Knowing how and where DIY homeowners and industry professionals are purchasing their building products, such as hardware, and what influences their selections is essential for making strategic decisions around product development and marketing.
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Here are a handful of current trends in the hardware market, as well as future forecasts, to factor into your company’s decision-making process for and beyond:
Along with other segments of the home improvement market, the hardware segment is still projected to grow in the coming years, just not at the same high growth rate seen during -. According to the June Size of Market release by The Home Improvement Research Institute, the hardware market is anticipated to experience slight positive growth in and by looks poised for growth that will bring the category back to historical CAGR norms.
Because the total home improvement market expanded by 3.7% to $574.3 billion last year, and it is projected to grow by an additional 3.4% in . In , the total market is projected to grow by 3.5%.
Of all purchases, the majority are made for the purpose of a planned repair or replacement to fix up a space or feature within the home, according to research from HIRI.
About 1 in 4 hardware purchases are for planned additions in residential spaces. Meanwhile, purchases made during larger remodeling projects account for only about 1 in 10 hardware purchases. This means consumers are more often influenced by the need for specific items to accomplish a particular repair or project, rather than purchasing generic products for more comprehensive home remodels.
Since repair and remodel projects are going to continue driving the home improvement and building products market forward for years to come, this is a positive reality for the hardware market.
Consumers and Pros also don’t always purchase the “right” hardware for a specific project if they think they can get by with a different product.
For homeowners, durability is a top priority when deciding what hardware to purchase. They want confidence that if they invest in a product, it will last. For hardware products, quality is another priority that drives consumers’ purchasing decisions, followed by price. This data suggests that consumers are willing to pay a little more if they believe a product will last longer and make it so they don’t have to do maintenance as frequently. Meanwhile, contractors and other professionals tend to be influenced by price, particularly if they’re on a constrained budget for a project.
According to data from the Home Improvement Research Institute, the most common purchases in the hardware market, when it comes to traditional fasteners at least, include nails, screws and anchors. These items, used widely by both professionals and DIYers, accounted for about a quarter of purchases in this market segment. The second most common purchases are door knobs and lock sets. When it comes to decorative door hardware, kick plates are the most popular products, followed by door knockers, house numbers, and mail slots.
Interior hardware—from cabinet hinges and handles to shelving brackets and hanging devices—offer a cost-effective and simple way for homeowners to personalize their space while doing repairs or small renovations. That’s why homeowners tend to desire more unique and customized looks when it comes to this type of hardware. These items enable them to add their signature touch without making major, long-lasting changes or investments.
Trending kitchen hardware options are reflecting how is all about combining functionality with personal expression, tactile richness, and eco-responsibility into the heart of the home:
Moving outside the home, despite the proliferation of smart technology, research completed by The Farnsworth Group for HIRI shows that consumers still overwhelmingly prefer standard keyed exterior door knob and lock sets, and in more classic styles. This research further shows that the vast majority of purchases in this segment are keyed locks, compared to keyless/remoteless features and smart/connected exterior door knob and lock sets.
That being said, there is growing interest in smart features, biometric features, and keyless/digital features that hardware manufacturers and suppliers should keep an eye on.
There will be more competition, and from emerging brands and new entrants to the home improvement market, in response to rising demand from homeowners, property managers, and facilities managers who want to modernize residential buildings with emerging technologies. Companies that focus on integration, connectivity, and comprehensive solutions will be in the best position for success.
Staying on top of consumer trends in various market segments enables manufacturers and suppliers to make informed decisions at every level of operation, from identifying new sales opportunities to developing and marketing products that are tailored to your audience’s unique needs.
With the help of our recognized team of market intelligence experts at The Farnsworth Group, you can conduct customized market research to further understand what’s most important to your customers and what motivates their behavior and preferences along the purchase journey.
Simply schedule a consultation to learn more about the answers you would be able to get to improve your brand health and market share in the hardware market and the home improvement marketplace in general.
When it comes to taking care of your business, having the right door hardware can make an impact on workplace security and peace of mind. It’s worth a little research to familiarize yourself with the basics before you update the locks and handles.
Residential and commercial door hardware types face different demands in daily use, requiring different functions and standards. Third-party, independent evaluations consider a product’s durability and reliability to maintain performance consistency across the hardware and construction industry.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) test commercial door hardware types for standards such as how many times a door latch can be used under normal conditions before it breaks, and even strength tests that set the standard for impact resistance.
Commercial door hardware types should be UL or ANSI/BHMA certified and proven quality grade.
These grades are presented in easy to understand formats to help you when making your purchase.
Graded products will be signified by a 6-digit product number. The first letter indicates the BHMA product section for referencing. The 5th number, or the last digit in the string of the sequence, identifies the product grade.
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Grades are not always clearly marked on product information. As long as there is an ANSI/BHMA number on the product information or packaging, you can easily confirm you are getting the right product for your business needs.
Commercial door hardware is primarily concerned with the door levers, knobs, deadbolts, and other metal parts of the door, such as kick plates or pull handles. And of course, some are mechanical and some are electronic, which adds more options. There are a few standard hardware basics to be aware of when choosing door levers, locks and the other door extras.
Another consideration is the lock mechanism itself. Locks operate using a latch or bolt that fits into a strike plate to hold the door closed when the bolt is engaged. There are differences between electronic and mechanical bolt triggering systems, but the basics are similar. Some bolts are standard deadbolts that turn the latch, and the door will not open when the lock is in place.
Spring bolts, orpanic-proof locks, will allow the door to be opened and closed again from the inside, but will require being unlocked to open from the outside. Panic-proof spring bolts are secure and effective locks, however it is easy for the unaware employee to lock themselves on the wrong side of a door. A deadbolt is more straightforward and less prone to accidental lock outs, though it lacks the convenience of the spring bolt.
Different commercial hardware is subject to codes and regulations beyond the product manufacturing itself. The ADA has recommended heights, the International Building Code (IBC) has exact standards, and other local rules may also apply. Always check with a licensed contractor or code inspector in your municipality to be sure your building is in compliance. In general, however, here are a few key standards to look for to get your door hardware search on the right track.
Traditional lock and key sets for commercial door locks, also called key-in lever or key-in knob sets, operate on cylinders. The most common are either 5 or 6 pin cylinders.
A pin is a small metal rod inside the columns within the lock plug. There are two sets of pins, with the top set being of equal length, and flat edged. The lower set is serrated at different heights when properly keyed.
The pins are held at different heights by springs, and when the lock is engaged, the cylinder will not turn because the pins are out of alignment with each other. The key turns the pins to allow them to line up to create a flat edge, called a shear line, and allows the cylinder to turn to move the lock bolt.
The cylinder for some commercial locks fit into an interchangeable core. The core makes it easy to swap out cylinders rather than rekey a lock set. A master key locks the core in place, and when the lock security has been compromised (by an event like a lost key, or an employee turnover) a new cylinder with new keys can be replaced inside the core without having to replace the entire lock.
With modern electronic locks, the bolt is moved in place by an actuator controlled by a motor, which is triggered by the electrical input from the key to release or engage the door latch.
An electronic commercial door lock can be set up to be triggered remotely, on a timer, or can automatically respond to cards or keyfobs within a certain range. These are much safer for high traffic zones, such as hotels, because the lock responds to computerized commands that are easily reprogrammed between guests.
Another electronic commercial door lock type is the electronic strike plate. The strike is what receives the door bolt, usually a hole in the jamb, or a raised edge mounted into the door frame. With electronic strike plates, a ramped bolt-block can be extended or retracted into the frame in the same way as an electronic lock from the door.
There are different configurations of electronic strike plates:
Some manufacturers have configured the strike plates to be easily reversible between fail-secure and fail-safe after they have been installed in the door jamb.
Also called panic bars, or crash bars, exit devices are designed to offer a quick escape in emergency situations. They are crossbar-styled, panel locks, with a built in actuator triggered by applying pressure rather than turning a knob or multiple bolt latches. Many brands offer panic bars that can be sized to fit the door on site at installation. They lock securely and can be used on commercial fire doors, or used to restrict security access to areas, such as to help security control traffic through a door marked for exit only.
Variations of the devices are available that will sound an alarm when triggered, or can stay locked for up to 30 seconds to allow for a security response before opening.
The function of a is to shut the door after customers or employees leave it ajar. It is ideal for saving energy on air conditioning and to keep pests and debris outdoors. The operation of door closers is very simple — the door opening pulls tension into a spring in the closer body, and the spring then returns the door to the closed position when the tension is released — but it offers other benefits worth knowing:
A door closer:
Commercial door closers can be concealed in the wall, concealed in the door, or concealed in the floor, but the more common types mount to the door front and the frame. There are two different types of door closer arms: the parallel arm and the regular, or standard arm.
Commercial door hinges are harder to break and harder to break into. Using heavier materials and different installation techniques can offer an extra layer of security. To better understand how this simple piece of hardware can get a security boost, look at the parts that make up the hinges and at their uses.
When looking for hinges, you’ll notice they are presented as two numbers, written for instance as 4” x 5” or similar. The first number is the height of the hinge and the second number will be the width of the hinge. The width includes both leaves, from edge to edge, and the depth of the knuckles and pin.
There are multiple types of hinges to choose from, even though the basic design may seem similar. Specific types of hinges will meet the demands of different project requirements better than others.
Standard hinges, orplain bearing hinges, are the basic hinge. The two leaf plates fit together at the interlocking knuckles and are secured with a pin down the center. They are sturdy and effective, but the friction at the knuckles can wear them down in high-traffic doorways.
A ball bearing hinge has two or more ball bearing bands between weight-bearing knuckles. The internal movement of the ball bearings help reduce the friction on the pin and help prevent drag on the hinge over time. Fire doors are required to use ball bearing hinges to ensure the door will be fully operational in emergencies. A standard hinge will have two ball bearings, while a heavy duty hinge will have ball bearings between each knuckle.
For external doors with the doors opening out, the knuckle and pin of the hinge will be exposed. For the best security, look for hinges for these doors that have a non-removable pin, or NRP hinges. The NRP hinges screw into the knuckle, and the screw is only accessible when the doors are opened fully. It can only be removed from inside the building, even though the hinges are on the exterior side.
Pivot hinges are anchored into the top of the door frame and the floor, rather than connecting to the side of the frame. The weight of the door is supported by the bottom pin, rather than the door frame, which reduces wear and tear on the door. It is ideal for business front entrances, such as swinging glass doors, and other high-traffic areas.
A will allow you to set a door to close automatically. Adjusting the tension on the pin changes how quickly the door will close after being opened.
Some commercial door hardware types are designed to keep your business looking professional and clean, as well as protect the doors and other surfaces from the potential damage from frequent or rough use. While a more porous door surface may become a breeding ground for dirt and germs, smooth metal finishes can be easily wiped clean and disinfected. Push and pull plates also add structural stability to your doors, dispersing the impact from normal use over a wider area.
With door stops, the door handles and edges are protected, which protects the door and protects nearby surfaces such as walls or furniture. There are multiple types of door stops to choose from, depending on the needs of your location.
A baseboard stop is attached to the wall to block the door or the handle from contacting the wall, useful for every kind of door, from the front door to the bathroom stalls.
A floor stop is attached directly to the floor to stop the door before it hits a designated swing point.
The kick stop is a propped handle attached to the bottom of the door to allow the door to be propped open at any necessary point along the swing arch. Whether you want the door opened fully or only just a few inches, the kick stop will help you out.
Wall stops are padded disks mounted on the wall at the level of the door handle to absorb the impact of the door handle against the wall behind it.
Door holders hold open the door by latching the door plate to a wall or floor mounted stopper.
All of these things, no matter how small they may seem while shopping for them, help your business operate safely and smoothly. Commercial door hardware is an efficient upgrade in security and durability, and just one small step toward helping your doors stay open for years to come.
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