A Guide to Door Furniture and Handles

A Guide to Door Furniture and Handles

Door furniture, or door hardware, is the term used to describe any component attached to a door to improve its ease of operation or appearance. Door furniture is therefore not limited just to door handles - although there are several different types to choose from, according to the specific application - but also includes such as items as hinges, locks, latches, door closers and kickplates.

The importance of some of these less obvious door hardware components should not be underestimated, however, when it comes to the longevity of a door. Residential or domestic grade door hinges may be suitable for most applications, but heavy doors of any kind - including solid wooden doors - may well benefit from heavy duty, solid brass hinges rather than standard steel hinges, especially if they are exposed to the elements.

Similarly, in high traffic areas, such as entrances, a kickplate can improve the appearance and durability of a door. Kickplates, nowadays, are available in superior finishes, such as polished or antique brass, oil rubbed bronze, pewter, etc. and can be mounted via screws, or magnetically, if an appropriate metal surface is available. Bear in mind, however, that a kickplate should be narrower, by about 2", than the total width of a door to allow trim, draught proofing, etc. to be accommodated.

Door handles are, perhaps, the most obvious items of door furniture. The most popular type is the lever latch, which allows a door to be held shut until the handle is operated, but has no keyhole or locking capability. Handles with locking capability, on the other hand, include the standard lever lock - typically a 3-lever or 5-lever sash lock, conforming to BS 3621 - or its European cousin, the so-called euro profile cylinder lock (popular for commercial applications, such as office doors), while specialist handles such as privacy and bathroom door handles allow a door, or the handle itself, to be locked with a thumb turn device.

Your choice of door furniture handles depends, in the first instance, on your budget, but beyond that you should consider door dimensions, lock design - a mortice lock handle, for example, needs to be placed further from the door jamb than a lever lock handle - and, of course, the style of the lock in relation to the door. Classic door handles, manufactured from brass, chrome, stainless steel, etc., are available in Victorian, Georgian and more contemporary designs, while anodised aluminium is a popular choice for internal door handles, especially in commercial environments.wheelchair vans