# Conservatory Door Handle Question



## smokeysmoo (13 Apr 2020)

Would any of you knowledgeable CC'ers know if I could swap the handles on the picture over from door to door?

The left door is used all the time, the right door is never used, plus we have the same french door set up from the conservatory into the house too, and the same handle problem.

The problem is that the handles have gone sort of loose, sorry that's about a technical as I get these days). They work, and the locks are fine, but I just though if I can swap them over it will save me money for one, and as the opposite door is never used anyway it won't matter that those handles are getting a bit dicky.

On the face of it I think it should be a straight swap, obviously I'll have to swap the whole handle, inner and outer, but anyone know for sure before I pull the trigger and possibly feck something up?

T.I.A.


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## Dave7 (13 Apr 2020)

Shouldn't this be in @slowmotion 's thread of Lockdown Skills ??
Sorry..... my poor sense of humour.
But, in my ignorance are door handles not left/right handed ?


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## neil_merseyside (13 Apr 2020)

No you can't swap as they are handed, if you tried swapping left out to right inner it seems to work but exposes the fixing screws on the outside. Looseness may be the circlip on the back wearing into the handle, or most often the drive rod is wearing the hole in the handle - you want to swap before that interface fails completely or you'll have bigger trouble.
About £20 from Screwfix et al.


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## classic33 (13 Apr 2020)

Is it just the handles that are getting " a bit dicky"?

You've the bar running through and the actual latch mechanism to consider. If it's just the handles, wear & tear through use it should be a straight swap, left to right.


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## smokeysmoo (13 Apr 2020)

neil_merseyside said:


> exposes the fixing screws on the outside.


See, never thought of that 

Never mesaured therse things before but everydays a school day and a quick Google seems to suggest it's the distance betwixt the screw centres, in which case mine appears to be 215mm, so presumable THESE handles would do the job then?

TVM


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## smokeysmoo (13 Apr 2020)

classic33 said:


> Is it just the handles that are getting " a bit dicky"?


Yes, the locks are fine  _*crosses fingers he's not just tempted the lock Gods to $h!t on his parade*_



classic33 said:


> You've the bar running through and the actual latch mechanism to consider. If it's just the handles, wear & tear through use it should be a straight swap, left to right.


I thought that, but as @neil_merseyside says, that would expose the fixing screws to the outside.


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## bikingdad90 (13 Apr 2020)

It’s possible to flip it round completely so the fixings are on the outside but they are a bugger to get out, you would also need to align the cover bar on the outside after you have unscrewed the locking mechanism from the middle where it is held in place. We had to have a lock change when we moved house and it took the guy a few attempts to get it perfect so all the locking points engaged.


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## smokeysmoo (13 Apr 2020)

bikingdad90 said:


> It’s possible to flip it round completely so the fixings are on the outside but they are a bugger to get out, you would also need to align the cover bar on the outside after you have unscrewed the locking mechanism from the middle where it is held in place. We had to have a lock change when we moved house and it took the guy a few attempts to get it perfect so all the locking points engaged.


Argh! That's got my balloon knot going 5p 50p at the prospect 🤪


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## Milkfloat (13 Apr 2020)

Does it feel loose in and out, or up, down, left and right? If it is just the former then there might be a destroyed plastic spacer/washer.


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## smokeysmoo (13 Apr 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> Does it feel loose in and out, or up, down, left and right? If it is just the former then there might be a destroyed plastic spacer/washer.


It's mainly in and out but also a bit up and down as well.

LINK to video (YouTube)


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## Archie_tect (13 Apr 2020)

If the faceplates are clip ons you can swap them over- try and see and if it doesn't work you can replace them cheaply enough.
Sometimes it's just the grub screws come loose holding the handles to the spindles and you just need to replace those... or replace the spindle if on the opening leaf handle if it's really worn.


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## Dave7 (13 Apr 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> Does it feel loose in and out, or up, down, left and right? If it is just the former then there might be a destroyed plastic spacer/washer.


Are we talking door handles or my sex life here ?


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## Milkfloat (13 Apr 2020)

smokeysmoo said:


> It's mainly in and out but also a bit up and down as well.
> 
> LINK to video (YouTube)


Looks like one of mine, a little plastic spacer/washer used to be there but it disintegrated. That was 5 years ago and the handle/lock still work.


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## Globalti (13 Apr 2020)

There's nothing more irritating than house things like handles and taps that don't work properly. I cut, varnished and fitted every one of the 12 internal doors in my house and every one of them shuts cleanly with a little click from the latch. Every year or two I go round and oil the handles and latches. When we made a claim against Safestyle for badly rusted window mechanisms they were unhappy when their engineer told the bosses that yes, the customer had maintained them so they had no getout and had to replace the lot under warranty.


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## smokeysmoo (13 Apr 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> Looks like one of mine, a little plastic spacer/washer used to be there but it disintegrated. That was 5 years ago and the handle/lock still work.


Yup, just took one handle off and the plastic wavy washer had cracked and unseated causing the wobblyness  






Managed to re-seat it for now but will get some handles sooner rather than later.

So thinking it was that simple I took the other handle off, and this bugger fell out 






Trouble is the spindle should go through it, so that's obviously fubar as well. Took one of the internal french doors for now, just need to remember to put it back when I do get some handles.

Thanks y'all, the knowledge of CC never fails to assist


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## neil_merseyside (13 Apr 2020)

smokeysmoo said:


> See, never thought of that
> 
> Never mesaured therse things before but everydays a school day and a quick Google seems to suggest it's the distance betwixt the screw centres, in which case mine appears to be 215mm, so presumable THESE handles would do the job then?
> 
> TVM


You could check the 'footprint' as backing plates vary in width so if you buy narrower you might see a bit of mismatch around the outline.


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## smokeysmoo (13 Apr 2020)

Two pairs of new handles and two new spring assist thingys ordered for the grand sum of £26.05, sounds fair enoughski 

The new handles apparently only come with one springy thingy, but for less than 3 quid for a pair of 'em I'm not going to lose any sleep.

Thanks again geezers


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## bruce1530 (13 Apr 2020)

I’ve used these guys a few times for new handles, locks and window bits and pieces:
http://www.double-glazing-parts-repairs.co.uk/

They’re reasonably local to me - about 20 miles away - but they do mail order.


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## classic33 (14 Apr 2020)

smokeysmoo said:


> Two pairs of new handles and two new spring assist thingys ordered for the grand sum of £26.05, sounds fair enoughski
> 
> The new handles apparently only come with one springy thingy, but for less than 3 quid for a pair of 'em I'm not going to lose any sleep.
> 
> Thanks again geezers


Wouldn't if have been cheaper to just use the other door instead?


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## smokeysmoo (14 Apr 2020)

classic33 said:


> Wouldn't if have been cheaper to just use the other door instead?


Not an option unfortunately my friend, apart from anything else the doors aren't independent, ergo you have to open the door with the problem handle in order to be able to open t'other one


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