Flushbolts

A flush bolt sits recessed into the edge or the face of a door so nothing projects when it is shut. It is what holds the inactive leaf of a pair of doors steady while the active leaf takes the traffic, which is why every set of French doors, double doors and room dividers needs a pair of them.

Where flush bolts are used

Fit one at the head and one at the foot of the slave leaf. On French doors and room dividers they turn a floppy pair into a solid frame for the working door; on cupboards and wardrobes they hold the second door without a visible barrel bolt.

Order the finish to match your door handles and pull handles. For doors that only need holding gently closed use magnetic latches, and see the rest of the range in locks and latches.

How a flush bolt is used on a pair of doors

On double doors one leaf is normally the active leaf and the other is held shut. Flush bolts do that second job: they sit in a mortice in the door edge so the face stays flat, and they shoot a bar into the head of the frame and down into the floor. The passive leaf is bolted top and bottom, the lock or latch then engages into it, and the pair behaves like a single door until you need the full opening.

Choosing the right length and finish

Lever action bolts are quicker to release by hand, while slide action bolts sit lower in profile. Longer bolts give a deeper throw and are the safer choice on tall leaves and external pairs. Check that the mortice depth available in the door edge exceeds the bolt body, especially on glazed leaves where the stile is narrow. Finishes here run from satin and polished chrome through stainless to black, so bolts can be matched to the handles and hinges already on the pair.

Fire doors and double door sets

On a certified pair, every item of ironmongery must be compatible with the door's test evidence, including the bolts, the fire rated hinges and the intumescent strips. Read the fire door guide before you specify anything. If you are making a pair from two single leaves you will also need pair makers, and the wider range is in door hardware and locks and latches.