Find the Right Handleset

Your home's exterior doors are so much more than entry and exit points - they're an opportunity to give your home an extra splash of style with a beautiful handleset. Updating the look of the handles used for both exterior and interior doors is a great choice when you already have a lock installed, when upgrading your deadbolt lock, or if you want to mix-and-match security and style. A complete handleset includes all the outward-facing components of entry hardware, including the handle and the outer face of the deadbolt.

Handlesets come in exterior and interior designs, offering the ability to choose a specific look indoors to match your existing decor, and another outdoors to complement the home architecture and exterior light fixtures. Choose a new handleset to customize your door during construction, when you're remodeling, or when it's just time for a change.

Many handlesets are designed to work with locks from any manufacturer, but you will need to double-check measurements on your door and locks to make sure you're getting the right fit.

Handleset Functions

Handlesets are available for interior and exterior doors. If you have doors that you never need to lock, a dummy handleset is the right choice. If you don't need a new deadbolt, choose a handle-only set. You can even choose between keyed entry and keyless entry handlesets.

Types of Handlesets

Many people choose a handleset based on its aesthetics first, and the function of the handle will be different for every door. Different types of handlesets allow customization to be sure you find the handleset that matches the door’s construction capabilities, the intended daily use, and the look of the finished doorway.

One-piece handlesets feature a single plate that connects the deadbolt and the handle. The bottom of the handle is mounted to the door and is not connected to the plate.

Two-piece handlesets feature separate plates for the door handle and the deadbolt lock. You install each piece separately, and there is only room for one locking mechanism on the deadbolt plate. The handle mechanism does not feature a lock.

Full-plate handlesets feature a single plate that holds the keyed exterior lock, or a thumbturn, and connects the handle fully to the plate.

Electronic handlesets are designed to work with electronic deadbolts, offering keypad access and sensors for keyless entry. These sets can be one-piece, two-piece, full-plate, or two-point.

Two-point lock handlesets feature two locking mechanisms to provide you with added security. They feature a lock on the handle in addition to the deadbolt or thumbturn lock. They can be keyed to the same key so only one key is necessary for double the protection.

Door pulls are usefully decorative - they don't lock, but they do latch. They're available as levers and knobs.

What to Look for in a Handleset

When you're choosing a handleset, pay attention to these measurements and specs:

• Backset. The backset is the distance from the edge of a door to the center of its bore hole. The most common backsets on residential door locks are 2-3/8 inches and 2-3/4 inches.

• Center-to-center distance. Center-to-center distance is the distance between the center of the bore hole for the deadbolt lock and the center of the bore hole for the handle's locking cylinder.

• Door thickness. Most doors are 1-3/4 inches thick, but this is an important measurement to get right when you're buying a handleset.

• Handing. Doors can be left-handed, right-handed, left-hand reverse, right-hand reverse, or reversible. A door's handing depends on which side its hinges are on and whether it opens inward or outward when you're facing it.

• Hardware function. Not all handlesets work with all interior hardware - some are made for single cylinders, double cylinders or electronic mechanisms.

• Includes indoor, outdoor, or both. Some handlesets are exclusively for indoor or outdoor use, while others include handles for each. Be sure the set you purchase includes the handle that matches the function needed.

Handlesets

Brand

Interior Included

Price

Function

Door Thickness

Backset

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