Latches are available in a variety of styles, one of which is finger pull bolt. Like all latches, they are commonly found on drawers, cabinets and doors. You can close these surfaces by pushing them shut, and you can open them by pulling them. Finger pull bolts, however, feature a simple design that makes them a popular alternative to other types of latches.
Finger Pull Bolts Defined
Also known as a pull slam latch bolt, a finger pull bolt is a type of latch that only requires a single finger to open. They are small, simple latches. You don’t need to use an entire hand to open them. Finger pull bolts, as the name suggests, require a pulling open using a finger to open.
How Finger Pull Bolts Work
Finger pull bolts are easy to use. When closed, you just need to pull the bolt on the side. Pulling the bolt will disengage the latch. The latch will recede into the finger pull bolt’s housing, thereby releasing the surface with which the finger pull bolt is used.
Most finger pull bolts are spring-loaded. Within the housing is a spring that connects the bolt to the latch. The spring will create tension that holds the surface closed. It will only release this tension when you pull the bolt on the side.
How to Choose Finger Pull Bolts
You should consider the material when choosing finger pull bolts. Steel is a common material from which finger pull bolts are made. As an iron alloy, steel is strong and corrosion resistant. Some finger pull bolts even feature a zinc-coated exterior for additional protection against corrosion. They are still made mostly of steel (or iron), but they feature zinc plating to shield the underlying metal from which they are made.
Finger pull bolts are available in reversible styles. Reversible finger pull bolts can be mounted for either right-hand or left-hand use. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a reversible style. Reversatile finger pull bolts are more versatile than their standard counterparts because they support right-hand and left-hand mounting methods.
The bolts in finger pull bolts are typically tapered. With that said, some of them are more tapered than others. Some finger pull bolts feature a 45-degree tapered bolt. Others feature a 60-degree tapered bolt. You should consider the degree to which the bolt tapers when choosing finger pull bolts.