Saturday 8 October 2011

Choose The Right Door Hardware For Your Home

By Adriana Noton


Door hardware for your home includes all those extra items added to a door that allow it to swing or slide open. This also includes the handles which control the direction it should open and the locking or latching devices that ensure security when the door is shut.

We spend a lot of time considering the appearance of our dwellings therefore it is not unusual to be similarly concerned with the appearance of all the detailed items that go into them. One of these items is the door hardware. There is a plethora of types to choose from, from the ultra modern to the basic hand beaten styles that might have come out from the middle ages.

It should go without saying that the hardware design should match the general design of the home. The french kings door handles would look quite out of place in a modern minimalist concrete and glass beach house. Similarly modernist stainless steel hardware would not look good in a replica colonial style house.

Doors can get a beating particularly if there are young and not so young children in the home. It needs to be well made and durable particularly the hinges, latches and locks which, while they might not always be seen, do a very important job. These items should also match as doors are not always closed so it is common to see both the hinge and the handle of the door at the same time.

Most doors within the home only require a latch system that fastens the door so that it wont open of its own accord. Bathroom and toilet doors may require privacy locks which can be locked from the inside only. External secondary doors which may open on to patios and courtyards may require additional security bolts.

Metal and plastic exterior doors usually come with their own handles and locks due to the specialist skill required to install them. Timber exterior units generally provide more scope for owner selected hardware as they can be installed on the building site.

Most joinery styles are available in a range of materials which are usually metal based. Mild steel, brass and stainless steel are common and are chosen not only for appearance but for the environment they are going to have to operate in. Good quality stainless steel for example would be the preference if the item is to be exposed to salt laden air.

Other base material can be used like timber for door knobs and nylon for latches. Other plastics are used and are often coated with similar products to the steel materials. It is not uncommon to see these coatings fail, although this seldom compromises the usability of the hardware item. It then just becomes a matter of appearance.

The range of product that can be used for door hardware for your home is almost infinite. The temptation may be to go for the cheaper options as it maybe toward the end of a building process which could be challenging the budget. It is however worth holding out for appropriate designed well made door hardware items if possible. They will put the appropriate finishing touch to your home.




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