Reattaching handle to an mdf door

[tgsock]

Hello

We have some new (regulation compliant) doors fitted by a joiner throughout our flat last year. All of our the door handles have recently loosened progressively over the year.

The doors are mdf in construction (i think) and the handles have been screwed directly into the door. As the joiner also fitted the latch plates a little off the centre to my liking (probably rushing) you really do have to turn the handle 100% of the way down to allow the latch to fall in and out of place in the latch plate, over time this has strained the connection to the door. As we are now we have a situation where a handle has loosed the screws completely off the door. (See picture)

How would you kind people advise me to go about refitting the handles back to the door? I have considered maybe widening the holes and using wall plugs then screwing bcak in, glueing a piece of wood to the door and fitting to that or (least likely to work) simply using bigger screws in existing holes.

I welcome any recommendations and new suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jasonb]

That type of handle are usually also supplied with double ended screws that use the two larger holes in the rose, the ones at 3 & 9 o'clock. With a suitable lock that has holes for these screws to pass through your handles will stay in place.

If the "joiner" also missed the lack plate then this will not help the situation as the screws are just biting into the thin skin of the door.

Jason

 

[HandyHands]

When you say "regulation compliant" - what regulations are you refering to?

 

[tgsock]

Thanks for the feedback comments

I don't really know why I mentioned the fact that it was a regulation compliant door, they are all on 'pull close' chains and have to be a fire rating as we are a building of 6 flats. I thought as they seemed to have a surface moulded from MDF that they would be unsuitable for certain handles fittings.

This information about aligning the handle to screw into holes in the latch is interesting. I think the screws have only been fitted as mentioned into the 'skin' of the door. I will take a closer look and reply.

Forgive my ignorance but I am not sure how a double ended screw would fit into the equation? I would love to learn how and welcome a reply.

 

[big-all]

double ended
a normal machine threaded screw[as opposed to wood screw ]same sized screw head on a threaded tube so it looks the same from either side

 

[Jasonb]

The screws don't fix to the lock/latch they pass through it and hold one handle to the other.

If you supplied cheap tubular latches then they may not have the two holes either side of the square spindle hole to allow these screws to pass right through. But it looks like you have a sash lock in the picture so that should have the holes.

Jason

 

[tgsock]

Ahh yes, no thanks to google search for 'double ended screw', I thought you meant these!:

But I do have some of these:

I think its a great idea, the tightness would pull in both handles, I dont think theres a hole cut, only the visual evidence of the screw cutting in at the plastic moulding of the lock. I wonder if it will be sae to drill though this lock to insert the double end screw?

 

[Jasonb]

Take the lock out of the door and check it has the two holes either side of the spindle. DO NOT try to drill through it.

Jason

 

[foxhole]

Do the handle have grub screws to lock handles to spindle, if not you could purchase that type which in effect clamp the handle to the door leaving the screws in the plate just to prevent rotation.

 

[JohnD]

what is the name/part no of that sort of screw?

If the doors are 44mm thick and rather heavy, they are probably fire-resisting doors made of pressed chipboard with a decorative suface.

 

[Jasonb]

"Carcase connector" and probably no good for this job as they won't be long enough, may be lucky if they are 35mm doors but as said they will likely be 44mm.

Jason

 

[JohnD]

found it now

sleeve nut
or
threaded sleeve

http://www.sdslondon.co.uk/connectors/m4-threaded-sleeve.html
used with
http://www.sdslondon.co.uk/m4-handle-screws/m4-x-40-mm.html

p.s. take out that sashlock, have a look and show us a pic. They normally have two holes for bolt-through fixing (horizontally in line with the spindle). If yours do not you can easily get some that do.

If you are using bolt-through fixings, two will give more than enough strength, and you can put something in the other screw-holes in the handle rose just for neatness.

p.p.s. Jasonb, can you get the screws/nuts in your pic as spares?

 

[tgsock]

The screws are sometims called inter screws or connection screws. I buy in a Pack of 10 from Screwfix.


The doors are 44mm and are fire resistent doors as part of the regs for this building. Here is a picture of the lock:

Sadly, no holes for screwing the handle on. All the black screws are moulded to the block.

 

[Jasonb]

Cheap lock, you will have to replace with a better on, Union or Legge are decent, just make sure you get the same backset.

Although its a bathroom lock you want

Jason

JohnD, sorry don't know of a supplier of the lock screws

 

[tgsock]

Thanks everyone for the help I think I know which steps I need to take to solve the problem here and the other locks too.

One last question, is the distance and positioning of the latch of the handle in relation to the locking bolt standardised in these locks?