1: STYLING



Think of exterior door hardware as a fine piece of jewelry on a solid color door. There are a wide variety of styles and finishes to complement your home from classic to contemporary. The rule is to match the exterior hardware to other metallic features, such as lights or house numbers.

2: THE SAFE AND SOUND TEST

When buying exterior door hardware, look for the toughest materials and the most advanced technology. Heavier duty locks stand up to picking, kick-ins and blunt object attacks. Ask if the new lock can re-keyed to match other locks in your home. Does the lock have lifetime warranty?

3: MAINTENANCE

For an exterior door, maintenance is always an issue. Ask yourself how much maintenance you want to do on your door hardware. In an outside environment, particularly where the door is exposed to rain, wind or sea air, the finish will tarnish at a faster rate than if it were indoors. The important factor to consider is the finish of the door handle or knob. The nice thing about inside door hardware is that you rarely have to worry about maintenance.

4: METALS

If you are going for the polished brass look outside, go for a high quality, slightly more expensive handle because the lacquer will last significantly longer. Chrome or anodized bronze will fare better than brass on the outside. Again, on an interior door any metal should be fine.

5: OPEN DOOR POLICY

Are you going to replace all your outside doors or just one? Don't forget the doors that enter through the garage as well.

6: PRICE CHECK

Quality locks and door hardware are available in all price levels. Generally, the choice of finish and heaviness of material such as brass or steel determine the price. Make sure to double check the price against other exterior door hardware you have looked at.