What Furniture Do I Need For My Oak Door?
1st Oct 2015
Once your solid oak door has been finished using your chosen oil or wax, you can now fit your door into place. For this, it is important that the door furniture chosen is suitable for your purpose and your tastes.
Finish
The first stage is to choose your ironware finish. This would normally remain the same throughout all the ironware use on the door. Two of the most popular finishes are the Beeswax and the Pewter.
The beeswax provides an authentic, natural finish, which preserves the texture of the ironware. This finish is suitable for internal use only.
The Pewter finish will work in contemporary and period properties alike. This finish is suitable for both internal and external use.
With your finish chosen, you can now choose the appropriate furniture for your door. A good place to start is with the hinges.
Hinge
For the hanging of your doors you need a suitable hinge. T Hinges or H/HL Hinges are normally used for this job.
T Hinge
T Hinges are our main recommendation for the hanging of your oak door. These are available in a range of different sizes, dependant on the size of your door. For our standard 2’3”, 2’6” or 2’9” doors we recommend a pair of 18" hinges.
When fitting these hinges the top hinge should be placed as close to the top ledge of the door as possible. The bottom hinge should be aligned just above the bottom ledge of the door. Traditionally T-hinges were always fitted to the door boards not the ledges, and this is how we recommend you fit them.
These T-hinges are available in a range of different styles including a Bean and Arrow Head.
H/HL Hinges
For those who want something different to the more traditional T-hinges there are the H/HL Hinges. Again these hinges are available in a number of sizes, so it is important you get a suitable sized hinge for your door.
The H Hinges and the HL Hinges both perform the same function. The HL Hinge however is designed for heavier doors.
With your choice of hinge decided, the next step is to decide how you want to open and close your oak door. Whether the door needs to be locked should also been considered.
Latch
Thumblatch
A traditional thumb latch is probably the most commonly used method for the opening and closing of oak doors. The handle of the latch is fitted to one side of the door with the bar passing through the door. When the thumb section is pushed down, the bar on the other side of the door is released upwards. This allows you to open the door. When exiting, the bar can simply be lifted, and the door opened. A video showing how a thumblatch works can be seen below.
These thumblatches are available in a range of styles including the arrow and bean head.
Simple Latch
For doors that are only required to be opened one way (cupboards, wardrobes) a simple latch set can be used. These work in much the same way as the thumblatches, without the thumb section. Instead the bar is fitted to the outside of the door, and simply lifted up when access is required.
Ring Turn Latch
The third and final form of latch is a cottage latch. Rather than a thumb section, these instead use a ring turn handle, which is turned to lift the bar up and down. These are available in styles such as the Shakespeare or Cottage Latch.
Handles
Lever Handles
There are a number of different designs available with lever handles. These are available with or without a locking mechanism, depending on where you wish to use the handle.
Pull Handles
For doors which are not required to be kept shut, or will be used in conjunction with a bolt (see below), a simple pull handle can be used. Arrow and bean styles are available to match in with your hinges as well as more intrigue designs such as our Darcy Handle.
Door Knobs
The final method available for opening and closing your oak door is a door knob. Some of these knobs are available with the mechanism to turn to release the door. Knobs are also available as a replacement to pull handles.
Door Bolts
When using some latches, handles or knobs you may find that you require a locking mechanism. If you are not interested in using a handle with this built in, a good solution is to opt for a door bolt.
Dependant on how your door/frame has been fitted, there are straight and cranked bolts available.
If you would like to discuss door furniture with us further, give us a call on 01538 304584.
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