How to Choose Interior Door Hardware

One of the best ways to elevate your interior space is to trade out your builder-grade interior door hardware for sleek and stylish interior door handles and levers that will act as a touch of jewelry for your decor. With so many different styles and types of door handles available, learning how to choose door handles and door knobs for your space is all about learning the different terms associated with them. You’ll even discover how to choose interior door hardware and parts for sliding doors and pocket doors.  

Measuring for Interior Door Hardware

Before you can learn how to choose door handles and door knobs, there are two important measurements you need to take of your interior door. 

Door Thickness

Interior doors are typically 1 3/8 inches thick and standard door levelers and knobs are manufactured for that measurement. Hardware is available for thinner and thicker doors, which you may have, especially in historic homes. 

The Backset 

The backset is the measurement between the edge of the door and the center of the hole for the knob or lever. The standard backset is 2 3/8 inches, although there are some that measure 2 ¾ inches. 

Understanding Handing

When it comes to selecting interior door hardware sets, the term “handing” refers to the side from which the door opens. While some levers offer reversible handing, many are appropriate only for right- or left-side installation. Part of learning how to choose door handles is to determine which handling you have. To do this, face the door from the outside of the room; whichever side the hinges are on is the handling.  

Types of Door Handles

When it comes to types of door handles, there are two main options to choose between, levers and knobs. Both types of door handles are available in a range of different styles, including modern, rustic, traditional, vintage, and transitional. Although it is most convenient to keep all the interior door hardware sets consistent, you can mix and match knobs and levers, as long as all of the handles within the same sight lines are the same. For instance, you can feature levers downstairs and knobs upstairs.  

Levers

Door levers are easier to operate than knobs, as they do not require a grasping and twisting motion. This type of door handle is especially useful for the elderly and others who are physically unable to use traditional door knobs. Select this type of door handle not only for your own dexterity issues, but for those of your friends and family, as well.  

Knobs

Door knobs offer a more traditional look and are often selected to complement classic decorating styles. They are also a popular choice in homes with pets, because a dog can’t jump up to open a door, as they could with a lever. 

Sliding & Pocket Door Hardware

Not all doors call for a traditional lever or knob. Sliding doors and pocket doors meet a unique set of needs. Sliding doors glide along a track. Pocket doors slide along a track that’s tucked inside the wall, which means that the hardware needs to be recessed and flush with the door, so it doesn’t block the door from opening properly. Morise locks are a common choice for pocket doors and can even provide antique-inspired style details.  

Fortunately, there are a wide range of sliding and pocket door hardware parts designed to coordinate effortlessly with the rest of the interior door hardware used throughout your home. Once you select your door hardware, shop within the same collection to find coordinating pieces for the other styles of doors throughout your space. 

Shopping for Interior Door Hardware by Entry Type

When it comes to how to choose door handles and knobs, it’s important to consider what entry type is the most appropriate for the door. Privacy, passage, and dummy sets are the three primary types of door handles. Learning how to choose door knobs appropriate for each door in your home is all about considering where each of the interior doors are in your home. 

Privacy

Privacy door handles lock, making them essential for any room where you’ll want to keep others from walking in. This type of door handle is most commonly used on bathroom and bedroom doors. The interior is locked with a push button or turn button. These doors can be unlocked from the outside by inserting a pin into the mechanism. Many privacy locks include an emergency egress feature, which allows you to exit the room quickly, simply by turning the knob or lever. 

Passage

Passage door hardware sets have no locking feature and are used on doors that do not need to be secured, such as closets and hallways. The knob or lever is turned to open the door. 

Dummy

Dummy knobs have no mechanical parts and are purely decorative. There is no latching mechanism between the handle and the door frame. Often mounted only on the outside surface of the door, dummy knobs are used as handles to open closet or cabinet doors.  

How to choose the right dummy door knobs requires knowing the four different options available, including:  

• Single Dummy: A knob or lever is mounted to the outside surface of the door. 
• Dummy Pair: Levers or knobs are mounted on both the inside and outside surfaces of the door. 
• Matched Pair: Matching lever sets, or matching knob sets are used on the door. 
• Lever Plus Knob: A lever is on one side of the door. A knob is on the other. 

Choosing Your Interior Door Hardware Finish 

The metallics you use throughout your home act as the jewelry for the space. All the door knobs and levers come in a range of different finishes. Before you select your interior door hardware sets, take a few moments to look around the room at all the other metallic finishes you already showcase.  

Lighting fixtures, cabinet hardware and furniture accents are just a few of the places you’ll use as inspiration. Black, bronze, chrome, black, brass and stainless steel are the most popular choices, all of which are available in brushed, matte, oil-rubbed, and even high-gloss options.  

Matte black interior door hardware sets provide a contemporary, industrial look, while brass delivers a traditional sophistication to your room design. Keep in mind that matte finishes tend to show fingerprints more easily than finishes with more shine. 

Sometimes, finishes aren’t just a fashion statement; they can also help keep you healthy. As you shop for your interior doorknobs, look for special features, such as the Microban® protection on many Kwikset ® doorknobs and levers. This permanently bonded antimicrobial coating on their door hardware helps to fight against germs and bacteria that cause the spread of illness. What could be better, on bathroom doors especially? 

Adding Industrial Style with Interior Barn Door Hardware 

One of the most functional trends when it comes to interior doors is the shift towards barn doors. Not only do interior barn doors act as an industrial focal point for any room, but they can also solve a range of different space-saving conundrums. Because barn doors slide on a durable track instead of swinging open into a room, they can help to maximize the use of a small space. 

Try trading out your laundry room door for a barn door and never again will you have your dryer door knocking into your open laundry room door. They can also be a great way to block off a previously open room design, transforming a formal dining room into a home office or an open rec room into a home theater. Interior barn door hardware comes in a wide range of styles to choose from, ranging from super rustic to ultra-modern. 

Choosing the Best Door Hinges to Complete the Look

Door handles aren’t the only consideration when it comes to interior door hardware parts. Make sure the whole look is cohesive by pairing your new doorknobs or door levers with hinges and the other small door hardware parts you may not have initially considered.  

Types of Interior Door Hinges

There are three primary types of hinges to consider when you’re looking for traditional interior door hinges. When you’re looking for something with a bit more artistic flair, specialty hinges might be the right answer. 

• Plain Bearing Hinge: One of the most classic of designs in residential homes, plain bearing hinges boast a barrel with a pin that holds it together. Some can even offer a removable pin, although not all of them are removable. 
• Ball Bearing Hinge: These are among the most heavy-duty of interior door hinges and they remain flush with the door when installed. Ball bearing hinges are ideal for commercial properties and oversized doors. 
• Spring Hinge: When you hate open doors, a spring hinge is a great solution. The integrated spring action automatically closes doors behind you. They are a great choice for screen doors and entry doors that lead to a garage.  
• Specialty Hinge: This vast assortment is anything but ordinary, including strap hinges, corner hinges, and more. Specialty hinges are bound to make any door look truly unique. 

Choose the Right Door Hinge Size

As with many types of hardware, door hinges come in a variety of different sizes. If you are retrofitting an existing door, the best way to choose the interior door hardware hinges is to measure the ones that are already in place and to choose new hinges in the same size and with the same screw hole configuration. 

Keep the Look Consistent

One of the most important factors when it comes to how to choose interior door hardware is to make sure that every element you select offers the same finish. Hinges, like handles and knobs, come in a range of different styles and finishes. If you select black interior door hardware in a craftsman style, shop the rest of the collection for other black door hardware parts that will complete the look. 

Determine How Many You Need

Once you choose the hinge design you’ll showcase on your interior doors, keep the look consistent by ordering enough hinges to outfit every door in the home. Count how many hinges you’ll need and then take a look at how many hinges come in each pack. You can order hinges individually, in pairs, or in larger sets. 

As a general rule, hinges should be installed every 30 inches or so. In some cases, 2 hinges will be enough for an interior door if it is lightweight, such as with a hollow core door. In most cases, doors will be mounted using three hinges. It may even be necessary to have 4 hinges if you have exceptionally tall or heavy natural wood doors. You can always look at the maximum weight capacity per hinge.  

Additional Door Hardware Parts 

Different types of doors can require different door hardware parts. Once you choose your door knobs and levers, stop to determine whether each door in your home requires door guards, door catches, door plates. There are even beautiful door knockers you can get to adorn your front door. 

Some types of doors have specific needs when it comes to door hardware parts, so it’s important to take a look at what’s already in place and to replace all the same parts when you’re changing out your hardware. Double doors, for instance, require flush bolts that secure one door in place so the other door can latch properly and lock for privacy.  

While we’re talking about interior doors, let’s talk about something essential for the interior of your front door. If you don’t have a window alongside your front door, a door viewer is an important safety feature. These door viewers allow you to see who’s standing on the other side without unlocking or opening the door.  

Learning how to choose doorknobs and door handles is just one way to deliver a metallic update to your interior decor. Once you’ve selected the door hardware parts you’ll showcase, keep the same luxe finishes going by shopping for lighting fixtures, bathroom hardware, cabinet hardware, and other home hardware to coordinate with your interior door hardware.