Fit and Finish: Our Door Hardware

While we're not looking for absolute historical accuracy in our finish details for this house, we are trying our best to select details that at least look like those that would have been used a century or more ago. This is the main reason for selecting real paneled wooden doors over several cheaper alternatives available today, and it is also the rationale behind our door hardware selections.

Or course, there are modern conveniences to consider.

Had we been around to build this house a century ago, all of our door hardware would have been "full-mortise" locksets, complete with skeleton keys. This type requires the installer to use either a mortising tool or a drill and chisels to take a regtangular section of the door's wood out where the lockset will be installed. They are still available today, but are typically more expensive to purchase and, being more labor intensive, more costly to install. What we refer to now as "privacy" sets were also not available. All the hardware we've purchased is designed to install in a modern, pre-drilled door, and we've bought privacy sets for all the bathrooms, as is common. Our hardware uses a modern "barrel" mechanism, which can be installed with a power drill and only a little chiseling.

First Floor Doors

On the first floor, we have both entry doors and interior doors to take into account. Fortunately, we were able to locate reproduction hardware with a entry set that matches the interior doors. Those building real Victorian-era homes would have spent their money on showier hardware on the first floor of the home, where they entertained, so we went for fancier-looking hardware -- egg-shaped knobs on a decorative pack plate, all in polished solid cast brass. You can click on either image to the right to see a larger image -- the left image is what will be installed on most interior doors, and the right image is the inside half of the entry set.

Whimsy

Also on the first floor, we wanted at least one "whimsical" knob, different from the others, just as a little surprise for those who found it. The image to the right (click for a larger picture) shows that knob. We kept the same backplate, but switched to a violet-tinted cut glass knob. This knob will be on the dining room closet door.

Second Floor Doors

Finally, on the second floor, we wanted simpler hardware. As mentioned above, this would have been less expensive (although now it's "reproduction", making the price no different than for the downstairs hardware.) All the doors on the floor will have a simpler oval brass backplate, with a clear glass knob, as you can see to the right.

Resources
 
<http://www.cabin26.com/> - Cabin 26 Hardware, where we bought this stuff