Our hard covers are designed to only be a cover to protect the griddle while not in use; it isn't designed to raise and lower from the griddle top with hinges. While you are cooking, you can use the brackets on the inside of your hard cover to hang it off the back of your griddle top.

The holes in the sides of your griddle top are for manufacturing purposes only; while in production, the griddle top is hung from those holes. They are not there to accept any hardware for a hinge.

If you are looking for a hood to trap in heat for cooking, I highly recommend purchasing one of our basting covers. They can be placed directly on top of the griddle surface to trap in heat for steaming, basting, or melting cheese. We have a couple different sizes and models sold on our website, as well as at Lowe's and Walmart.