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Guides & how-tos.
Plain-language notes on choosing, sizing and fitting architectural hardware — written by the people behind the counter, for fabricators, glaziers, contractors and the trade.
Windows 6
Sliding window rollers — sizing and replacing
Reading the load off the leaf weight, single vs tandem wheels, and matching the track.
Fixing rattling, drafty aluminium windows
Gaskets, wool pile and hardware adjustment — what to change and in what order.
Multi-point locking for windows — when you actually need it
Single cam, shootbolt and mushroom-cam locking, and where each is worth the cost.
Casement, sliding or tilt-and-turn: picking the window type
What each opening style does well, and the hardware bill that comes with it.
How to choose a friction stay
Sizing by sash height and weight, side-hung versus top-hung, and when you need an egress stay.
uPVC vs aluminium windows for Bengaluru’s climate
Where each system earns its place — heat, dust, monsoon driving rain and long-run cost.
Doors 7
Fire-rated door hardware — what “rated” actually means
Why the whole doorset is certified, not just the door, and the parts that carry a rating.
Door hinges: butt, pivot and concealed
Carrying the leaf weight, the number of hinges, and where each type belongs.
Digital and smart locks for main doors — what to check before fitting
Door prep, backup entry, power, and the failure modes to plan for.
Multi-point locks for aluminium doors
Gearboxes, shootbolts and keeps — matching the throw to the profile.
Mortise, cylindrical or rim lock — which door lock
How each mounts, the security they give and matching an existing door prep.
Floor spring vs overhead closer for glass and aluminium doors
Double action, load rating, hold-open and what the floor has to allow.
Sizing a door closer
Power size against door width and weight, backcheck, delayed action and exposed entrances.
Glass 5
Shower and partition hardware for 8–12 mm glass
Hinges, clamps, connectors and the seals that keep water in.
Frameless glass railing and balustrade fixings
Base channels, standoffs and spigots, and the handrail question.
Spider fittings and point-fixed glazing basics
Routels, arms and the structure behind a bolted glass facade.
Patch fitting layouts and the toughening drawing
Reading a patch set, marking the glass cut-outs, and the tolerances that matter.
Glass door hardware, explained
Patch fittings, floor springs, pivots and rails — what each part does on a frameless door.
Sliding 4
Retrofitting soft-close to an existing slider
What has to be on the carriage, the activator position, and when it will not fit.
Bi-fold (slide-fold) door hardware
Top-hung vs bottom-rolling, leaf counts, and getting the folding stack right.
Lift-and-slide vs regular sliding patio doors
How the gear differs, the weights it carries, and when the upgrade is worth it.
Sliding door running gear
Rollers, tracks, carriages and soft-close — how to spec a system that lasts.
Sealants & fixings 6
EPDM gaskets and wool pile — replacing weatherseals
Measuring the groove, choosing the section, and why EPDM beats soft PVC.
Choosing self-drilling screws for aluminium and steel
Drill-point number, coating, and matching the screw to the base metal thickness.
VHB and structural glazing tape — where it replaces mechanical fixing
What double-sided acrylic foam tape can carry, surface prep, and its limits.
Backer rod and the right joint depth-to-width ratio
Why the sealant needs an hourglass shape and a bond-breaker at the back.
Neutral-cure vs acetoxy silicone — where each belongs
The vinegar smell, what it corrodes, and why neutral is the site default.
Structural vs weatherproofing silicone
Cure type, movement class, joint design and where each belongs.
Buying guides 2
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