When house hunting you may find an old home that requires some TLC to bring it back to its former glory. You take the task of restoring the house by repairing the damage, replacing damaged or missing hardware with period original pieces. You can shop at architectural salvage yards, estate sales or even garage sales looking for the rare hardware pieces. You could even shop online looking for an "impossible to find set" of antique door knobs. If time is your style, by all means scour the world for your door hardware. Unfortunately most home restorers are under a time crunch and need to find replacements as quickly as possible. The task of finding the original hardware that suited the period may be daunting; however luckily there are many manufacturers that make reproduction door hardware.
There is some hardware in your old house that may be unusable and outdated. With all the advances in technology, there is no reason to live in the dark ages; seize the opportunity to upgrade some of your hardware. One such door that would benefit from modernization is the pocket door. Pocket doors are very common in these old homes. However most are unusable because of the damage to the hardware and also the hardware back then was very ornate and attractive but was not very functional as these doors jammed often. With the new technology available manufacturers have made advances in pocket door hardware. The business of pocket door hardware reproduction is getting a boost as more homeowners enter the market, renovating older homes.
If renovating an old house there are various outlets to shop especially if time and lady luck is on your side. When looking for antique hardware pieces you can shop at online auction sites like EBay. You can find a variety of parts here and on a good day you may find a set of matching antique cabinet pulls. You can also shop at architectural salvage yards. This salvage yards are a collection of parts from old antique homes that have been rescued from remodeled or demolished homes. You can also shop at thrift stores, yard sales and estate sales. However this requires patience and time. If you don't have either of the two try reproduction of antique door hardware. The manufacturers that make this type of hardware use the traditional craftsmanship of the period to produce superior quality reproductions.
Shopping for reproduction hardware can be done locally at your local hardware stores or home improvement stores. This allows you to see what you are purchasing first hand. You can also shop for reproduction hardware online. There are many dealers on the internet selling brand name hardware. These dealer offer discount reproduction hardware and can make your restoration affordable. As always when shopping online, shop around for a reputable dealer with a reliable track record. Shipping costs can be expensive; look for a retailer that offers discounted shipping rates. Purchase all your door hardware from one dealer, this helps maintain consistency in home style.
