Different Types of Door Handles and Locks: Which One to Choose?

The door lock and handle are as important as the door for securing your home. You may even install the world’s strongest door at the entrance point.

But it will have no utility unless you combine it with the right door handle and lock. Otherwise, you can’t use the door, which will invite thieves and outdoor elements to visit your home gleefully.

That being said, you must know the different door handles and locks to install the right one. The door handle has gone revolutionary changes over the years. Thus, you will find many types of locks and handles, including padlocks, deadbolts, knob locks, and lever-handle knocks. You will also get the Euro profile and the latest smart locks.

We will go through these locks and handle systems briefly so you can choose the right one shortly.

Types of Door Handles and Locks

If you have a mismatched door and handle, they will fail to protect your home. Thus, you will suffer from theft, unauthorized access, and property loss. It brings us to know different door lock and handle types to pick the right one.

You may choose from the padlock, knob locks, deadbolts, and cam locks for the conventional ones. You can choose between smart and Euro profile locks if you want a modern-day lock. Thus, you may pick from multiple locking systems for the door.

Knob locks

Knob locks are the most commonly used handles for doors. You will find it nearly in every hardware store. Also, it has the easiest installation systems. The lock will be right at the outer side of the door in residential spaces. However, you won’t see it in commercial space, mostly.

The wider availability of the knob lock is also its weakness. Thieves can easily crack it with a hammer and use pliers to bypass the door easily. Thankfully, you may use it with a deadbolt lock inside to enhance its security. Also, it is the lowest-priced door lock.

Deadbolts

You will find it mostly on the external doors of homes and offices. You will find the deadbolts in three different modes. It includes:

• Lockable thumb-turn
• Single deadbolts
• Double deadbolts

The single-cylinder interior will have a thumb turn, and the exterior side will have a key barrel. And for the double cylinder or deadbolt system, you will get the key barrel on both sides, including thumb-turn. It makes it almost impossible for intruders to break through the door and enter your home.

Finally, the lockable thumb-turn is a combination of both single and double-cylinder designs. You can push the key barrel inside to lock it from outside by rotating the thumb turn.

Padlocks

The padlock door handle is available in different sizes. Also, it isn’t a permanent lock. You may remove it anytime. You will find it in the following two options:

1. Keyed
2. Combination

In the combination deadlock system, you will get a set of numbers. It works as a code to lock and open the door. When you enter the correct code combination, you can open the door. Since the code is almost highly common, thieves can easily decode it.

On the contrary, the keyed padlock has two setups. These are:

• Non-re-keyable
• Rekeyable locks

You can’t change the keyed padlock into the non-keyed version. Lastly, you can choose from key retaining and non-key retaining options. You can’t pull out the key when you open the door anymore. So, it reduces the chance of losing the key.

Cam locks

Cam locks aren’t made for doors. You will find them mostly in mailboxes and cabinets to lock their doors. So, you will find cam locks in different sizes. You can tweak it to install and use with different locking systems.

You need to turn the key clockwise or counterclockwise to open it. The rotation will depend on its orientation when you install it.

Lever-handle locks

Lever –handles are seen widely in the interior of the residential doors. The door handle is easy to open and close. Thus, many people use it in their homes if they have old and disabled people. The easy opening is ideal for people with disability. Moreover, it is preferable for emergencies when you need to exit the home ASAP.

Mortise locks

Mortise locks are seen widely in glass and commercial doors. Many call it to rim locks too. The rim latch of the lock has a rim cylinder from where it gets the name. The latch will be in the interior part of the door and locked for better security.

There will be a long metal bar at the back of the mortise handle. It engages with the opposite side of the locking mechanism. Also, there will be two screws at the end of the cylinder. It holds the entire system properly. The mortise lock is hard to crack and so used in commercial spaces.

Euro Profile locks

Euro profile locks are one of the latest handles and locking systems. Also, it is used widely in commercial, residential, and office doors. You will find the mechanism in the following locations.

1. Glass doors
2. Door connecting two rooms

Like the deadbolt locks, it also has three variations. These are the thumb turn, single and double cylinder locks. The best benefit of using the euro profile locks is that you can use them with different types of door handles and locks. The combination improves the security system and allows it to use in your home’s entrance doors.

Smart locks

As the name suggests, smart locks offer you to use of both digital and conventional locking systems. The lock may use different types of traditional locks. Then, combine it with the smartphone or computer controlling systems. You can set different combinations for the codes to lock it. Some even come with face-recognition availability.

You will find the following options for smart door locks:

1. Voice-controlled
2. Remote controlled
3. Biometrics such as face and fingerprint
4. Geo-fencing system

You will need to connect the locks to the internet using Wi-Fi. Then, you can even control and monitor the door lock through your smartphone. The downside of these locks is their expensiveness and inability to work without Wi-Fi.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the four basic types of locks?

The four basic door handles and locks are padlocks, knobs, deadbolts, and handle levers. You will see these locking systems in most homes and offices.

• What type of door lock is most secure?

Deadbolt and smart locks are the most secure ones. Usually, deadbolts are rated from Grade 1 to Grade 3, with the Grade 1 being the most secure door lock. Also, smart locks offer multiple high-end home security systems.

• Can someone break into a deadbolt lock?

It is almost impossible to crack a deadbolt lock with pliers, hammers, or crowbars. So, thieves will most likely fail to enter your home, even if you are outside.

Conclusion

You should now choose the right door-locking system with this guideline on different types of door handles and locks. When choosing the lock, you need to consider which door you will get it. You can choose deadbolts for the entrance doors. And for doors inside your home, padlocks and cam handles will be useful.

If there’s any disabled or older person at home, lever handles are preferable. Finally, smart locks offer maximum security. You can choose the smart ones if you have a good budget for the door locks. It is also the best option for offices.