It’s not an overstatement to say doors are one of the most important components of a modern house. However, more often expensive doors are matched with low quality door hardware. This poor marriage often results in a shortened service life of your door. More importantly, the mismatch in quality of a door and its hardware might result in a serious safety issue to their users. This article discusses the importance of door hardware to your doors as well as your home.
When our house was being built a couple of years ago, I was given many options about the hardware of my main front door. To be honest, it really confused me at the time, and I thought, why is it important to choose quality hardware for your door?
Well, I did some research to gather more knowledge about the importance of quality door hardware. It may seem that choosing the quality of door hardware is such a minor detail and a such waste of time, anything might just work, but that turns out to be inappropriate! Door hardware may be a slight design detail, but it is essential for your security, style, and longevity. Opting for cheap options might put your house, office, or your valuable at risk.
Cheap quality hardware is never a good idea.
In today’s world, so many places have such poor-quality door hardware that can negatively affect the security, aesthetics, and functions of a door. Having a door lock, a pair of handles, or a pair of hinges of inferior quality can turn out to be your worst nightmare. Often, the key gets stuck in the lock, or the handle breaks off easily if the quality of your door hardware is compromised. It will indeed have a short service life, and you will have to repair and replace the door handles or knobs time and again.
I am sure you don’t want all this hassle in your life, so it is always wise to get the door hardware of finest quality to protect yourself from any trouble. The safety of your life and house is the utmost important thing, and one does not want to compromise on that. Below par door hardware can put you at risk of a break-in as it is accessible and cannot provide you with the protection you need.
Why the importance of door hardware should not be overlooked?
A door has both – static and dynamic functions, so it is important to focus on the physical and mechanical properties of its hardware. The exterior doors are often used excessively and roughly; this is why the quality of the hardware should be fine enough to resist any damage. Following are some of the reasons why door hardware quality is essential.
Safety and Security
Commonly, burglars or thieves enter the house, office, or another place by breaking in the main door. So, it is necessary to have strong door locks that prevent the entry of any outsider without a key. There are a lot of other factors apart from thieves that give you the reason for putting a solid security lock like stray animals, high wind speed, or any other element that has a chance to enter into your residency. The locks should be sophisticated enough that they are not easily opened or broken into. Door manufacturers often use metal hardware to ensure the fine quality of security locks.
Aesthetics and Style
When you wear a lovely dress, the right accessories that match your outfit are a must. The same is the case with the door of your house. Building a beautiful home is not enough. The exterior doors are the first thing a guest or an outsider notices, so they should be eye-catching enough to grasp everyone’s attention. If you ignore the style and design of your main doors, the whole furnished house may look off-balanced. Well, that would be disappointing, right? The style of door hardware should match the accents of your room or home. A fine finishing can change the game of your aesthetics!
Durability and Usage
Pretty doors can be useless if the quality of their hardware is poor and compromised. As exterior doors are used excessively, there are high chances of damage and breakage. It is necessary to choose the hardware with the best quality and durability so that your door stays the same even after being used roughly. The locks, doorknobs, handles, sliding door tracks should all be picked accordingly. No one likes running to the carpenter after every few months, so it is always wise to choose the finest quality of hardware on time.
Important factors to look for while choosing door hardware for your projects
As door hardware serves many purposes and functions, we should always be careful while selecting them. There are numerous qualities to look for while choosing the hardware of a door. It is wise to do your research and select the best thing out there instead of regretting it later! Following are some of the important aspects that you should consider while choosing door hardware.
Easy to use
Imagine you come back home with a handful of groceries and then struggle with opening the door; that must be frustrating. Selecting a door that is easy to handle is one of the foremost things while choosing the hardware. Research shows that door handles are much easier to tackle than doorknobs. You have to twist and unlock the doorknob while the door handle is accessible in an out way. You can carry heavy stuff, groceries, furniture, cargo, or anything effortlessly through door handles. There is no doubt that doorknobs are back in trend as they give a vintage feel to your house, but comfort is above all! Right?
Safety and performance
These days there are many different styles of hardware in the market that will make it easy for you to match your aesthetic with suitable security.
Door knobs with keyed entry:
As doorknobs have started trending again, I might as well explain to you its mechanism. A door knob has a deadbolt which is a secondary locking mechanism, and it can be opened through a key and a thumb turn. You have to turn the doorknob around to enter your house or office. It comes in different materials like brass, bronze, and nickel.
Door handles:
Most modern houses these days have door handles on their exterior doors as it is much easier to handle than a doorknob. Such door handles also come with a lock that is operated with a key. You can easily hold a door handle if you’re having trouble bringing some stuff inside your house. It is far less complex as it has a lever that moves up and down.
Door handle sets:
Having an efficient door handle while maintaining the aesthetics and style can change the game for you! Door handle sets are available in the market these days. They come with a door handle and a matching deadbolt. It is trendy and very much in style as it adds elegance to your doors. Stay chic and classy, even when it comes to doors!
Style and comfort
The hardware of a door should always match the style of the exterior. If you’re going for a modern look, stainless steel hardware is the right choice. It complements the main door by giving it a classy and unique look. On the other hand, if you’re opting for some antique vibe, bronze or rustic iron can give you a perfect look. It adds a touch of vintage to your door, which looks beautiful and elegant, according to your vibe. Lastly, if you want a classic look to your doors, then brass or some antique brown hardware might be the ideal option for you. It will keep you intact with both the regards – modern with a touch of vintage class!
Is weight significant while choosing the hardware of a door?
This question struck my mind as well about how vital weight can be while selecting the hardware. So, I did some research, and it turns out that the importance of the door also plays a crucial part in the hardware. Heavyweight doors need more leverage to open, while a slight push or touch can open light doors. As exterior doors are usually heavy to be safe and protected, the door’s handle should be chosen wisely for the ease of opening and closing the door. A heavy door usually needs a lever handle as it makes it easy to open for you and even your children. Door handles provide extra leverage for the opening and closing of the door. While on the other hand, doorknobs cannot handle the heaviness and force, so they are best suited for lightweight doors.
To wrap it up.
Often people don’t pay much attention to the importance of door hardware quality, but no doubt it is one of the essential details of your door. The range of the hardware is enormous, including things like door handles, doorknobs, hinges, brackets, lock springs, deadbolts, and so much more. It is justified to get confused, but when you finally choose the best quality hardware, it sure is worth the hassle!
