Replacing the door handle: The 5 most common do-it-yourself mistakes

A new door handle sometimes seems like a small detail - but has a big impact. Whether you want your home to look more modern, are simply tired of old handles or are looking for more convenience: A handle change brings a breath of fresh air into your home.

The good news: you can also replace door handles yourself. The bad news: there are a few pitfalls that can quickly lead to frustration. Read here about the 5 most common mistakes when changing door handles - and how to avoid them.

The classic! Many people order on the off-chance, but only realize when they fit it: The handle wobbles or doesn't fit at all.

Here's how to do it right:

• Measure the door thickness at the point where the handle sits. This is usually between 38 and 45 mm.
• Also pay attention to the hole spacing and backset depth of the lock case.
• Some door handles can be variably adjusted. Example: Many Griffwerk handles cover standard dimensions, adapter plates help with special cases.

Not every handle fits every lock! Especially with old interior doors or old buildings, you will quickly come across outdated lock cases. The result: the new handle sits crookedly or cannot be fitted at all.

How to avoid trouble:

• Check whether the old lock case is DIN-compliant.
• Is there any visible damage or stiff springs? If necessary, replace the lock at the same time.
• For tricky cases, there are conversion adapters with which you can adapt modern latch sets to older boxes.

You bought the most beautiful handle - and then the screw breaks off? Unfortunately, this is not uncommon.

Better:

• Use mounting sets in brand quality. Griffwerk supplies robust screws, matching sleeves and installation wrenches as standard.
• Tighten screws with feeling, do not overtighten!

A crooked handle not only looks crooked, it also wobbles quickly.

This keeps everything on track:

• Always mark before drilling and screwing.
• Use a spirit level to check that rosettes and handles are really straight.
• For rosettes with invisible screws: Tighten all screws evenly.

Sometimes you just want to change the look - but forget important details.

• Do you have an interior door to the toilet or bedroom? Then you need a lockable handle or a bathroom rosette.
• In households with small children, a child safety lock is worthwhile.
• For apartment doors, make sure that security fittings do not weaken burglary protection.