Considerations to Make when Purchasing Door Hardware

5 January 2016
 Categories: , Blog

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When selecting a lockset or doorknob for your home's interior or exterior, it is essential to fully understand what is available. In addition to the overall functional duty, hinges, doorknobs and other hardware components can add to the aesthetics of the door. There are several finishes and styles of door hardware to choose from. Taking time to consider the options that are available will help you find the lock and door handle set you need.

The Locking Mechanism

If you are planning to purchase door hardware with a lock, you will need to determine if you want mortise or cylindrical:

  • Cylindrical locksets: These feature a rounded body that fit into a large, bored out hole in the door. It latches with a bolt into a hole that is drilled into the edge of the door. There is no security deadbolt included with this option.
  • Mortise locksets: These are rectangular in shape and slide into a rectangular pocket in the edge of the door. This lockset includes all the workings for the deadbolt, latch, lever handle and knob.

Interior or Exterior

Another consideration is if the door handle will be installed on an interior or an exterior door. Interior locksets are not has high-security as exterior ones and typically have a button lock system. This is a privacy lock. It is never a good idea to use this type of knob on an exterior door, since they are easy to break.

Locksets for exterior doors are more durable and heavier than interior door locksets. If you want an option that offers a high level of security, then you need to ensure the option selected features a deadbolt.

Before You Purchase

Before you actually go to the store to purchase a new lockset, you need to know the thickness of the door. Standard door thicknesses include 1 3/8 inch or 1 3/4 inch. In most cases, the thicker doors will be an exterior door, but this is not always true, so be sure to measure prior to making a purchase. Another consideration is the handing of the door. This refers to which side of the door the knob will be installed on.

Taking some time to find the right door hardware will pay off in the long run. It will not only help to make sure that your door is secure but also ensure that the hardware is aesthetically pleasing. For more information about your options, contact a local retailer like The Lock and Handle