Antique Door Hardware

Antique door hardware is a fantastic way to add character and charm to your home at an affordable cost.

If you like you can just work on a door at a time as your budget allows. The great news for people wanting to add the feel of a bygone era is that there is lots of choice of antique architectural door hardware and many different companies offering quality reproduction antique door hardware. You can pay lots of money for original brass door hardware but the reproduction door hardware is of such authentic finish yet with modern underlying technology that will not fall to pieces after two minutes! There are lots of different components you can choose from which include:

Antique Door Knobs:

Antique door knobs are a fantastic way to achieve the period-specific look you are trying to achieve. For example if you are going for an Edwardian look then the bee hive shaped antique brass door handles are perfect. You can make them even more authentic by adding a layer of beeswax periodically to the knob which, over time will give a fantastic lustre. Adding the right knobs and handles to an antique door will pay dividends in terms of authenticity.

Antique Door Furniture Sets:

Whether you are looking for Victorian, Edwardian or Colonial there is lots of choice of antique door furniture sets. Very specific requirements can be met so if you are looking to replace a mortise door set on a pre 1930s door which are typically a bit thinner than modern doors, you can be accommodated.  The better quality sets are made from solid brass. Make sure it comes with a matching strike plate and screws and all mounting accessories needed. If you have modern doors then you can just use those made for the standard 2 3/8" hole and 1 3/8" door width.

As well as mortise locks you can also get high quality rim locks. These are great for Victorian reproductions. One thing to bear in mind when looking at rim locks is that they should be reversible and able to be mounted on left or right handed doors.

Antique Door Hinges:

Antique door hinges are a small detail that lend an air of authenticity to your project. It looks jarring if you have beautiful Victorian door handles living alongside 21st century door hinges. The two most common types of door hinge you can buy are butt hinges and strap hinges. The butt hinges come with either ball tips or steeple tips depending on the era and varying degrees of ornateness. You can match your hinges with your other door furniture for a harmonious look. You should ensure that the pins in the butt hinge are described as "loose". Strap hinges are more in keeping with colonial "New England" designs. They come in different lengths (usually 30 or 36 inches) and are usually cast in forged iron.

Push and Kick Plates:

Push and kick plates are very practical in that they stop your paintwork being covered in grubby fingerprints as people come and go. They can also be beautiful accompaniments to the other door hardware. Kick plates install at the bottom of the door and should probably be used sparingly where doors are often used by people with their hands full. Try not to add them just for the sake of more metal on your door as a look that is in keeping with the door's usage will have a more authentic "feel".

Parts

You can also buy individual parts for the larger pieces of antique door furniture. These include door knobs (crystal, porcelain, brass, etc), keepers, keyhole covers, strikers, spindles, skeleton keys and rosettes. This level of granularity is good because it lets you replace worn out parts or build your own unique combinations of door sets and other antique door hardware.