Door latches

The widest variety of door latches online

A door latch is the internal mechanism responsible for keeping the door closed, which is activated by the handle. It is operated by an 8mm square spindle that passes through the door (and thus through the latch), held in place by the handles. Sometimes handles are also referred to as latches, but professionally, we have chosen to differentiate them to avoid confusion: the latch is the internal mechanism you see on this page, and the handle (or lever/knob) is the grip located on both sides of the door that activates the latch.

Once the concept of a latch is clear, let's look at the types of latches that exist and several practical tips that will be useful when buying latches for your doors. Be careful when understanding the concept. A latch and a lock are similar, but the difference is that the latch is not locked with a key, but rather with a thumb turn (and this only on specific occasions).

We distinguish between three types of latches: tubular latches, hook latches for sliding doors, and unified latches.

Unified latches for your doors

Unified latches are latches whose mechanism includes an 8mm axle for the handle spindle and another 6mm axle, offering the option to install a thumb turn or privacy lock. These latches are the ones currently installed in all newly manufactured doors. They are latches that guarantee proper operation, are easy to install, have a long service life, and include the locking option which, even if present, is usually only used in bathrooms. In other cases where this latch is installed, that second hole is not made in the door because it is not needed for passage doors.

Furthermore, among unified latches, we also find magnetic unified latches, which offer less friction against the door frame when closing, and silent latches, which make the door closure barely audible.

Tubular latches for doors

After unified latches come tubular latches. As the name suggests, these latches are like an elongated tube that is recessed into the door. Nowadays, these latches are no longer installed in new doors and have remained as replacement hardware used to replace broken tubular latches or to replace knobs with handles to give your doors a more updated look. Often, people look for tubular latches with very specific dimensions that are hard to find. Our advice is that the only measurement you should focus on is the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the hole where you will install the handle. The rest of the measurements are important to consider, but there are too many brands and suppliers to guarantee a perfect match.

Latches for sliding doors

Finally, there are latches for sliding doors. These latches have a special bolt known as a "hook" (pico de loro) to be able to hook the door to the frame and block it from opening. It is a simple and practical product, very standardized in its measurements, so in general, unless you have a custom-designed door, it will suffice to consider exclusively the aesthetics or the color of the latch + finger pulls for sliding doors.

Find all door latches and latch brands here at the best price and renovate your door hardware.