Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a door handle, a door lever, and a door knob?
Door handle is the general term for the hardware you grip to operate a door. A lever is a handle that pivots on a horizontal axis to retract the latch, which makes it easier to use with a full hand, an elbow, or limited grip strength, and it is the standard choice for accessible and barrier-free specifications. A knob is a rounded handle that rotates on a central axis. A pull handle is fixed and does not operate a latch, so it is used on entry, sliding, and glass doors. Casson Hardware supplies all three, with the form and function noted on each product page.
What makes a door handle suitable for a modern or architectural interior?
Proportion, material, and restraint. Modern interior door handles tend to use a slim, continuous profile with minimal visible fixings, often on a concealed or low-profile rose so the handle reads as part of the door rather than an applied fitting. Architectural door handles are specified for consistency across a project, coordinating levers, pulls, thumbturns, and hinges in a single finish and family. Casson Hardware selects for both, and the specification team can coordinate hardware across a whole project.
What is the difference between passage, privacy, entry, and dummy door hardware?
Function describes how a door latches or locks. Passage hardware latches without locking, for hallways, closets, and the active leaf of a pair. Privacy hardware locks from the inside with a thumb-turn or push-button and has an emergency release outside, for bedrooms and bathrooms. Entry hardware locks with a key, usually through a euro-profile cylinder, for main and exterior doors. Dummy hardware is fixed with no latch, for closet fronts and the inactive leaf of a double door. Every Casson Hardware door product page lists the functions available for that model.
Which backset do I need, 2⅜" or 2¾"?
The backset is the distance from the door edge to the centre of the bore hole. North American residential doors are prepped for one of two backsets: 2⅜" (60 mm) or 2¾" (70 mm). Measure from the door edge to the centre of the existing hole, or check the latch you're replacing. Most Casson Hardware sets are offered in both, selectable on the product page.
Do I need to specify handing (left or right)?
Handing refers to the direction a door swings. Many Casson Hardware levers are reversible on site and require no handing selection. Some sprung or keyed sets are handed, in which case handing is a selectable option on the product page. If you're unsure how to read your door's swing, contact the specification team to confirm before ordering.
Will European door handles fit a standard North American door?
In most cases, yes. European door handles are typically made for an 8 mm spindle and a euro-profile cylinder and are specified for a range of door thicknesses. Standard North American interior (1⅜") and exterior (1¾") doors sit within range, and fixings are supplied to suit. Where a model needs a particular latch, cylinder, or door preparation, Casson Hardware notes it on the product page. For a retrofit, send your latch backset and door thickness and the team will confirm fit before you order.
What's included with a lever or knob set?
Unless the product page notes otherwise, a set includes the pair of handles, roses or backplates, spindle, and fixing screws. Latches, strikes, and cylinders are sometimes ordered separately, particularly on European entry sets, because the correct part depends on your door. Where a title notes "rose excluded," that component is ordered separately or reused from existing hardware.
How do I care for unlacquered (living) brass, and will it change over time?
Living, or unlacquered, brass is left raw to develop a patina. It warms and deepens with handling and time, staying brightest where it's touched most. To let it age, simply leave it. To hold it closer to its original tone, wipe occasionally with a soft cloth and a brass cleaner suited to unlacquered finishes. Lacquered finishes are sealed to stay as delivered and need only dusting. Each product page notes the finish you're selecting.
What finishes are available for door handles at Casson Hardware?
Casson Hardware stocks door handles and door hardware in unlacquered brass, satin brass, brushed nickel, matte black, polished chrome, oil-rubbed bronze, and living finishes, with availability confirmed on each product page.
Does Casson Hardware offer trade pricing, and can hardware be coordinated across a whole project?
Yes. The Casson Hardware Trade Program offers preferred pricing on the full door hardware catalog to registered architects, interior designers, contractors, and developers in Canada and the US, with whole-project specification support coordinating handles, levers, pulls, thumbturns, and hinges in a consistent finish and family across every opening. Trade members also receive specification assistance, finish samples, and scheduling support. Register through the Trade Program page to apply.
