What Is The Correct Use Of Dummy Locksets?

Figure 1: Typical diagram of dummy trim.

Dummy trims are door locksets that do not lock nor turn.  They are merely a piece of metal designed to be pushed or pulled to operate a door leaf while looking like any other lockset handle or knob.

IBC 2018 1010.1.9.4 Locks and Latches point 3 and IBC 1010.1.9.5 Bolt Locks exception 4 states that on a pair of doors where a bolt lock in on the inactive leaf that no dummy lockset hardware should be installed on that leaf. The reason behind this is that in an emergency someone might try to use that lockset handle to open the door. When it doesn’t open people could get hurt. Not including a lockset in the first place is a fairly easy method to keep people safe.

Figure 4: Flush bolts on an inactive leaf.

On a set of double-hinged swing doors the inactive leaf, that would normally receive the dummy trim, should not.

Rather it should have a top and bottom flush bolt to keep the leaf stationary so that the active leaf can be received, see figure 4. If the active leaf needs to be opened the flush bolts can be temporarily unlatched. If the inactive leaf needs to be more active, then adding an astragal to receive both leaves, utilizing vertical rod locksets, or electromagnet locks are the best options.

Where should you use dummy trims?

Shallow closets residential or otherwise, or any door that does not need the benefit of a lock or a latch yet needs to blend in with other similar-looking locksets.