The importance of high-quality hardware
As timber windows and doors continue to grow in popularity with homeowners, Sarah Knight, Product Manager at ERA, explores the latest hardware options available to manufacturers to help enhance the appearance, functionality and security of their products.
Timber windows and doors are continuing to grow in popularity with owners of both period and contemporary properties who are investing in their homes exterior to improve thermal efficiency, reduce ongoing maintenance and increase aesthetics.
By working with suppliers that offer a comprehensive offering of suited hardware in a diverse range of designs and finishes, manufacturers can achieve a competitive edge by giving their customers greater design freedom, whilst simultaneously helping them improve their property’s protection.
Window of opportunity
Whether it’s traditional casement, flush casement or vertical sliding timber windows a homeowner is after, window manufacturers can partner with hardware providers to access an extensive offering of high-performance hardware that’s compatible with a variety of window types.
A current example of this is the ability for timber flush casement windows to feature the same hardware as traditional casement windows, providing the frame is fabricated with a 16mm euro groove. By working with suppliers that provide a complete suite of window hardware and decorative furniture in a range of classic and contemporary designs, manufacturers can successfully meet every customer’s specific requirements.
For homeowners looking to achieve a classic visual appeal, window handles in monkey tail and tear drop designs are a popular choice for both traditional and flush casement timber windows. Modern manufacturing processes are utilised to create interlaced patterns that deliver a tactile surface finish, which when combined with finishes such as antique black and hardex pewter, create an eye-catching and authentic visual appeal that is associated with classical styles dating back to the 1800s.
By working with a hardware supplier that provides matching casement pegs and working or dummy stay bars in the same finishes and designs, manufacturers can cross-sell additional hardware options that provide customers with the opportunity to personalise their windows to meet their specific tastes.
From a sash window perspective, supplying a comprehensive offering of balances for timber and complementary furniture enables manufacturers to meet the demands of both traditional and contemporary homes.
For more modern properties, a sleek look can be achieved, whilst still reflecting the established elegance that sash windows are known for, by supplying classically designed hardware in brushed and gloss finishes such as hardex bronze, chrome and graphite. For period homes, cam locks can be paired with complementary tilt knobs and cam lock levers can be replicated on the bottom sash knob to create a coordinated look with antique black and pewter finishes.
Adding sash eyes, bow handles and finger pulls in corresponding designs and colours will also create a fully suited finish, with smaller details like these appealing to more discerning customers who are willing to upgrade for a perfectly matching appearance to help achieve a unified aesthetic.
Opening the door to increased sales
By choosing a hardware provider that also offers matching door hardware and furniture in the same styles and finishes, manufacturers can capitalise on additional sales opportunities by assisting homeowners in creating a cohesive visual appeal across their entire property.
Whilst timber doors were historically fabricated with single point locks and nightlatches, continued industry advancements have facilitated the transition to multi-point locks that compete with PVCu standards of security. By machining a 16mm or 20mm euro groove into the door at the point of fabrication, door manufacturers have access to a complete range of multi-point locks and cylinders, including ERA’s new high security 3* euro profile cylinder, which is supplied with a £2,000 anti-snap guarantee, providing homeowners with that all important peace of mind.
Available in four finishes, satin chrome, polished chrome, satin brass and dual coloured, the cylinder has been designed to complement a diverse range of handle types to provide customers with increased design freedom.
This includes on trend door handle styles such as the Architectural, Sculptured, Monkey Tail and Noble, which not only provide an eye-catching addition but deliver the highest standards of functionality and security. The addition of decorative furniture such as door knobs, knockers and numerals that are available in complementary designs and finishes enables manufacturers to not only reflect the latest trends but also support homeowners in effectively personalising the exterior of their property.
By offering a diverse range of suited window and door hardware in coordinating designs and finishes from a single supplier, manufacturers can provide homeowners with an effective mix and match service that allows them to create a complementary, yet bespoke finish throughout all aspects of their home.
However, with timber windows and doors positioned at the premium end of the market, every piece of hardware must deliver the highest standards of finish and functionality. The Fab&Fix Hardex range is a great example of how to deliver on both fronts, with its unique Hardex finish undergoing 480 hours of prohesion testing. As a result, all 200 products within the Fab&Fix portfolio are supplied with a 10-year function and finish guarantee.
As the demand for customisation continues, by offering a broader range of perfectly matching hardware products and finishes, timber window and door manufacturers can establish a point of differentiation and enable every homeowner to personalise their doors and windows in line with the latest industry trends - all without compromising on quality and performance.
