What Is Door Hardware? Parts and Types Explained
Door hardware is every working metal part on a door and its frame: hinges, knobs or levers, latches, locks, deadbolts, strike plates and stops. The strike plate, which catches the latch and deadbolt, is the main piece installed on the door jamb, along with the jamb side of the hinges. Which parts you need depends on the door's job: entry, privacy or simple passage.
Kwikset 96900-463Best overall
Estmoon Most keys included
Gobrico 12061-01Lightest in the lineupWhat door hardware means
Door hardware is a broad term for the parts that let a door swing, latch, lock and stay protected. People also call it door fittings, door furniture or simply the lockset and hinges. In everyday shopping, "door hardware" most often means the handle and lock, but hinges, strike plates and stops count too.
One way to picture it is in four jobs. Hardware hangs the door, latches it shut, secures it and protects it from damage. Hinges handle hanging. The latch and handle handle opening and closing. Locks handle security. Stops and strike reinforcers handle protection.
The main parts of door hardware
Most doors in a home use the same handful of parts. Knowing their names makes product listings much easier to read.
- Hinges: Metal leaves that attach the door to the frame and let it swing. Most residential doors use two or three.
- Knob or lever: The part you grip to turn the latch. A lever is pushed down, a knob is twisted.
- Rosette or backplate: The round or flat plate behind the handle that covers the bore hole and hides the mounting hardware.
- Latch bolt: The spring-loaded bolt in the door edge that holds the door closed. It retracts when you turn the handle.
- Deadbolt: A separate, heavier bolt that you extend with a key or thumb turn. It does not rely on a spring.
- Cylinder and keys: The keyed part of a lock. Some systems let you re-key the cylinder yourself.
- Thumb turn: The inside knob or lever that locks a privacy or entry set without a key.
- Strike plate: The metal plate on the frame that the latch and bolt slide into.
- Door stop: A small piece that keeps the handle from hitting the wall.
Which door hardware is installed on the door jamb
The jamb is the vertical side of the door frame. Several parts mount there, and they do an important job because they carry the load when someone pushes or kicks on the door.
The strike plate is the key one. It sits in a shallow cut in the jamb, with an opening for the latch bolt and a second opening for the deadbolt. The jamb half of each hinge also screws into the frame on the hinge side. A door stop or bumper may go on the jamb too.
Strike plates are held by screws, and short screws only bite into the thin jamb trim. Longer screws that reach the wall stud make the door harder to force open. Our best door hardware page notes a strike reinforcer that comes with 3 in screws for exactly this reason.
Types of door hardware by function
The biggest decision is function, meaning how the lock behaves. Buying the wrong one is the most common reason for a return, so settle it before you look at finishes.
Entry sets lock with a key on the outside and a thumb turn inside, and they usually pair with a deadbolt. Privacy sets lock from the inside only and suit bedrooms and bathrooms. Passage sets never lock and simply latch the door shut. Dummy handles do not turn at all and are used for pulls on closet doors.
| Type | How it locks | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Entry set with deadbolt | Key outside, thumb turn inside | Front and back exterior doors |
| Privacy set | Thumb turn inside; emergency release outside | Bedrooms and bathrooms |
| Passage set | Does not lock | Hallways and closets |
| Dummy handle | No latch or lock | Pulls on closet or pantry doors |
Knobs, levers and handlesets
Beyond function, you choose a shape. Knobs are compact and traditional. Levers are easier to use with full hands or limited grip strength, and many people find them simpler to operate when carrying something.
A handlesets has a large exterior handle and thumb latch, with a matching deadbolt, and it is often used on front doors. Combo packs bundle a lever or knob with a deadbolt so the finish and key match. For example, the Kwikset Tylo set on our comparison page includes a deadbolt and a keyed entry lever, with 2 keys in the box.
If you have several exterior doors, keyed-alike sets let one key open them all. The Estmoon pack on our page contains two keyed-alike sets with 12 identical keys, so every household member can have one.
Measure before you buy
Hardware only fits if it matches your door. Two measurements matter most. Door thickness is how thick the slab is, and backset is the distance from the door edge to the center of the bore hole.
The sets we list all fit doors 1.375 to 1.75 in thick, and the latch adjusts to a 2.375 or 2.75 in backset. Those are the standard sizes in most homes, but older or custom doors can differ, so measure first.
Also check the lock's security grade and cycle rating. ANSI/BHMA Grade 3 is the residential baseline, and the cycle rating counts how many open-and-close operations the lock is tested for. Our comparison lists figures from 200,000 to 250,000 cycles. The best door hardware comparison puts these numbers side by side.
Safety and installation notes
Most locksets install with a screwdriver, but a few precautions help.
Wear safety glasses when drilling a new bore hole, and add hearing protection if you use a hole saw or power drill for long. Use a drilling template, and drill straight so the latch lines up. Use a stepladder, not a chair, if you are working on a tall door or a transom.
Keep a key or tool for emergencies. Bedroom and bathroom privacy locks should open from the outside with a coin or small screwdriver, which makes it possible to reach someone who is in trouble. Never install a keyed lock on an interior exit that people need to leave quickly.
Frequently asked questions
What is door hardware called?
People use several names: door hardware, door furniture, fittings, or a lockset when talking about the handle and lock together. Hinges and strike plates fall under the same umbrella.
Is a deadbolt part of the lockset?
It can be. Many combo packs include both a handle and a deadbolt. Some sell the deadbolt on its own, so check what is in the box.
Do I need a deadbolt on an interior door?
Usually not. Interior doors rely on passage or privacy sets. A deadbolt is aimed at exterior doors where break-in resistance matters.
Can I change the keys on a lock I already own?
Some systems allow it. The Kwikset Tylo listing describes SmartKey technology that lets you re-key the lock yourself, and it comes with a re-keying tool.