The Whitcombe Guides

Know before you buy.

Brass bar pulls on sage green drawers
Cabinet Hardware

How to Size Cabinet Pulls and Knobs

The one-third rule, center-to-center spacing, standard sizes and how many pulls a wide drawer needs.

Brass lever handle on a dark wooden door
Door Hardware

Passage, Privacy, Dummy or Keyed? Door Functions Explained

Which lock function each door in the house needs, explained in plain terms before you order.

Ribbed brass pull plate on slatted timber
Finishes

Unlacquered Brass, Explained

What a living finish is, how unlacquered brass ages, how to care for it, and where it works best.

Brass knob on a black panel door
Door Hardware

Backset, Bore and Door Thickness: Measuring for New Door Hardware

The three measurements to take before ordering levers, knobs or deadbolts, and what to do if they are non-standard.

Sunlight across a dark wooden door and handle
Door Hardware

Levers or Knobs? How to Choose for Every Door

The practical and design differences between door levers and door knobs, and when to use each.

Dark green kitchen with brass details
Finishes

Choosing a Hardware Finish, and How to Mix Metals

How to choose a main hardware finish for a house, how many finishes to use, and how to mix metals without it looking accidental.

Open door to a lit hallway
Door Hardware

Door Handing Explained: Left-Hand, Right-Hand and Reverse

How to tell the handing of any door in a few seconds, and which hardware needs it.

Strap hinge on a timber door
Door Hardware

Door Hinges: Sizes, Corners and Finishes

Hinge sizes for interior and exterior doors, radius versus square corners, how many hinges a door needs, and matching finishes.

Open doorway leading into a dim hallway
Door Hardware

Pocket and Sliding Door Hardware

Flush pulls, pocket locks and barn door track sizing, explained for remodels and new builds.

Antique brass lion head door knocker
Exterior

Front Door Hardware: Handlesets, Deadbolts and Security Grades

How to choose front door hardware that looks right and is secure, including handlesets, deadbolts and ANSI/BHMA grades.