unit we would treat it as essential. The door sits above the worktop where hands and heads are, so a door closing under its own weight is a real risk.

What force stay do I need for a kitchen cupboard door?

It depends on the weight of the door rather than the cabinet size. Use the stay calculator on our site, which works from the door dimensions and material.

How many stays per lift up door?

Two, one each side. That shares the load and keeps the door level as it lifts.

What if my door drops down rather than lifting up?

You need a bureau cabinet stay, which is designed to support a flap horizontally, rather than a lift up stay.

Browse the range

Kitchen cupboard stays, gas strut stays, bureau stays, all stays and drop down hinges.

The guidance on this page is general good practice. The stay types and forces named are from the Eurofit Direct range, so check the specification for the individual product you are buying.