Hinges and Hardware 101 - Compression or Extension Dampers

There are two styles of dampers, but which one is right for your application? It's better to explain the motion of each unit because depending on how it is mounted the action could be different from the unit description. Compression dampers slow the motion as the rod is entering or being compressed into the tube of the damper while extension dampers slow the motion as the rod is exiting or exiting out from the tube. In most cases, dampers mounted on the same side from the pivot point that the door is will give the exact motion for the door as is stated, but if you are mounting on the opposite side of the pivot point, the motion will be, well, the opposite :) Having an engineer analyze your application as well as going through some sample testing are the best ways to get exactly the results you're looking for. You can start your process here to see all the stock sizes to choose from.