Doorknobs and handles serve a purpose in our homes. They keep us safe while giving us privacy so we can create a private bathroom retreat. You can add a finishing touch to your French double doors or main entrances with them. But do you know the difference between a single knob and a dummy handle for a door? Or do you know the difference between privacy and a passage door? It’s fine if you don’t know what to do.

Here are some of the different types and styles of Emtek door knobs and handles you should consider for your home. This guide will help you plan your home’s restoration down to the hardware.

Common Interior Knobs And Handles

Door handles and knobs for interior doors can provide privacy in bedrooms and bathrooms. However, they can also be used to match the decor of the rest of your house. These are some of the common door handles and interior door knobs that you can choose from when you’re restoring or building a period-style house.

Privacy Door Knobs

Privacy door knobs or door handles are always found on bathroom and bedroom doors. They offer complete privacy and the ability to lock the doors. It has a button that you push in and out or a small knob that you turn sideways. This type of privacy hardware is often unlocked by simply turning the knob. You can also return the knob to its original position.

Privacy door knobs have a safety feature that allows them to be unlocked from the outside with a long, thin, generic key (or sticklike item). You can access the space by sticking the key in the lock release pinhole. Parents often keep the key hidden above the door frame ledge to protect their children from accidentally locking themselves in.

Passage Door Knobs & Handles

Passage door knobs and handles can be used in areas of the house that do not require privacy. This could include anything from the hallway closet to kitchen cabinets or pantries.

They are simple and easy to use, with a latch that you can turn as you rotate the knob/handle.

You can also find a wide range of passage door knobs and handles in many styles. They include decorative glass knobs, handles, and metal pieces that are ornately crafted.

Handles And Knobs

Dummy knobs were created to be a decorative mockup and give the home a consistent look. They don’t serve any purpose and are not intended to be used for privacy, as their name suggests.

There are two types of dummy door knobs: one and two. A single dummy door knob is intended to be mounted on the only side of the door. Double dummy doorknobs are made with a matching set of knobs and can be used to decorate one doorway.

The type of door will determine how you install your double-dummy knob/handle. You can attach it to one door, or you could install it on both sides. You can also separate the unit and place them on opposite double French doors.

On shallow pantry doors and small linen closets, handles and knobs are often placed where the person will not enter. A ball catch or magnetic catch may be added to shallow closets or pantries as an additional safety measure.

Keyed Entry Door Knobs And Handles

Doorknobs and handles with keys offer privacy and protection. These are typically installed on exterior doors but can also be used for privacy on interior doors. Be careful and make sure you don’t lose your key. You will need to contact a locksmith to create a new key.

Each hardware manufacturer will have a different interior section for a keyed entry door knob or handle. There will be a keyed lock on the inside and an outside cylinder. The knob can also have a push-button lock that opens when it is turned. A few hardware companies will have a turn button that unlocks the knob.

By Gracie