Handles on Backplate

A handle on back plate mounts the lever on a long rectangular plate rather than a small round rose. The plate covers a wider area of the door face, which hides old fixing holes on a refurbishment and leaves room to combine the lever with a keyhole, a euro cylinder cut-out or a bathroom turn on the same plate.

Choosing the right plate

Match the plate cut-out to the lock you are fitting: a latch plate for a standard room, a lock plate for a keyed door, and a bathroom plate for a privacy turn. Check locks and latches, bathroom locks and sash locks before ordering.

Where you would rather keep the door face clean, use a lever on rose from door handles or a door knob with separate escutcheons. Hinges to suit the leaf weight are in door hinges.

Why fit a handle on a back plate

A back plate spreads the fixing over a larger area of the leaf and covers the holes underneath it. That gives it two practical advantages over a handle on a round rose. On a refurbishment it hides the screw holes and wear marks left by the previous handle, which saves filling and repainting. On a door with a keyhole or a bathroom turn, it puts the lever and the keyhole or turn on one plate, so there is one item to align rather than three.

Plate length, centres and lock function

Two measurements decide whether a plate will fit. The plate length has to cover the old fixings and sit sensibly on the stile. The centres, meaning the distance from the spindle to the keyhole or turn, must match the lock case in the door. A euro profile plate suits a lock taking a euro cylinder; a bathroom plate carries the turn and release; a latch-only plate has no lower hole at all. Getting the centres wrong is the most common reason a plate will not fit an existing door.

Alternatives and matching parts

For a lighter, more contemporary look, a lever on a round rose from door handles or a knob from door knobs is the alternative. The lock cases themselves are in locks and latches, bathroom locks, sash locks and bedroom lock sets, and separate cover plates are in escutcheons. Hinges in the same finish are in door hinges, or take the whole doorway as a handlepack.

Will a back plate cover my old handle marks?

Usually, provided the plate is longer than the spread of the old fixings. Measure the outermost old hole positions before ordering.

Are back plates suitable for fire doors?

The plate itself normally is; the hinges and seals must be rated. See fire rated hinges and fire doors.