Storm Door Hardware

Storm door hardware refers to a large array of products. Our goal is to provide comprehensive information on the various components that are available.

Storm door hardware components all have very specific purposes, from the highly functional to the purely decorative. Whether you are replacing worn out storm door hardware, screen door hardware or installing a new door and need suitable door locks and door handles, or just upgrading your existing door, we hope to provide you with enough information to make appropriate choices should you decide to buy online.

Storm Door Locks:

One of the most commonly replaced components are storm door locks. This is obviously a heavily used part of the door and can, over time start to look faded, or the parts may just wear out. It is much cheaper to just replace this part rather than the whole door. Locking mechanisms come in two broad categories, either a mortice lock or surface mount lock. Mortise lock hardware has a centre section that fits into a slot in the door, whereas surface mount hardware is mounted directly on the surface with no inner slot. It is very important that you replace like for like as surface mount hardware will not work with a mortice door knob and vice versa. Look for a 5 lever mortice lock as they are extremely secure.

With surface mount hardware you can select between lever door handles or those that work with door knobs, in addition to keyed deadbolts The more expensive surface mount lock sets typically have an integrated deadbolt.

When selecting either surface or mortise lock sets, you should consider the finish and that one side of the handle will be exposed to the elements. To achieve a longer lasting finish you can select hardware that has a PVD (physical vapor deposition) finish. This will protect the door handle and prevent rust and decay.

Regardless of the type of lock set you need, it should come with an accurate template to help positioning and drilling. Most good suppliers will let you download the template before buying the lock. You should also ensure that a strike plate is included if you need one. These can be easily bought separately but the better lock set come with them as part of the set.

Popular makes include Andersen storm doors, Larson storm doors and Emco storm doors

Security Hardware:

Security hardware often refers to door closing mechanisms. These are typically attached to the top of the door and provide a means of automatically closing the door. They are typically pneumatic in design and slowly release the door as required. The key is to select a closer that is appropriate for the weight of your storm door.

You can buy closers that have a mechanism to allow the door to stay open. The best of these hold the door in place but release the door when you nudge it with your hand or elbow.

For heavier storm doors you can buy full closure packs that include top and bottom closers in addition to the push-button latch or night latch. These are not often found on a sliding door fittings.

Storm Door Sweeps:

Door sweeps attach to the bottom of the storm door and help to prevent draughts and generally prevent heat-loss from the room. The sweep is made up of two parts, the bracket and the sweep itself. The bracket screws into the base of the door and should include an air-tight backing and adjustable mounting holes. The sweep itself slides into the bracket and is usually bought in standard lengths that can be trimmed as required and slid into the bracket.

Miscellaneous Storm Door Hardware:

Some of the sundry storm door hardware items you can add are mail slots. These should be metal and spring loaded. You can also buy additional locking mechanisms such as  barrel bolt or door flush bolts. You can also customise your door with decorative french foor handles or other types of architectural door hardware.

Hopefully this has given you a good overview of the storm door hardware components that are avaialable. On the rest of the site we have helpful articles and other information about different types of door hardware that is available online. You can also check out our front door hardware page for more exterior door ideas.