Front Door Hardware

Your front door is the first real indication people get of your individual style and personality when they come to your house so the front door hardware you have in place is very important.

However exterior door hardware is not only for decorative purposes, there are lots of hardware choices you can make from a door security point of view.

Replacing your front door hardware is also a sensible move if you are selling your home. As mentioned, the front door is the first thing people see and first impressions are critical when marketing your home. It is this sort of attention to detail that will impress potential buyers. With the vast array of styles that are available you will be able to find a hardware look that complements the design scheme in the rest of your house. Typical decorative features include vintage door latches, knobs and knockers from various historical periods (or contemporary designs).

However no matter how elegant your front door hardware is it must also be secure. You should have at least one deadlock system in place. Door locks come in a variety of types.

Front Door Locks:

Single Cylinder Deadbolts
Single Cylinder deadbolts are unlocked with a key from the exterior and typically have a thumb turn on the interior.

Double Cylinder Deadbolts
Double cylinder deadbolts are front door locks that lock on both sides with a key. However they are not recommended unless you have a lot of glass in your front door. If you do have lots of glass, an intruder could smash the glass and turn the thumb turn to gain access to the house. These locks are not recommended if you have a solid wood door because if you lock both sides and there is an emergency requiring you to get out of the house quickly, searching around for the interior key could lose you vital escape seconds.

If you can find front door handlesin a style that you like that also incorporates a deadbolt mechanism, so much the better.

Door Hinges:

Front door hinges come in a variety of styles and sizes depending largely on the weight of door that you have. The typical range is from 3.5 inches square to 5.5 inches square. You should probably select a heavy duty brass door hinge for your front door over a stainless steel hinge as brass will stand up to the outside elements better. When selecting a hinge, also pay attention to the radius on the corner. There are two typical sizes, 1/4 inch and 5/8 inch. The other style is a right angle. Make sure you select the correct corner style as the wrong style will look poor and may cause the door to open and close incorrectly. Also make sure your purchase long enough screws as too short screws will also pose a security risk.

Front Door Peepholes:

Peepholes come in a variety of finishes such as steel or brass. They are typically easy to install yourself. However you can also buy door knockers that also incorporate a peephole so you can kill two birds with one stone. Try to select a wide-angle peephole as this will let you see more of the porch area.

Hopefully this page has provided you with some useful information on front door hardware.