Ordinary door hardware kits have pretty much all the necessary components required to hang any general door and facilitate its smooth operation. But what about when it comes to a different kind of door, like a gate? Can you use a hardware kit for a regular door for a gate?
People have conflicting opinions on mixing and matching doorhardware kits for gates and other types of doors. In general, the consensus is no, you should not use regular door hardware for a gate. Not sure why? Read on to learn more about regular door hardware kits vs. hardware kits for gates and why the two may not be compatible.
The Basics: Hardware for Regular Doors Vs. Hardware for Gates
It goes without saying that regular doors and gate doors serve different purposes. One allows entrance into a room or building while the other is generally used to keep out animals/pets, or be more decorative than functional.
Beyond that, the structures of regular doors differ greatly from that of gates. Regular doors extend from the floor to the ceiling and have specialty hinges and hardware designed for interior use. The exception is in the case of a front or back entrance door, which must have both interior and exterior protection. Still, even entrance doors have different components than gates.
The components of a hardware kit meant for a regular door are quite different from those of a hardware kit designed for gates. It would therefore be impractical to try to install your gate on a regular door hardware kit.
Hardware Kits for Harsh External Conditions
A lot of hardware kits for ordinary doors are only made for indoor conditions, which are not as unforgiving as the external weather conditions. The exception is for a front or back entrance door, as mentioned above. Regular door hardware kits are not designed to endure the same conditions as gates. They’re therefore not equipped for durability in the same way. This means that there is a high chance that the components of the gate door hardware kit won’t have the necessary weather protection features to prevent corrosion and rust. The result will be accelerated wear and tear, which will mean you’ll have to replace the components sooner.
Weight Limitations for Gate Doors Vs. Regular Doors
The structure of a regular door hardware is specifically meant to accommodate the standard weight requirements of said door. Any weight restrictions or capabilities are designated according to the support that the surrounding structures (i.e., walls, infrastructure, etc.) can provide. On the other hand, gate doors are bigger and bulkier. They rely on shorter structures that don’t have the support of surrounding walls and the rest of a house. Using general door hardware for gate installation would subject the hardware to a lot of stress that the gate may not be able to withstand. This could increase its likelihood to come apart and may impact the safety and efficacy of the gate as a whole.
Size Limitations of Gate Doors
Door hardware only comes in dimensions suitable for standard doors and is designed to accommodate the thickness of ordinary doors. This could be a problem for gate installations, given that gate sizes vary greatly according to height, width, and thickness.
As you can see, the reasons to avoid using regular door hardware for gate doors greatly outweigh the reasons to use them. It’s not worth it to try to force the fit. Instead, buy the right hardware for the door you’re looking to install the first time around.
Wild West Hardware has all the hardware you need for regular doors, gate doors, cabinets, and more! Find it all when youshop with ustoday.
