by Olha Romaniuk

Created on: December 17, 2011   Last Updated: December 21, 2011

Door hardware, including door knobs, can add that finishing touch to a house or a room. Door knobs are small but they can make a plain, old door breathe with a new breath of life. Thus, a utilitarian accessory such as a door knob should, nevertheless, not be overlooked as it provides that key sense of comfort and design accent to a larger unit of space. For this reason, door hardware selection is not as straight forward as picking a round metal or wood door knob. Door hardware can come in several different types, with some types more applicable than others, depending on varying purposes and design considerations.

Door knobs can be separated into several categories: passage knobs, dummy knobs, keyed entrance knobs and privacy knobs. Amongst these four main categories, there are many variations based on design, material and price. Before picking out the wood color to match that laminate accent trimming, it is much more important to pick the right type of door knob for most useful operation. Thus, the focus here is on the utilitarian usage of door knobs, and the different types of knobs that can be used for various purposes.

Passage knobs are the most widely used types of door knobs as they are used on just about all interior doors, for passage between rooms, hallways, and for access of closets. Passage knobs can be opened by anyone as they do not have keyholes. Thus, these door knobs are used whenever there is no need for privacy.

Dummy knobs are used for decoration only. They are not meant to be functional and are chosen to be attached to doors strictly because of design preferences of an owner. These knobs, unlike other knob types, are one-sided, since they do not need to open anything. They are mounted directly on a door's surface and their mounting methods vary according to a manufacturer. Dummy knobs' best purpose is for embellishing inactive or French doors.

Keyed entrance knobs are used wherever there is a need for maximum privacy or security. They can be typically seen on front doors of houses and require a key for a visitor to pass through the door. These knobs have push locks on the inside; the lock on the inside releases once a knob is turned. Some models lock on one side and can be opened on the other with a push button; others can be locked on both sides and need a key for access from either of the sides.

Privacy knobs are used for rooms that require additional precautions for entry. They are used on bathroom doors, guest rooms and locker rooms, among others. Privacy knobs usually have a button that can be pushed in to lock the door from the inside, but do not have a key hole. If an emergency arises, or a key is lost, privacy locks can be opened by inserting a small object into a narrow hole on a side of the knob and by trying to turn the locking mechanism that way.

Besides door knobs, there are other mechanisms that can be used for additional privacy and security on doors. Deadbolt locks, surface-mounted deadbolts, night latches and mortise locks are other devices that are available on the market and hardware shops for those doors, where door knobs are just not enough.

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