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Door hardware is a critical aspect of your building project, in that it provides access and security to your home. Selection of hardware is partly based on function, level of use, and aesthetics. For high traffic areas of your home it is important to select a good quality hardware set that has a high tolerance of use.  Other considerations may include ease of use particularly for customers who may have disabilities.  For entry doors hardware should be selected with a high quality lock body that insures good security.  All of these criteria can be found in a custom hardware product.

Door hardware is available in five primary materials. The most common is brass or aluminum.  These products are machine tooled and provide the most affordable option for a tight budget.  For basic interior door applications they may prove adequate for your needs.  These products however come in standard designs and do not offer the design flexibility of other hand crafted materials.

For a custom hardware set bronze or wrought iron is typically used. These products are manufactured by hand either through sand casting or a lost wax process. The bronze product shows finer details and provide a more natural finish. Bronze ages well and is typically used to provide custom hardware sets that fit any of your design requirements.  Bronze does not rust and is not coated so it will keep its look for the life of your home.

Iron, which provides a more rustic look, must be coated to prevent the metal from rusting and bleeding.  With time however the powder coating can break down exposing the bare metal. This can be an issue which should be taken into consideration for life cycle maintenance issues.

Finally, stainless steel hardware can be used for those applications that require continuous cleaning or for the customer that wants a more contemporary look. Stainless steel is also used in coastal regions where salt-water air tarnishes traditional metals.  It is important for these applications to have a lock body that also resists corrosion. 

Function

Once you have determined what material you want your hardware to be made out of, the next decision is to determine the function of the hardware.  If the door in question is an entry door then security will be the primary concern.  If however the door is an interior door then the level of use will determine the best hardware mechanism.  Additionally, you will need to decide which doors will have keyed access so as to determine the appropriate lock body.  Your William's fenestration consultant can review a set of plans for your home project and provide suggestions as to what type of lock bodies to select for each door in your home.

Style

Now comes the fun part selecting a style of hardware.  Each Williams Window & Door show room has physical samples and catalogs you can peruse to select a style that best matches your home design.  Remember that the hardware companies also make cabinetry hardware and other products such as light switch covers that will match your door hardware if you desire.  All Williams products are segmented into a good, better, best selection.  Depending on your budget or the level of customization you require we can suggest specific manufacturers that provide the level of detail you require.  We can provide either the very extravagant or the very affordable in hardware selections depending on your needs.

You can view the websites of the various manufacturers we represent to see the styles of hardware available. However your best bet is to visit one of our show rooms and have a fenestration consultant help you in your selection.  Remember we can provide custom hardware to fit your specific design requirements.

to Last modified: 05/02/08