Burglary has risen rapidly in recent times and its imperative to provide security to our homes. To protect our loved ones and our dream home from burglars, it’s important we take necessary measures. And doors provide the primary protection to our home. In this article, we discuss the types of door accessories that can make your doors more secure.
Door accessories are those which are used to make doors more impenetrable and aesthetically pleasing. There are many door accessories in this category. Let’s check out the commonly used ones, starting from door handles to a small magic-eye-viewer!
By incorporating smart solution technologies, you can add more secure functionalities to your doors. For instance, Bluetooth door lock.
What are the 8 hardware accessories to secure your doors?
1. Handles – Door Accessories
Handles are door accessories that work in the principle of simple class one lever techniques. The fulcrum comes in the middle of load and effort. Its main function is to open and close the door. There are many types of door handles available in the market in both affordable and luxury price ranges as per the buyer requirements and standards.
Categorizing door handles by the general manufacturing model, we can put them in the following way.
Lever on plate:
Lever on a plate is a common one or most moving type, which is used in residential as well as commercial projects. It’s one of the oldest or traditional models. There are varieties of models in this model. The oldest keyhole handle comes under this category.
Lever on rose:
Lever on rose is similar to on plate handle but without the plate. These handles are contemporary.
Pull handles:
Pull handles can be used in glass doors and double wooden doors. They are used to pull the door to open and close. Usually they go along with heavy doors.
Flush handles:
You can use flush handles in wardrobes and small furniture shelves. They add aesthetic design to its final touch.
Door knobs:
Door knobs are holding accessories that help us to pull or push the door while opening and closing. You can attach them with a latch or on the rose model.
Thumb ring handle:
Thumb ring handle, as the name suggests, it’s the simplest rim lock security handles much like a car door handle, where we use thumb finger to open the doors. Maybe, they are the forefathers of finger locking systems or biometric door handles.
Cup handles:
Cup handles are the oldest handles, used from the ages of the emperor’s. These are commonly used in Mediterranean designs. An evolution from these handles is modern days folding handles and concealed handles.
2. Locks – Door Accessories
Locks are door accessories that add security features to the doors. Some of the common locks are;
Mortise locks:
Mortise locks are the heavy-duty locks designed especially for commercial applications. It can withstand frequent pressure usage without any breakdowns. As the name suggests, these doors are mortised to the edge of the door. It has many components which include mortise lock body, trims, handle, inside, and outside levers.
Mortise cylinder locks:
Mortise cylinder locks is a cylinder that is used in a mortise lock. The cylinder act as additional security for the specific key to pass through the lock.
Cylindrical locks:
Cylindrical locks are widely used in residential purposes. They work on the principle of the tubular latch mechanism. It requires two-holes piercing into the door that is perpendicular to one another. It is easy to install and so convenient for the workers. Also, it is known as a key in knob locks.
Rim locks:
Rim locks are specially meant for additional security purposes. It works on the principle of the master key method for unlocking.
Deadbolts:
Deadbolts have a locking system that you can use to open or close position by turning a key or a knob. It provides higher security than the ordinary standard ones. They can be either single-cylinder deadbolts or double-cylinder deadbolt. You can operate the single-cylinder deadbolt from one side, whereas double-sided from both sides.
Access control locks:
Access control locks are mainly digital locks. Its shape can be either mortise or cylindrical with a digital keypad and a proximity sensor. For users to unlock the door, it doesn’t require a key, they can use a secret pin or scan their credentials such as id cards, or a key fob.
Exit device locks:
Exit device locks are also known as panic bars. These devices replace handles, levers, knobs, etc. You can use in exit doors of commercial buildings.
High-security locks:
High-security locks, otherwise known as computerized key locks, are advanced locks to avoid breakage. With imprinted circles on them, you can improve the functionality.
Biometric locks:
Biometric locks are the most advanced lock systems which use any biometric details of a person to access entry. It can be a finger scanner, eyeball scanner, face detector, etc. They use thermal power to scan objects connecting to a battery or power supply. You can use these in offices and restricted premises which require sufficient security needs.
Safe Locks:
Safe locks, also known as combination locks, generally accept a sequence. The sequence can be a number or a code to access open the door. You can open them by the dial code method. Advanced safe locks have biometric detectors in them.
Magnetic Locks:
Magnetic locks are commonly used in glass doors. They work with the magnetic force of attraction, that is released for a few periods if you enter a correct code to access the door. They go along with all advanced models of security systems in locks.
3. Hinges – Door Accessories
Hinges are joinery that hold two elements together, permitting limited movements. The hinge can be made from different materials and can be flexible or rigid. They are available in many finishes such as copper, chrome, brass, black, stainless steel, antique, etc. Some of the various types of hinges are:
Butt hinges:
Butt Hinges are usually made from stainless steel, brass, and chrome-plated materials. The combination of three to four is used in the doors and windows. Both sides of the hinges are of the same size.
Ball bearing hinges:
Ball bearing hinges are similar to butt hinges in lock. But it contains balls as in case of cycle handles for smooth rotation of the system. The number of bearing increases so the smoothness increases. The bearing portion will be seen separated in the hinges.
Cut hinges:
Cut hinges are exactly similar to the butt hinges, where one side of the hinge is less in size compared to the other. They are mainly used in bathroom flush doors.
Railway Hinges:
Railway hinges are the hinges usually used for the heavy doors. They are available in various sizes and finishes, the Brass type is commonly moving ones in them. Here odd number holes in the hinge and even number hole follow a separate alignment so it provides more stability to object which uses it, and each odd holes and even holes will be equidistant from each other.
Barrel Hinges:
Barrel Hinges consist of components similar to a barrel. Here hollow spherical barrel is joint with the pivot for moving the object attached wit it. So, it consists of two parts barrel and a pivot. These types of hinges are used in gates, grill doors, etc.. Miniature barrel hinges are used in wardrobes.
Piano Hinges:
Piano hinges, are also called as continuous hinges, they are named for their original use with piano lids. A continuous and long hinges. Applications are folding portion wall, shower door, etc.
Flush Hinges:
The advantages of using these hinges are that they do not require the corner to be cut in the door on which they are installed. They don’t leave any space or gap between the frame and the door, giving a very clean consistent look. They can’t be used in heavy doors but can be used in cupboards and furniture.
Pivot Hinges:
Pivot hinges are the rotatory hinges, they are used for rotating it’s attached particles. Glass door is always attached in a pivot hinge. Smaller pivot hinges are used in windows and furniture.
Gate Hinges:
Gate Hinges are self-closing hinges that allow the operation of the object attached with it in one direction. They can be used in lightweight furniture and also heavy-duty works.
Spring Hinges:
Spring Hinges are similar to gate hinge but it allows the object to be opened in both directions. Semi Doors in government offices are operated using this, thus door can be opened both ways.
Wardrobe Cranked Hinges:
Wardrobe cranked hinges are hinges usually used for kitchen cabinets and wardrobes there are many types such as zero cranked, eight cranked, soft close and auto close, etc.
4.Tower Bolts
Tower Bolt is an additional security device usually used in the interior part of the door. This is a rod shaped bolt for fastening the door and thus avoiding the use of the key temporarily. Generally it is fitted on the top left corner backside of the door and used to lock the door to one side of the door at the edge and sliding into a cylindrical casing on the frame of the opening. They are usually made of brass, stainless steel, aluminum, mild steel, etc.. They are available in different models and sizes.
5. Door Chain – Door Accessories
A door chain is a minimal security device attached in the door, which allows the transfer of objects without fully opening the door. These chains are fixed with a screw on the frame. These are available in many designs and styles.
6. Door Stopper
Door stoppers are devices used to protect doors from the wide opening of the door. It can be a piece of metal, spring, plastic, etc. Usually, they are fixed in the back left bottom or left central portion of the door. Many varieties are available in the market.
7. Eye Viewer
The eye viewer is a device that is used to see you is in front of the door. This is the first step that everyone must follow before opening a door. The eye viewer, also known as the door eye, is fixed in a door by drilling a hole. We can say that these devices are forefathers of modern days electronic door viewers, where one can zoom in and out who is standing outside images.
8. Door Closer
The device that automatically closes a door after it’s been opened. They types of closers in door accessories are
- Overhead door closer
- Concealed door closer
- Floor Spring door closer
- Surface-mounted door closer
These are the basis hardware fittings that go with the door. I hope you all liked the session.
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