What to consider when buying sliding door handles

Sliding doors are often used for patios and even interior doors. Sliding doors are on a track and they work by allowing the doors to move over on that track. Sometimes, there may be a single sliding door that moves along the track, but in other cases, there may be multiple doors on the same track and one will need to move in front of the other for the doors to open. When buying sliding glass door handles for either type of door, there are a few important things that you need to consider.

Basic requirements

The first thing to think about when buying door handles for sliding glass doors is how much space you have to work with. This can refer to a number of different things. First, think about the projection of the door handle. Does the door have another that slides in front of it? If so, you may need a flat handle that won't project out too far. If not, then projection may not be as important in your project. The next thing to think about is whether there are already holes drilled for the handle or handles or not. Sometimes, door systems have drills pre-drilled where the handle needs to fit in. If this is the case, then you will need to make sure that any door hardware you buy actually fits into these holes. Otherwise, you will need to paint and patch the wood, which would turn your hardware door replacement into a much bigger project than just popping in a new door knob.

Other considerations

Once you have the basic size of the doorknob down, you need to consider what function you need the door knob to serve. Door knobs on external doors need to be able to lock, so you can protect the security of your house. Door knobs on interior doors do not necessarily need locks to be in place, and buying locks can actually make those door knobs more expensive than the need to be. There may even be door knobs in your house on sliding glass doors that do not need to turn at all. These are called "dummy knobs" and are knobs put on for aesthetics only. They tend to be cheaper. When buying door knobs, make sure that you are picking the right kind that has the right locking and turning mechanism. Otherwise, your door might not serve the function that is intended. Finally, think about finishes. Try to match them to other items in your home.
For example, French doors and glazed doors may need fancier hardware, and your hardware should match hinges and also window doors and window locks.