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Ironmongery is the small metal hardware used around the house: cupboard knobs, cup pulls and drop handles, cabinet catches, hooks of every kind, curtain holdbacks and tiebacks, curtain pole brackets and sockets, sash eyes, chest corners, grab rails and post boxes.

Handles, knobs and catches

When replacing handles on existing doors or drawers, measure the distance between the centres of the fixing holes, as pull handles are made to set hole spacings and a different spacing means new holes. Knobs need only one hole. Check the screw length suits the thickness of the door or drawer front. Ball catches and similar catches hold cupboard doors closed without a lock; fit them where the door meets the frame.

Hooks and fittings

• Cup hooks and shouldered hooks: screw into timber for hanging mugs, keys and light items.
• S hooks and square hooks: for hanging tools and storage in sheds, garages and workshops.
• Curtain fittings: holdbacks, tiebacks, runners, brackets and end sockets; match the finish and pole diameter to the existing pole.
• Grab rails: fix them into solid masonry or framing with fixings suited to the wall, as they must take a person's weight.

Finishes and outdoor use

Hardware comes in brass, chrome, black, gold, zinc plated (ZP), electro brass (EB), galvanised and stainless steel finishes. Pick a finish to match the room, and for outdoor or damp positions choose galvanised or stainless steel. Where fittings and their screws touch, use the same metal for both, because dissimilar metals in contact in damp conditions can corrode.

For door handles and hinges, see door handles, hinges and accessories; for screws and wall plugs, see fasteners and fixings.