Apr
20
Choose the Right Front Door Handleset
We see front door locks and handlesets every day of our lives, but how often do we actually think about them? We grab and go and never give it a second thought. But what if it’s your door entry handleset? Then it’s no longer just a mechanism that opens a door, it’s the guardian that protects your home and your family. Plus, it’s one of the biggest statement to your style and a sign of how much pride you take in your home. Oh, and you’ll be looking at it every single day.
When all that sinks in, you’ll realize just how important choosing the right door entry handleset is. But it’s not always easy to shop for a new handleset thanks to all the measurements, jargon and technical gobblety-gook that you’re faced with. It can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why I’m here – to help you pick not only the right type of handleset, but one you’ll be proud to see on your front door.
So, I’ll make things simpler. To pick a front door handleset you go by two main criteria: how it works and how it looks. How it works is most important, so let’s start there.
Front door handlesets come in two different types: tubular and mortise. Most doors use tubular locks, so named because of the circular holes cut into the door and the way the locks fit into them. Picture the inside of a front door. You have a knob and then above it, a deadbolt. That’s how tubular locks are set up.
Mortise locks offer a higher level of security than tubular locks but are much more complex. The locking mechanism is in the shape of a box that fits into the side of the door. A space for the “mortise box” has to be carved out or “mortised” into the door, hence the name. Mortise locks are primarily used for wood doors but can also work for fiberglass doors with a wood edge. Mortise locks operate differently than tubular handlesets as well. Mortise locks have a turnpiece on the inside of the door that controls the deadbolt, just like a tubular lock does, but they also have two buttons on the edge of the door. Pushing these buttons will lock or unlock the lower latch, so you can leave the door locked when you leave without having to use a key.
Deciding between a tubular handleset and a mortise lock depends on what type of door you have now. Replacing your lock with a lock of the same type is the simplest option. If your door is brand new and no holes have been drilled yet then you can choose whichever look suits your home and what level of security you feel comfortable with.
Tubular Door Handlesets
Tubular Door Handlesets come in three styles: Full Escuctheon, ¾ Escutcheon and Two-Piece. The first two types, Full Escutcheon and ¾ Escutcheon, are very similar.
Tubular Handleset: Full Escutcheon
A Full Escutcheon Handleset has a handle and a thumb piece set against a backplate or “escutcheon” that extends the full length of the handleset.
Tubular Handleset: 3/4 Escutcheon
A 3/4 Escutcheon Handleset is similar to a full escutcheon lock except the backplate doesn’t extend to the bottom of the handle.
For Full Escutcheon and 3/4 Escutceon handlesets to be installed correctly you need to know the center-to-center measurement of your door. The center-to-center measurement (or CTC for short) is the distance between the center of the hole for the deadbolt and the center of the hole for the main latch. The distance between these holes on your door must match the distance between those holes on your backplate. If they don’t then installation is impossible. For most handlesets, the typical measurement is 5 ½ inches.
Sometimes you won’t be able to find a handleset that matches the CTC measurement for your door. That’s okay. Just use a Two-Piece Handleset.
That’s the beauty of Two Piece Handlesets. On this Handleset there is no backplate, so the distance between the holes in your door doesn’t matter.
Mortis Locks
Mortise Lock have their own styles as well. The difference in mortise lock styles isn’t the length of the backplate, but the type of handle you’ll use. Mortise locks come in three main styles: handleset, knob by knob and lever by lever.
Mortis Lock: Handleset
Mortise locks with a Handleset style, like this Empire Mortise Lock, use a thumbpiece to engage the latch and open the door.
Mortis Lock: Knob by Knob
This Baltimore Mortise Lock is an example of a Knob by Knob design. There is a knob on the exterior of the door with a keyhole above it and the interior of the door with a turn piece above it.
Mortise Lock: Lever by Lever
The last style of mortise lock is the Lever by Lever style. This style, demonstrated by the Fenwick Mortise Lock above, replaces the knobs with levers, for a more classical touch.
Finally, I’d like to make two points about security. The first point regards the security of your home. Many front doors are surrounded by or in close proximity to glass. This creates a wondrous effect when bright sunlight shines in and illuminates your foyer. It also creates a wonderful shortcut for burglars who want easy access to your home and only have to break the glass, reach in, and undo your lock. That is why most of our locks come with a double-cylinder deadbolt. This means that a key is required to open the lock from the exterior and the interior. So broken glass just means you’ll need to replace the glass and not an entire home’s worth of belongings. I chose a double cylinder lock to keep my store safe and give me peace of mind.
Secondly, I want you to feel secure knowing that your new lock will stand the test of time. From pounding storms, brutal humidity or sub-zero nights to the wear and tear of everyday use, your handleset will endure all types of abuse. How long can any product last under that type of wear and tear. A lifetime, that’s how long! Baldwin Hardware makes several finishes that are Lifetime Finishes: Lifetime Brass, Lifetime Satin Nickel, and Lifetime Polished Nickel. Each one is guaranteed not to tarnish or crumble under any circumstances. If they do, Baldwin will replace them at no charge to you. Protect what’s protecting you and get a Lifetime finish. With a safe home and a safe investment you’ll have two less things to worry about.
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