The term door furniture is usually used mostly in Britain and Australia, and it refers to any hardware that is attached to a door. This can include such necessary items as door hinges, latches, and handles. It may also include security features, like locks and peepholes.
In Britain and Australia, door furniture is often a term used to describe items that are attached to a door. These are usually meant to be both functional and attractive. In many other areas of the world, these items are simply referred to as door hardware or door fixtures.
Hinges are one of the most important types of door furniture. These allow the door to swing open and closed. They typically consist of two metal plates with offset rings that mesh into each other. One plate is attached to the door itself, while the other plate is attached to the door frame. A metal rod, known as a hinge pin, is then slid into the rings, holding the two plates together.
A door latch is another fairly important type of door furniture. This is the piece of hardware that helps keep the door closed. The latch, sometimes referred to as a latch bolt, fits into a hole in a metal plate mounted on the door jamb. This metal plate is often referred to as a strike plate. When a handle or knob is operated, the latch bolt slides into the door and away from the strike plate, which frees the door from the door jamb.
Different types of door handles may be used to disengage the latch bolt from the strike plate. A door knob, for instance, is common, and it causes the latch bolt to pull away from the strike plate when the knob is turned. A door handle, on the other hand, pulls the latch bolt away from the strike plate when the handle is pushed down.
Many commercial buildings also have a type of door furniture known as crash bars on their doors. These horizontal bars disengage the latch bolt from the strike plate when someone pushes on them. They are often used on fire escape doors, and they open easily when someone crashes into them, hence the name “crash bars.”
Locks are another type of commonly used door furniture. These are often used for security, since they stop the door from opening without the proper key. Some locks prevent door knobs and door handles from working, while others may be separate from these types of door fixtures. A dead bolt is a type of door lock usually mounted above a door knob. These types of locks consist of long metal bolts that go into a deep hole in the door jamb.
Peepholes are another type of door furniture often used for added security. A modern peephole typically consists of a metal cylinder that goes through the door, and lenses are mounted at each end of this cylinder. These are designed to allow people inside to see through the door to find out who is one the other side without actually opening the door. They are typically mounted at eye level.