Flap door that opens up or down: where each one fits

Not every compartment closes well with a hinged door. The wide, low space above the hanging rail, the top shelf of a wall cabinet or a TV unit compartment look better — and are easier to use — with a flap door, which opens horizontally, either up or down.

In the Téchne configurator you'll find both options, "Flap door up" and "Flap door down", next to single and double doors. Each, however, has its place along the height of the furniture. This guide explains the differences and the rules so you choose right the first time.

In short

• Sizes: width 25–97 cm, door height 30–55 cm, carcass depth 25–80 cm.
• Up: the bottom edge of the door at least 130 cm above the floor.
• Down: the whole door below 130 cm from the floor.
• On wardrobes, a drop-down flap door can't go in the first compartment (the bottom one).
• It's the answer for wide, low compartments, where hinged doors don't have good proportions.

Lift-up flap door: for the top

A lift-up flap door rises and stays open above the compartment. That's why the configurator allows it only where its bottom edge is at least 130 cm above the floor — any lower and the raised door would sit at head height and get in the way.

Where it fits:

• The top compartments of a wardrobe, above the hanging rail — for blankets, suitcases, seasonal clothes.
• Wall cabinets mounted high, above a desk or a sideboard.
• Tall hallway wardrobes, in the upper zone, for things you rarely use.

The main advantage: the open door takes no space in front of the furniture. You can stand straight in front of the wardrobe, hands free, with no open door leaf beside you.

Drop-down flap door: for the bottom and middle

A drop-down flap door opens towards you and lowers. The configurator allows it only if the whole door is below 130 cm from the floor, i.e. at a height where you can lower and raise it easily.

Where it fits:

• TV units and living-room cabinets — for consoles, routers, game boxes or film collections (see TV wall and floating sideboard).
• Sideboards and dressers, in compartments at hand height.
• Semi-wall-mounted units in a hallway or bedroom.

One restriction to remember: on wardrobes and corner wardrobes, a drop-down flap door can't go in the first compartment at the bottom. The configurator shows a message saying the drop-down flap door can't be placed in the first compartment for this type of construction. There, choose a hinged door or a drawer.

Quick comparison

• Position: up — from 130 cm upwards; down — below 130 cm.
• Typical use: up — occasional storage, high up; down — frequent access, at hand height.
• Open door: up — above the compartment; down — in front of the compartment, horizontal.
• Sizes: the same for both — 25–97 cm wide, 30–55 cm tall.

When it beats a hinged door

Hinged doors have a proportion rule: a door leaf can't be more than 15% wider than it is tall. A 90 × 35 cm compartment can't take a double door — each leaf would be 45 cm wide and only 35 cm tall. A flap door has no such limit: it covers the whole 90 cm compartment in one piece, at any width between 25 and 97 cm. All the hinged-door rules are in our guide to wardrobe door widths.

On the other hand, the flap door height is limited to 55 cm. For taller compartments, a hinged door remains the right choice.

Configuration examples

• Tall bedroom wardrobe: hinged doors on the main zone and a row of lift-up flap doors above, over 130 cm, for seasonal storage. The front reads as two tiers, and the top doors don't get in your way when you open them.
• Long TV unit: drop-down flap doors on the equipment compartments, drawers for remotes and cables. If you haven't settled on the piece yet, see our sideboard vs TV cabinet guide.
• Wall cabinet above a desk: lift-up flap doors for files and the printer (see wall-mounted cabinets).

The mechanisms

A flap door needs a mechanism that holds it open and stops it smoothly. If you want to understand the types of mechanisms and dampers, read our guide to lift mechanisms and dampers.

Try it in the configurator

Open the configurator, pick a compartment and go to doors. If "Flap door up" or "down" is disabled, hover over it: the configurator shows the compartment width and the door limits. If the width is fine, check the height from the floor — the 130 cm threshold. Questions? Write to us on the contact page.