An often-overlooked aspect of many projects is, and in our humble opinion, the most important, is door furniture, and it doesn’t need to be when you have a plan with things to consider when selecting door handles.
Here are seven aspects that will help you decide on what type of door furniture you will require for your project.
Let’s take Robin, a past customer of ours, as an example. Robin was looking to do a renovation on her family home in the outer suburbs of Melbourne and to finish off it came down to door handles.
One phrase kept popping up in the initial conversation, things to consider when selecting door handles, so we decided to put it in writing below which will help you out too.
On this project, it was a small addition to a country home, however the extension had a modern design brief. One of the greatest challenges for customers like this is finishing the project off with the right design and right finish, ensuring there is a smooth transition from the traditional to contemporary areas of the home.
In replying to this challenge, we wanted the contemporary levers to compliment the traditional as these door handles were the most eye-catching components in the home.
I threw light on the basic considerations in choosing the right door handles for the home. Some of these thoughts were as follows along with the final selection of the Yokohama lever in matt black. The reasons for this was it was modern and has an ergonomic feel and didn't take the attention away from the traditional portion of the property.
We went with lever on rose to keep a sleek look. Helping this was the fact almost all doors in the extension were passage doors so a tubular latch, hinges and a door stop was all that was needed to finish each door.
The Style
The general design of the room(s) or the exteriors influences strongly on what doors and consequently door handles can be used. It would be erroneous to regard door handles as an unimportant detail and go with vintage across a more modern design. Door handles have a voice and a strong statement on the general style.
Strength and Security
This criterion usually involves a decision between two variants of locks. These are mortice locks and tubular systems. Of these two, mortice locks offer better strength and protection to doors. Internally if you are looking for limited security then a tubular latch would be suitable. This is also relatively easier to install. When considering locks on the outside, mortice locks are most definitely the right choice.
Type of handle and function
There are two broad choice options in this case, levers, or knobs. You will want to go with an option that matches with functionality and the users of the doors. For instance, doors installed for use by children and people with disability among others would most probably differ from those installed for mostly adults. In accordance with functionality, door handles could be passage sets (non-locking), entry sets (with keys, to be used on front doors), privacy (separate locking function) and dummy sets (used for cupboards).
Setup
The setup of the door itself predetermines the kind of door handles that will be installed. With doors come pre-drilled holes and default provisions. To avoid ruining the look of the door, while saving money and gaining heightened security, it is best to carefully put this into consideration. Always connect with a professional to ensure you get the right products for your door.
Location
The location of a particular home could also bear on the choice of doors and door handles. The environmental factors in this location will affect the kind of materials that can be used in the door handles. If this is not taken into consideration, then there could be negative effects like rusting and corrosion. Therefore, PVD products are so effective in almost all situations.
Budget and Warranty
How much do you plan on purchasing your hardware with? Is there a warranty on it? These are pertinent questions when making this decision. Attention must be paid to the warranty. Not all manufacturers offer viable warranties on their products, so to get the most affordable, yet long lasting option, you must research thoroughly. Ensure your finish is going to last. If you want a coated product, that is fine, but you must understand it won’t last nearly as long as a PVD product which is the best finishing in the industry.
Installation and Maintenance
Consider the installation process while purchasing door handles or hardware. Will you be installing on your own or needing the help of a professional, which we always recommend? On the other hand, after installation, what does it take to maintain the hardware? Are the maintenance materials readily accessible? These questions are vital to deciding on your door handles and getting the maximum satisfaction out of them.
These points will help you get on the right track in things to consider when selecting door handles. If you require any advice on your project get in touch with our friendly team for expert advice.
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