Hardware can be used to add a cohesive design to the interior and exterior parts of your home. If you will be performing some residential upgrades, consider how hardware will play a role in completing each home improvement project.

Hardware Types

Hardware includes doorknobs, pull levers, cabinetry knobs, plumbing products, lighting fixtures, and metal trim work. A hardware store will likely keep products classified based on the room or surface where the products will be best suited for use. Many hardware products are advertised based on the metal that they are constructed of and the finish that they contain.

Unfinished products will be equipped for use in residential spaces that aren't prone to moisture and fluctuating temperatures. Finished products include brushed nickel, polished brass, and satin brass. Finishes provide hardware with a custom surface that may be much more visually appealing than a standard metal surface.

Finishes are designed solely for their aesthetical values. Galvanized hardware or products that contain another type of rust-resistant coating are resilient to corrosion. Paint is occasionally applied to hardware too. Paint will add a decorative finish, plus will protect metal surfaces. Some metal varieties, including zinc, stainless steel, and aluminum are more resilient than other hardware types and will protect against rust.

Shopping Strategies

Walk around your home's interior and along the outside of your residence. Take note of the condition of the doorknobs, metal trim, pull handles, and other features that contain hardware pieces. If you are going to be repainting your front and back door or window frames, you may want to update the hardware that comprises each item that will be repainted.

Check out the hardware within each room in your home. Write down which types of hardware you would like to swap out. List the dimensions of the hardware and the colors of the paint that you will be using to upgrade each item. Consider what properties you would like the new pieces of hardware to possess. Hardware is designed to coincide with contemporary and classic home design elements. Hardware pieces that you purchase do not necessarily need to be constructed of the same exact metals and finishes.

You may want to choose a bunch of contemporary hardware products, but select some that contain a different painted or galvanized finish. As long as the colors and styles of the hardware coincide with one another, the upgrades you use the hardware for will be complementary to one another.