uPVC Door Handle, Letterbox & Hinge Guides
How to identify and measure uPVC door handles, fix a drooping handle, measure a letterbox, replace door hinges and tell a split spindle from a single spindle. Clear, step-by-step guides from the Home Secure team at our trade counter in Aintree, Liverpool.
Most-read Door Handles, Letterboxes & Hinges guides
All Door Handles, Letterboxes & Hinges guides
Measure & identify
Fix a problem
Choose what to buy
- Best Letterbox for uPVC Doors: How to Choose the Right One
- How to Choose the Right uPVC Door Handle
- uPVC Door Handle Colours and Finishes: Which One Matches Your Door?
- How to Choose Interior Door Handles That Match Your Home Style
- Internal Door Lock Types
- Door Knockers for uPVC Doors: Style, Security & The Avocet Affinity Advantage
Parts from these guides
Hoppe D29 uPVC Door Handle – Lever Lever Chrome – 92mm PZ£49.99
Yale UPVC Door Letterbox - White (White Surround) – uPVC & Composite Doors£11.99
Replacement Springs For UPVC Door Handles (Hoppe)£4.79
Quick answers
What size uPVC door handle do I need?
Most uPVC doors in the UK take a 92mm PZ handle; what varies is the screw centres, usually 122mm or 210–215mm. Measure the PZ (centre of the spindle to centre of the keyhole), the screw centres and the backplate length.
Read the guide: How to Identify & Measure uPVC Door Handles: Type A vs B, PZ & Screw Centres
Why is my uPVC door handle drooping?
Usually a worn spring inside the handle. Take the handle off: if it's floppy off the door too, fit a replacement spring or a new handle. If the lock itself is stiff with the handles off, the gearbox needs replacing.
Read the guide: How to Fix a Loose or Dropping uPVC Door Handle
What size letterbox do I need?
Most uPVC and composite door letterboxes are 10 inch or 12 inch: an outside plate of about 265mm is a 10″ and about 305mm is a 12″. Then measure the door thickness where the letterbox sits: 20–40mm or 40–80mm.
Read the guide: How to Measure a Letterbox: 10 or 12 Inch? (UK Size Guide)
Split spindle or single spindle: how do I tell?
Close the door without locking it, go outside and push the handle down. If the door opens, it's a single spindle; if it doesn't, it's a split spindle and you need the key from outside.
Read the guide: Split Spindle vs Single Spindle: How to Tell Which Your uPVC Door Has
What size is an internal door latch?
UK internal door latches are 64mm (2½″) or 76mm (3″). Measure from the edge of the door to the centre of the handle: about 44mm means a 64mm latch, and about 57mm means a 76mm latch.
Read the guide: How to Measure an Internal Door Latch: 64mm vs 76mm (UK Size Guide)