Flush Bolts & Barrel Bolts

A dummy handle is a non-functional door lever or knob that is decorative only, it does not operate a latch or lock. Dummy handles are used on doors that don't require a latch (such as double doors where one door is fixed, wardrobe doors that slide or swing without a latch, or decorative cabinet doors). They give the door the appearance of a complete handle set without the mechanical function.

A passage handle set includes two lever handles connected by a spindle that operate a latch, allowing the door to be opened from either side without a lock. Passage sets are used on internal doors where privacy is not required: hallways, living areas, home offices, and children's bedrooms. They are the most commonly used internal door handle set in Australian homes.

A privacy handle set includes a locking mechanism that can be engaged from inside the room, typically a simple push-button or turn-snib and can be unlocked from outside in an emergency using a small pin or coin. Privacy handles are used on bathroom, toilet, and bedroom doors where privacy is required but a keyed lock is not necessary.

Sliding doors require a specific type of handle, typically a recessed flush pull, a finger pull, or a surface-mounted sliding door pull. Because a sliding door doesn't have a hinge pivot point, standard lever handle sets don't apply. Flush pulls sit recessed in the door surface and are ideal for cavity (pocket) sliding doors. Edge pulls are mounted on the leading edge of the door for easy gripping.

An entrance handle set is a door handle set designed specifically for the front or entry door of a home. It includes a keyed cylinder lock integrated into the handle or separate lockset, providing external security. Entrance sets are available in a range of styles from contemporary to traditional and must be rated for external use, exposed to the elements, with weather-resistant finishes.

A flush bolt secures the inactive leaf of a double door, the one that normally stays closed while the other leaf is used for everyday access. It sits recessed into the top and bottom edge of the door and is operated by sliding a bolt into the door frame or floor. Because it's flush with the door edge, it doesn't protrude or catch on anything once the door is open. Flush bolts are common on French doors, double pantry doors, and double doors leading to a room that's rarely used, such as a formal dining room or a storage area.

Both do the same job of locking an inactive door leaf, but they're fitted differently. A flush bolt recesses into the door edge so nothing sits proud of the surface, which gives a cleaner look and works well on doors where the leaf is visible when open. A barrel bolt is surface-mounted, a cylindrical bolt in a bracket that's screwed to the face of the door rather than recessed into it. Barrel bolts are quicker and cheaper to fit since there's no mortising required, but they're visible on the door face, so they suit utility doors, sheds, or gates more than a formal double door in a living space.

Only the leaf that doesn't get opened regularly needs one. On a standard double door setup, one leaf (the active leaf) carries the main handle set and does the day-to-day opening and closing, while the other leaf (the inactive leaf) stays closed and is secured top and bottom with flush or barrel bolts. This keeps the inactive leaf steady so the active leaf's latch or lock has something solid to engage against, and it stops the inactive leaf swinging open on its own.

It can, but it shouldn't be the only lock on an external-facing double door. Flush and barrel bolts hold a leaf shut mechanically, they aren't a substitute for a compliant keyed lock on the active leaf. For an entry point, pair the flush bolts on the inactive leaf with a proper keyed entry door lock set on the leaf that's actually used for access, so the door as a whole meets normal security expectations for an external opening.

These sound similar but do completely different jobs. A flush bolt is a locking mechanism, a bolt that slides into the frame or floor to secure a door leaf shut. A flush pull is a handle, a shallow recess set into the face of a sliding door that gives your fingers something to grip without a handle sticking out past the door's surface. If you're after the handle for a sliding door rather than a lock for a double door leaf, see flush pulls instead.

Flush bolt length is chosen based on the door's height and how far into the frame or floor the bolt needs to travel, with longer bolts giving a more secure throw on taller doors. As a general guide, measure from the top or bottom edge of the door down to where you want the bolt to strike, leaving enough clearance from the hinge and any door furniture already fitted. If you're unsure, it's worth checking the door's edge thickness as well, since the bolt has to sit within it once recessed.