How to Choose the Right Door Knob for Your Home

How to Choose the Right Door Knob for Your Home

April 13, 2022

Choosing a door knob for your home might seem straightforward, but there is more to door knobs than what meets the eye. Here, you will learn all about door knobs. Firstly, you should know that the door hardware that you will be buying will comprises the knob or handle attached to the latch and locking mechanisms. This door hardware is called a lockset even if it doesn’t have a lock. You should prioritize picking the lockset that suits your specific application before considering other elements like style and finish. Here’s how to choose the right door knob.

Door Knob Types

Although most door knobs are round or square, some are not knobs at all. There are locksets with a lever-type handle and others with a handle set that consists of a combination of thumb-latch-and-handle. The latter is more common for exterior entry doors. Lever handles are more popular for their ease of grabbing than regular door knobs.

This is why they are approved by the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) to be compliant with its barrier-free design requirements. Locksets that meet the ADA’s barrier-free design requirements are necessary for commercial buildings. You are allowed to install any door knob type to your home’s doors. However, we recommend that you go for locksets with lever-type handles, as this can make doors much easier for everyone in your family to use.

Door Knob Connection

Door knobs and handles can attach to the lockset spindle in different ways. If you pick older-style door hardware, the knob will connect to a square threaded spindle using an exposed setscrew. Therefore, when the knob is turned, the spindle will rotate, operating the latch mechanism. The primary downsides of this connection are the unsightly setscrew, and if the setscrew loosens, it can be challenging to use. Modern door hardware requires no screw to connect the knob or handle to the spindle and utilizes a concealed device known as a detent. We recommend that you pick door knobs that use a detent connection.

Lockset Types

There are four lockset types that you can choose.

  • Passage lockset: This lockset type doesn’t have a lock and is commonly used on interior doors like pantry and closet doors.
  • Privacy lockset: This lockset type is meant to offer privacy, and it has a lock on the interior side of the door. It’s typically used for bedroom doors, bathroom doors and home offices.
  • Keyed entry lockset: A keyed lockset comes with a key and can be locked or unlocked from both sides of the door. This lock type is mainly used on main access doors.
  • Dummy lockset: This lockset type is often non-functional and commonly used on broom and linen closet doors.

Do You Need a Professional, Personalized Guide to Buying Door Knobs in Colorado?

Welcome to Custom Door Hardware. We specialize in making custom door hardware for all kinds of doors. We are located in Parachute, Colorado, and have been in business for over two decades. We have built a solid reputation across Colorado for providing unbeatable professional help to clients seeking to upgrade their door knobs or handles and for having an excellent collection of high-end custom products. Call us today.

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