Hardware fittings, sometimes called finish hardware, are basically any piece of equipment used to finish many manufactured products. Examples of fittings are hinges, knobs or cabinet pulls, to name a few. These products are generally mass-produced using casts or moulds to create the desired shape. Though “hardware” used to mean only objects made of metal, today’s fittings can be made of metal or plastic, or many other materials. Two of the most recognised fittings are looked at below.

A hinge is one of the most commonly used hardware fittings. This type of equipment consists of two plates connected by a stationary rod; there are variations on this design, though depending on the purpose of the hinge. This fitting can be designed to open all different types of doors, from the simplest to the more complex; there are, if you can believe it, more than 20 different types of hinges, many of which are made of steel.

Another fitting that most people rarely think about is a door latch; though rarely thought of, imagine where we’d be without them. Door latches allow doors to remain shut, protecting the building not only from unwanted entries, but from damage from the elements as well. The door latch consists of a strike plate and a bolt; when closed, the bolt slides into a hole in the strike plate, allowing the door to remain closed.

There are literally thousands of hardware fittings. Spending a bit of time researching the products out there will help you find exactly the right one for your needs.