about our hardware

Sun Mountain distributes a variety of architectural hardware components from leading manufacturers including Emtek®, Rocky Mountain Hardware®, Ashley Norton, Longleaf and Nobilus. Hardware components include hinges, handles and locksets, clavos, strap hinges and wrought iron grilles.

Literally thousands of options are available, meeting every design and architectural style imaginable. We've chosen to display just a few of the most popular styles—please click Design Your Hardware from the Hardware section of our main menu to review these options. From this page, you can browse our hardware by type (i.e. Exterior Locksets, Interior Knobsets, Interior Leversets, etc.), and also by vendor. If you don't see what you like, please Contact Us and we'll assist you in finding the right product for your unique needs. Additional information about architectural hardware includes:

Types of Locksets

Two basic styles of locksets are available—knobsets and leversets. Numerous styles are available to match the décor and design of your home. Leading hardware suppliers typically present their lockset collections by design motif such as Traditional, Arts & Crafts, Modern, Provincial, Rustic, etc.

Interior Locksets

Interior locksets are available with two types of mechanisms—spring latch and mortise case. The majority of interior locksets sold in the US are spring latch. Interior mortise case sets are more expensive and can be found in the highest-end homes.

Interior lockets are further divided into three types, depending upon the function of the opening—passage, privacy and dummy.

• Passage locksets are non-locking with operable handles. They are typically used on doors that do not require security or privacy such as closets, laundry or utility rooms, pantry, mechanical rooms, etc.
• Privacy locksets have operable handles, but can be locked by a push button or thumb turn on the interior side of the door. They can be unlocked by an emergency release key from the exterior side. Privacy locksets are typically used on bedroom and bathroom doors.
• Dummy sets have inoperable handles on one or both sides of the door, and are typically used in double door units in conjunction with ball catches or flush bolts.

Exterior Locksets

Exterior Locksets are available with three types of mechanisms—spring latch (or cylindrical), mortise case (also called “mortise lock”) and multipoint. With the cylindrical lock, the door handle (the grip, knob or lever) is separate from the deadbolt cylinder and requires entry via a key inserted into both the deadbolt and the keyed lever or knob. A more elegant type of lockset is the mortise lock, typically found in higher-end homes. This mechanism integrates both the locking and latching mechanisms into a single cartridge-style lock. With the mortise lock, both the door latch and the deadbolt are operated by inserting a key into just one slot. Mortise locks also feature a special interior emergency release which allows operation of the door latch and deadbolt simultaneously from inside the home, in the event of a fire or other emergency. Lastly, multipoint locks contain a mechanism that latches the door at several points over the entire height of the door, instead of only at a single point near the handle. Sun Mountain strongly recommends multipoint locks for very tall (8’ and over) entry doors, especially in double door applications.

Types of Metal

Door handles and locksets are most commonly manufactured in three metal materials—bronze, brass, and steel. Bronze is typically offered in two finishes—silicon bronze (an alloy of copper, silicon and zinc), and white bronze (an alloy of copper, manganese, nickel and zinc). Bronze will oxidize over time, changing color, sheen and texture. This “living finish” is referred to as the patina. No cleaner, wax, or polish can stop the oxidation process, but a high-quality clear floor wax can protect the finish. Change in bronze patina is not covered under warranty by any manufacturer, except for a few companies that offer a “lifetime” finish.

Brass is also a common metal used in the production of handles and locksets. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. After production, it is generally coated with a lacquer finish to prevent tarnishing. The lacquer coating can preserve the bright finish of the metal for up to several years when the hardware is exposed to outside elements, and indefinitely when positioned indoors. After the lacquer has deteriorated, it is recommended that the lacquer be removed and the hardware be regularly polished to maintain a bright finish. Un-lacquered brass will weather more attractively than brass with deteriorated lacquer. When freshly polished (and un-lacquered), brass is similar to gold in appearance, but becomes a reddish color with ongoing exposure to the outside elements.

Steel is less common in the production of handles and locksets than either bronze or brass. However, steel is an excellent material for a weathered, rustic appearance, when the hardware will not be exposed to outside elements. When exposed to the elements without a protective coating, steel will rust and deteriorate quickly. For this reason, steel handles and locksets are often powder-coated for protection.

Securing Double Doors

Double door hardware is available in two styles. First, in applications where privacy is desired, such as the master bedroom, one door is typically designated as "active" with some type of locking hardware. The other door is designated as "inactive", and usually has a T-astragal attached for privacy and security. The inactive door is typically mounted with flush bolts (or alternatively, surface-mount bolts) which can be unlatched to open both doors wide. An extended flush bolt is recommended for tall double doors, over 84” in height. This system lowers the flush bolt latch at the top of the door to a reasonable height, for easier operation.

Second, for applications where privacy is not an issue, such as an entrance to a closet, neither door is designated as active and both doors are held closed with the use of ball catches or roller catches mounted on the tops of the doors. In this application, both doors can be easily and quickly opened or closed.

Clavos

Clavos are decorative nails used to accent doors and other millwork, to create or enhance an antique or old world look and feel. Sun Mountain distributes spin-cast zinc alloy clavos, with a roofing nail for secure and easy placement. Our clavos are powder-coated with a lifetime no-rust guaranty, and have a “hammered” texture providing a distinctive aged look. Available colors include bronze, black and pewter. Available sizes range from 1/2" to 2" diameter or square. Clavos are easily installed with a pre-drilled pilot hole, and can be secured with epoxy or other multi-use adhesive.

Hinges

Sun Mountain provides top-quality square-cornered, ball-bearing hinges standard on all of our pre-hung 1-3/4" and thicker doors. We provide square-cornered, straight-pin hinges standard on our pre-hung 1-3/8" thick doors. Each hinge is available in your choice of nine finishes at no additional charge. If our standard hinge styles and colors do not meet your desires, we can custom order hinges from leading manufacturers such as Emtek®, Rocky Mountain Hardware®, Hager and others. We will always ensure that your hinges are sized appropriately for your door size and weight, and that your doors will be mortised and machined for perfect hinge fit.

Climate Control

Sun Mountain distributes a selection of high-quality door sills, sweeps and weatherstrip, generally used on exterior door applications. Our standard options include:

Adjustable Oak Sills—Sun Mountain distributes Pemko® aluminum door sills, with an oak threshold which can be adjusted to create a secure seal to the bottom of the door. Both inswing and outswing adjustable sill options are available.

Non-Adjustable Sills—Sun Mountain offers non-adjustable wood thresholds for openings with limited exposure to the elements.

ADA Sills—Our Pemko® ADA sills have a non-adjustable lower threshold than traditional sills, allowing for easier wheel or roller access through the opening. Sometimes called “saddle” thresholds, these sills are ADA compliant and can be used in any opening where an adjustable sill is not desired.

Auto Door Bottoms—Mortised and mounted into the bottom edge of the door, our Pemko® auto door bottoms recess into the door when open and drop down to the sill to create a tight seal when the door is closed. Auto door bottoms are particularly useful with non-adjustable wood or ADA sills.

L-Shaped and Surface Mount Sweeps—Sun Mountain’s L-shaped and surface mount sweeps feature drip caps to direct water away from the door unit. We recommend sealing the top edge of the sweep with a bead of silicone at time of installation, to prevent moisture from seeping between the sweep and the door.

Weatherstrip—A durable foam rubber material used to seal the side and top edges of an exterior door, to limit air transfer and exposure to outside elements. The weatherstrip is usually mounted in the kerf, or slot, in the stop of a rabbeted jamb, used for exterior applications.

In addition to our industry leading standard solutions, Sun Mountain can provide other sill, sweep and weatherstrip options to meet nearly any need.

Custom Hardware Options

Sun Mountain offers additional hardware options to create a one-of-a-kind look for your home. For example, our strap hinges and wrought iron grilles can create or enhance a southwestern or old world style. In addition, we offer speakeasy windows as a unique alternative to the traditional fisheye-view peepsight. Our steel or bronze inlays can be added to flush doors to create a contemporary masterpiece. Please Contact Us for more information on these items.