There comes a time when all good homeowners need to replace their outdoor hardware. The week before your daughter’s wedding is not the time.
My perfectionist streak was in overdrive. I not only wanted all the wedding details just right, but I also wanted my house — where I would entertain the new in-laws before the wedding and host breakfast for a mere 50 guests the day after the wedding — to shine.
Five days before the wedding, as I was relaxing outside, I noticed the corroded exterior door handles and hinges on the French doors that opened onto the patio. I leaped to my feet, horrified.
“I agree, but we’re not replacing them now,” DC, my husband, said, trying to save me from myself.
I texted my handyman, Richard. “We can do the job quickly,” he said, “so long as we have the hardware.”
That’s all I need to hear.
We agree that the new hardware should match the finish of the “antique pewter” hardware we’re replacing, which matches the hardware throughout the house. It’s an uncommon finish that looks like tarnished silver. Richard orders lever-style handles and deadbolts in antique pewter. He can’t, however, find matching hinges.
Because time is tight, and I am running around like my hair is on fire, Richard opts to get “the next best thing” — hinges in oil-rubbed bronze. They are black. Three days before the wedding, he’s installing the hardware. When I check on progress, he has all the handles in and two-thirds of the hinges. My eyebrows form a knot when I see the black hinges.
I check my tolerance meter to see how much imperfection I can handle. Zero. I pull out my phone and start searching. He’s amazed when I find the elusive antique pewter hinges from a lesser-known company. (Never underestimate the Mother of the Bride three days before a wedding.)
“Look!” I point to the phone.
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Richard gives the thumbs up and says he’ll be back when the hinges arrive. Meanwhile, the patio area looks worse. It features three mismatched metals — black, corroded and new antique pewter. Plus, each lever handle and corresponding round deadbolt has its own unique set of keys dangling from them like cheap charms. I add “call locksmith” to the to-do list.
The hinges that could arrive “as soon as next day” arrive the day before the wedding. I start to call Richard. DC gently says, “I wouldn’t.”
“But he can put them in while we’re at the wedding, so they’ll be in before the breakfast,” I say, sounding perfectly reasonable to myself.
DC looks at me, as if he knows I have officially become unhinged, and says, “No one is going to be looking at the hinges.”
I reluctantly let this sink in. The hinges stay in the garage. At the post-wedding breakfast, we throw all the patio doors open so our guests can flow in and out. Nobody can see the mixed metals and trashy key charms. And even if they could, they wouldn’t care.
A week later, my daughter is married. Sanity has returned. Richard is back. And all is right with the world and my patio hardware. Now I just need a locksmith.
Replacing deteriorated outdoor hardware is a worthy task. However, as with any home improvement, assume it won’t go smoothly. Leave time. Here’s what else to know:
Know when to replace. According to hardware experts, the lifespan for hinges and handles can range from a few years to decades, with 10 to 15 years being average. Outdoor hardware that’s exposed to humidity, sunlight, freezing temperatures and frequent use will deteriorate faster. Besides obvious rust and corrosion, signs you need new hardware include a door that is hard to open or close.
Choose your finish. To make your home look cohesive, match hardware finishes on door locks, levers, knobs and hinges throughout. Available finishes include bright chrome, satin nickel, aged bronze, oil-rubbed bronze, satin brass, antique brass, antique pewter, polished brass and matte black. Pick one and stick with it.
Get the size right. If replacing old door hinges, be sure to get the same size and shape. Standard door hinges come in curved or square corner styles, and length can range from 3½ to 6 inches.
Mind the brand. A handle on one side of a door must be made by the same manufacturer — Schlage, for example, or Kwikset — as the handle on the other side or it won’t mesh. Hinges can be any brand.
Unify the locks. If you want all the locks in your home to work with the same key (yes), a locksmith can do that, provided all handle hardware is the same brand.
Marni Jameson has written seven books including “Downsizing the Family Home.” Reach her at [email protected].
