DOOR HARDWARE AND
ITS APPLICATION
79. Door Pulls.—In [Fig. 98] are illustrated two well-known types of door pulls. The pull shown at (a) consists of a handle that is usually mounted on a plate and attached to either storm or single-acting doors, although, occasionally, this type is used on double-acting doors with the word “push” or “pull” inscribed on the plate. When used on double-acting doors, the door pull has a tendency to obviate the habit of persons placing their hands on the moldings near the glass when operating the door, but is subject to the objection of inviting a pull to open the door even with the word “push” inscribed on the plate.
Fig. 98
Door pulls are made in various metals, both in plain and ornamental design, some of the latter being very elaborate, as will be observed from [Fig. 99].
80. Kick Plates.—A kick plate is a modern device that may be applied to the bottom of doors to protect the woodwork from injury and wear, being used chiefly for double-acting doors and doors of public buildings. These plates are frequently made of sheet metal, but are much handsomer when made of cast metal and ornamented to harmonize with other metal work of the door.
Fig. 99
Kick plates should completely cover the bottom rail of the door, but if cost is the controlling factor, they may be cut down in height so that a margin of wood the same width as the side, or lock, stile shows above the plate. For instance, if the bottom rail is 12 inches in height and the stile is 5 inches wide, the kick plate should be 7 inches high. In all cases, kick plates should extend the full width of the door, allowing enough margin, when used on double-acting-doors, for the rounding of the edges. When used on single-acting doors having rabbeted jambs, the rabbet of both jambs should be deducted from the length of the kick plate. A typical kick plate of plain pattern is shown in [Fig. 100]. Such plates are generally sold at a square-inch price.