Door Hinges 101

First, I'd like to preface this with an apology for being absent. New computer, new photo editing, it's been pretty busy around The Hut, and of course summertime with vacations and such. But, I'm back in full swing so let's get started......



You don't usually give much thought to door hinges until you go to replace them. Hinges come in a variety of sizes. The typical size for an interior door is 3 1/2" high by 3 1/2" wide. This is not a rule but fairly typical. For an exterior door you usually will have a 4" by 4" although, depending on your door size the hinges can be larger than this. Door hinges will usually go up or down in 1/2" increments. For example, door hinges usually start at 3 1/2"x3 1/2" and go to 4"x4", 4 1/2"x4 1/2", and 5"x5". Occasionally you'll have a 4 1/2"x4" or a 5"x4 1/2" but it doesn't seem to be as common.


Door hinges come in either plain bearing or ball bearing. This refers to the pin or as some people call it, the barrel and how it's put together. Most interior hinges are a plain bearing, meaning the two leaves of the hinge are interlocked around a straight pin and pivot directly onto the pin. A ball bearing hinge is put together the same way but in between pin and the interlocking leaves are ball bearings. The bearings give the hinge a smoother action and they disburse the weight of the door so they can withstand heaver doors and more use.


On a 3 1/2" hinge there will be three screw holes on each leaf, on a 4" or higher there will be four screw holes on each leaf. The hinges that have four screw holes get a little tricky. The hole pattern can be different, so it's wise to double check your holes and measure their placement as well. There is what's called the architectural pattern which is the shape of an arch or what I call a half moon shape. The hole placement for this pattern is pretty consistent from brand to brand. The other pattern is called Staggered. The holes are in a zig-zag pattern, and these can vary. On some hinges the top hole starts closest to the pin, the next hole is closer to the outside edge, third hole is closer to pin, and last hole is closer to the outside. This pattern can be reversed on the other leaf or it can be the same on both leaves. It can also be the exact opposite where the top hole starts on the outside and zig-zags from there.

Lastly, there are the hinge corners. There are three types; a square corner, a 1/4" radius, and a 5/8" radius. Square corners are obvious but the radius isn't so easy to spot. You're geometry might be a little rusty, so most likely you don't remember how to measure a radius. The simplest way to find out which radius you have is to use coins. A quarter or .25 cents when held up the the corner of the hinge is very close to a 5/8" radius. A dime is very close to a 1/4" radius.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Restocking Fees, What?

It's Monday morning and the phones are ringing like crazy, and I'm typing away like a mad woman (I'm pretty sure I can see my fingertips smoking) and then the call comes in. A customer wants to return their order because the finish didn't quite match everything else. I don't mind doing a return on product sometimes it's just not right, but with returns comes restocking fees and that's not always the most pleasant call to take. I'd like to shed some light as to what restocking fees are and why they're charged.

When an order is placed; a person has to manually process the order, the order is sent to the warehouse-someone pulls the order and makes sure it is correct, a different person packs does a double check to make sure it's correct and ships the order to the customer, then the order goes to accounting and gets charged. When an order needs to be returned this process is almost exactly the same just in reverse. Except, someone has to inspect every piece and make sure it's in perfect resalable condition when it comes back. In most cases a return is made to a manufacturer since that it where it is shipped from and they will forward us a copy of the credit memo so that we can issue credit to your card. This process takes a lot of manpower and time to complete.

There are some manufacturers that literally stock hundreds of the same item and the process is fairly simple, but there are a good number of manufacturers that offer one product but with a number of different configurations. When an order is placed with these manufacturers you are essentially getting a custom piece of hardware. These items are assembled to your specifications and if they are returned they need to be disassembled. There are also companies that sell specialized, niche hardware (let's just say a pine cone knob in antique brass) now, this is something that's not going to fit into everyone's home decor like a round satin nickel knob would. Naturally, the stock availability will be much lower on these and when a few sell the manufacturer replenishes their stock. If that item were to come back to them, they would be "overstocked."

I don't like having to enforce these policies, but I can at least understand whey they are charged. There are a few manufacturers that do not charge a restocking fee, but these are a very small number. I do think that restocking fees are a necessary part of doing any kind of business. So, what type of restocking fees am I talking about exactly?

Our policy on The Hardware Hut is that if the item is something that is stocked here in our warehouse and it is perfect when we receive it (original packaging, no scratches, dents, other signs of use) then we will not assess a restocking fee(there are a couple of exceptions). The majority of items on our site are shipped directly from manufacturers and we have to enforce their restocking policy. The polices are displayed via link on every single product on our site. These restocking fee policies vary anywhere from 5% to 35% depending on the manufacturer. Just to give you an idea of where we are on the spectrum of internet hardware retailers, I have scoured all of our major competitors websites and looked at their policies. Here is a sampling of what is out there:

"Samples cannot be returned-25% restocking fee on all items. No returns on special order items."
"Return must be over $60.00"
"Refund of store credit valid for 6 months-25% restocking fee."
"No returns on opened packages-if shipping was free at the time of purchase, credit will be issued after restocking fees and the original shipping expense is assessed."
"Stock items 15%, non stock items 25%-30%"

One site has a 20%-40% and most sites have a flat 25% restocking fee on all items(with a few exceptions). There were also three sites that I could not locate their return policy at all (and I think I'm pretty internet savvy.)

After looking through these other sites, I'd have to say we're right in line with the rest of the industry. As a consumer myself, I'm always comparison shopping on what my best value is and what my repercussions are if it doesn't work out. I think a lot of sites try to conceal what there policies are, but I feel it's so much easier on everyone if it's all out in the open. Not only are our policies displayed on each item, but there is a link in the shopping cart, and there is a ton of helpful information in our FAQ section. With that, I hope you've become better educated consumers. That way there are no surprises, regardless of where you shop online. If you have any questions or need clarification feel free to contact me.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Pocket Doors Galore

When choosing pocket door hardware there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. 1. Do you want the door to lock or be non-locking. 2. Do you have a single door or double doors?

I'll start with single doors; for non locking doors you have two choices to go with. The "all in one" unit such as this model by Deltana


this is great for homeowners because of its easy installation. This unit comes as one piece and has an edge pull built into it. Another option to go with is two flush pulls and an edge pull separately. This option is great because you can choose from various styles and sizes for a customized look. Here are some examples of flush pulls and an edge pull:

On privacy or locking doors the "all in one" unit is an option as well, the difference from the passage version is that there is a turn knob on the inside of the unit and it comes with a strike plate for the jamb side of the door. This is typically used in a bathroom or sometimes a bedroom. An addition to the flush pull option above, for locking doors is the Ives 42B which would be mounted on the interior face of the door. When the button is pressed, the door cannot go back into the jamb while it's locked. Check out the 42b in action at:

Lastly, double doors…..Ah, if there were only more options to this scenario. Unfortunately, for double doors your options are limited. If you want the two doors to latch together in the middle of the opening, your choice would be the converging kit by Gruppo Romi while these locks are pricey, they are worth every penny. Included in this set you get four flush pulls a mortised lock body and two edge pulls that are built in. The Gruppo Romi double door set is heavy duty, solid brass construction, and it's a completely custom look. Here's what you'd be getting with a double door kit:

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Give Your Home A Face Lift

Curb Appeal is very important when it comes to your home, it's really the first impression that someone gets, whether they are coming to your house or driving by they make a judgment based on the way your house looks. Heck, curb appeal is important enough that HGTV has a whole show dedicated to it.

A fairly inexpensive way to spruce up your entry and give the outside of your house a whole new look is to change your entry hardware. For roughly $300-$500 you can literally change the entire feel of your entry way. Most entrances to homes have these items that can be easily changed. 1. An Entry Handle. 2. Door Hinges. 3. Door Knocker or Door Bell. 4. House Numbers. 5. A Mailbox or Mail Slot. Of course you don't have to have a knocker and a doorbell on the same entry and some of us have a mailbox that is on the street rather than attached to the house. With the pictures below you can at least get an idea of what items can be pulled together to get a specific look and feel.

Satin Nickel with a Modernized Retro feel:


This look has become pretty popular and looks great on mid century homes and contemporary homes with angular shapes. A slight variation on this set would be to get similar items in the polished chrome finish.

Polished Brass with a Traditional flair:


The nice thing about a traditional style is that it fits a number of different home styles and you can make it as "fancy" as you want by adding more items with swirl and leaf motifs rather than something with a plain surface. Polished brass tends to be the most common finish on a traditional style but you could always get the same look in a more subdued finish like antique brass.

Oil Rubbed Bronze with an Old World charm:


Old world is a pretty general term, but it seems to have common themes such as rich dark tones like oil rubbed bronze or a bronze patina. Fixtures tend to be more chunky and substantial. Old world styles fit on houses with stone facings, and natural elements. The style fits on houses that are similar to Spanish and Colonial Revival eras.

Rustic Black with a Craftsman feel:


A lot of people mistake mission style for craftsmen style. Mission is more clean straight lines, and craftsmen style is more of a general term for being of quality and "handmade." The picture above is of a combination of hand forged hardware and items that aren't necessarily handmade but are rustic because of the texture and natural appearance.

Even at $300 that can be kind of steep to shell out at once, the nice thing is you can buy pieces that compliment each other one piece at a time so that it doesn't break the bank. Adding new hardware to your entryway gives your home an updated look that's a great investment in the long run.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Can I Have A Standard Car Please?

A standard car, what's that? There's no such thing as a standard car, they're all different.
Welcome to hardware 101. The term standard should almost be obsolete in the hardware world because there are very few things that are standard in the industry.

I'm going to discuss door hardware and the options that are available so when you're ready to order you'll be armed with information. On a door there are typically hinges and a lock of some sort. "How many options could there be?" you say, on door hinges for a typical home you have to choose which finish you want, what size you want, and what type of corner you need.

Finishes are pretty easy to figure out, but for the corners you have 3 choices. The self explanatory choice would be square corner, the second choice is a 1/4in. radius, and the last choice is a 5/8in. radius. Here is a drawing that depicts all three options.

Also, a quick easy way to determine your radius is to hold up a dime and a quarter to the corner and see which one fits the best.

On the door locks, it gets a little more complicated. You have to choose which function you need. The different functions for interior doors are Privacy (there is a push button on the inside of the door that allows you to lock it,) Passage (the knob or lever turns but does not lock,) and a Dummy (the knob or lever does not move at all, and it gets screwed onto the face of the door.) Not only do you have to choose the function, but on the locks that move you have to choose the backset. A backset is the measurement of the distance from the edge of your door to the center of the bore hole that your knob or lever goes into. The most common backsets in the US are either 2-3/8in. or 2-3/4in. Here is a diagram to show you where to measure.

For exterior doors the functions are a Keyed knob or lever (there is a key built into the knob or lever and a push/turn button on the inside,) a Single Cylinder Deadbolt (a key on the outside and a turn knob in the inside,) and a Double Cylinder Deadbolt (a key on both the outside and the inside.)

Another option that you will need to know would be the door handing, the easiest way to determine handing is to stand on the outside of the door and look at the hinges. The key is to always be on the outside, if the hinges are on the Right you would order a right hand lock and if the hinges are on the Left you would order a left hand lock. This honestly is the easiest way to figure it out. Many people use different methods, and tell you that the direction the door swings matters but I think it only makes it more complicated.

Last would be door thickness. A "standard" door- scratch that, a "typical" residential door is either 1-3/8in. or 1-3/4in. thick. All residential locks come equipped to fit either of those sizes. Occasionally, you'll have an entry door that will be thicker and some manufacturers make a thick door kit to accommodate those.

Erica
“Leave the Details to Us”

Who Says You Need Keys To Lock Your Door?

How many times have you locked yourself out of the house or lost a key? I’ve had my fair share of climbing through windows or having to hide a spare key. Not anymore…..

With Schlage’s keypad locks you don’t have to carry a key ever again. They come in a variety of styles and finishes, and they’re very easy to install & program. Schlage provides a 9 volt battery that lasts for about 3 years, so if your power goes out you don’t need to worry about the lock not working, and if all this isn’t enough-the keypad is even backlit for night time use.

When you receive your keypad lock, it will come with very detailed installation instructions, but here’s an overview on how to install. Basically, you will put the latch bolt in its hole, hold the outside trim plate up to the door, (it should stay in place when lined up properly) snap the base plate (inside) onto the post that runs through the door, connect the battery wires, line up the interior trim plate, and screw it in place.

To program the lock you’ll punch in the 6 digit programming code that Schlage has provided, then press the “Schlage” button on the top, press #1 and your personalized 4 digit code, repeat the 4 digit code and voila! You’re done.

You can program up to 19 different 4 digit codes. This is a great feature because you can set up a code for each family member or if it’s a rental property you don’t have to rekey the locks when they leave (just change the code). If you’re expecting a repair person you can assign a code to them and when they’re done you can delete the code. If you have company from out of town, they can have their own codes and again-all you have to do is delete the code when they leave. No more getting copies of keys, buying hide-a-keys, changing your locks, or getting a phone call from one of your kids saying they’re locked out of the house.Check out the overview video from Schlage: