Deltana 12SBCS 12" Solid Brass Surface Bolt, Concealed Screws, HD

That's exactly what the 12SBCS is built for. It's a surface-mounted bolt, so it screws to the face of the inactive leaf and throws a rod into a strike at the head or the sill, holding that leaf fixed while the active leaf swings on its lockset. The bolt body is 12 inches long, which puts the thumb-turn well down from the top of the door on a tall opening so you can still reach it. Because it mounts on the surface, there's no mortising into the door edge, which matters on a French door with narrow stiles.

No key on this one. The 12SBCS is a manually operated thumb-throw bolt, secured by concealed mounting screws that can't be reached to remove once the door is shut. It holds the leaf; it isn't a locking device. If you need the bolt itself keyed, the Ives SB1630 heavy duty steel locking surface bolt has keyed security with a 1 inch throw, or look at the ABH HD1805, which auto-locks with a 3/4 inch stainless steel bar.

The Ives SB360 in the US2C 12 inch configuration is the direct length match - a heavy-duty steel surface bolt with a 1-1/4 inch throw in a 12 inch length. The Deltana 12SBCS is a 12 inch solid brass surface bolt with concealed screws. The material is the main difference between them: brass on the Deltana, steel on the Ives SB360. On a decorative opening where the bolt is seen, the Deltana comes in nine finishes including Oil Rubbed Bronze, Polished Chrome and Antique Brass; the SB360 is the steel option at the same 12 inch length.

The mounting screws don't show on the finished face. Deltana's concealed-screw bolts are the contemporary version of their surface bolt, made so the fastener heads are hidden once it's installed, which is the reason people pick it over an exposed-screw bolt on a visible interior door. Functionally it throws the same way; the difference is appearance and that the screws can't be backed out with the door closed.

Solid brass, not plating over steel. Both the material and substrate on the 12SBCS are brass, so what you see on a cut edge is the same metal as the face. That's the practical reason to spend on it over a plated steel bolt on an exterior-facing or high-humidity opening, where plating on steel eventually blisters and rusts through.

Nine finishes: Polished Brass, PVD Polished Brass, Antique Brass, Polished Chrome, Brushed Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Antique Nickel, Oil Rubbed Bronze, and Paint Black. If you're matching a building's existing trim, the two brass options are worth separating: PVD Polished Brass is the plated-and-cured version that holds its color, while standard Polished Brass is the living finish that will patina. Pick the one that matches how the existing bolts and hinges have already aged.

Commercial. Deltana classes the 12SBCS as commercial-grade and builds it heavy duty in solid brass, which is why it turns up on multi-family and hospitality openings as well as high-end residential. That said, it's a decorative bolt: for a back-of-house or exterior service door taking real abuse, a steel bolt such as the Ives SB360 heavy-duty steel surface bolt (also 12 inches, 1-1/4 inch throw) or the ABH HD1805 with its auto-locking 3/4 inch stainless steel bar is the tougher build.

No handing on a surface bolt. The 12SBCS mounts to the face of the door and throws its rod along the door, so the same part works on a left or right hand leaf and on either an in-swing or out-swing. What you do decide is where it goes: top of the leaf throwing up into a head strike, bottom throwing down into the floor or threshold, or both, which is the usual approach on a pair when you want the inactive leaf held at two points.

Probably, if the old one was a similar-size bolt, but plan on new holes. The 12SBCS has a 12 inch body, so it covers a long run of the stile and will hide most old fastener holes from a shorter bolt, but the screw pattern is Deltana's own and won't line up with another brand's. It's a surface application, so there's no mortise to match: you fill the old holes, set the new bolt where the throw lands on your strike, and drill fresh. If you need a direct like-for-like in a decorative brass bolt, the Delaney Solid Brass Surface Bolt and the Trimco 4800 Series are the same category of part.

The Emtek 8511 is a solid brass surface bolt in a 6 inch length, half the 12 inch length of the Deltana 12SBCS. Both are solid brass, so the material and the look on the door face are comparable; the 8511 covers openings where a 12 inch bolt plate will not fit on the stile or the rail. Delaney also offers a solid brass surface bolt and a decorative solid brass surface bolt in the BV7600 series if you want a different brass profile.

Among the steel bolts, the Ives SB1600 carries a 3-1/2 inch throw, the Ives SB360 in the 12 inch length a 1-1/4 inch throw, and the Ives SB1630 and SB1640 a 1 inch throw each. Throw length and bolt length are two separate dimensions: the Deltana 12SBCS is a 12 inch bolt, which is the length of the plate on the door face, not the projection into the head or the sill. If the drawing calls out a projection into a floor strike, the SB1600 at 3-1/2 inches is the deepest in the group.

They are not interchangeable. The ABH HD1805 is a heavy duty surface bolt with an auto-locking 3/4 inch stainless steel bar, so it latches itself when thrown and the bar is stainless. The Deltana 12SBCS is a 12 inch solid brass bolt with concealed screws, throwing and holding by hand. Choose the HD1805 when the opening needs the bolt to lock automatically or when a stainless bar suits the environment; choose the 12SBCS when brass and a concealed fastener face are what the opening calls for.

The bolt ships as a complete each-unit assembly with its mounting screws and strike. Beyond that you need a drill and bit for the strike hole if you're throwing into a wood threshold or floor, and a masonry bit if it's dropping into concrete or tile. No mortising and no door prep, since it fastens to the door face. Order one per bolt location: if you want the inactive leaf held top and bottom, that's two.

The Trimco 4800 Series is a surface bolt series if the specification is written to a Trimco line. The Ives bolts cover the rated and heavy duty end - SB1600 heavy duty steel with a 3-1/2 inch throw and fire rated, SB1630 heavy duty steel with keyed security and a 3-hour UL listing, and SB360 heavy-duty steel with a 1-1/4 inch throw in a 12 inch length. The Deltana 12SBCS is the solid brass commercial option with concealed screws, offered in nine finishes including Brushed Nickel, Paint Black and PVD Polished Brass for openings where the bolt is part of the visible hardware set.