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UK Family Business
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Free Delivery Over £80
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UK Family Business
Free Delivery Over £80
Next Day Delivery
Trade Discounts
While we pride ourselves on our products’ flexibility and ease of use, there is some terminology you’ll need to understand if you want to pick the perfect handles for your design.
Firstly, this isn’t really technical knowledge – they’re just simple ways of referring to things and basic terminology. However, if you want a hassle-free installation and a flawless finish, it’s helpful to know exactly what you’re looking at. To that end, here’s a handy guide to some of the terminology we use around our website.
The majority of cabinet handles these days are what is known as rear-fixing. They are attached by means of an M4 screw/bolt that passes through from the inside of the drawer or cupboard door and into the cabinet handle or knob from behind.
What are the advantages of rear fixing cabinet handles and knobs?
The advantages of rear fixing cabinet handles are that they offer a clean-look finish, the attachment is stronger and, because the fixing holes are spaced at standard distances (CC size), the cabinet handles and knobs can easily be taken off and changed without leaving unsightly holes, the replacement handle will fit right into the old handle’s place.
What screws are required?
Rear-fixing cabinet handles and knobs are attached with industry standard M4 screws (4mm diameter machine screws). French Furniture Fittings provide two pairs of M4 screws with each handle, one that is 25mm in length, and one that is 45mm and adjustable in length. These screws will cover almost any job that they may be required for.
What does CC-size mean?
Rear fixing cabinet handles have 4mm threaded holes at standardised spacings such as 64mm, 76mm, 96mm, 128mm, 160mm, 192mm, 224mm or 288mm (and more). These spacings between fixing holes are known in the industry as CC-sizes.
Replacing your existing cabinet handles
To find the cc-size of your existing handles or knobs, just open the drawer or cupboard door and measure the distance between the heads of the two screws. This will be one of the standard sizes and can be replaced with any handle of the same cc-size. This keeps installation extremely easy and is something to bear in mind when putting together your room’s new look.
When choosing new handles for your kitchen it is important to remember that cabinet handles are listed according to their CC-size (distance between fixing holes). You should also consider the overall length to get a true impression of how the handle will look once in place. This of course depends on the look you’re going for, but will need to be considered as some handles will simply not fit, or may overwhelm your furniture.
In general, bar handles tend to be considerably larger in overall length than their cc-size as they have a greater ‘overhang’ from their fixing points. Whereas, something like the Athena handle does not have any overhang and is only marginally larger, in terms of the overall length, than the CC-size. This is a matter of taste but also practicality – do you really want handles that hang over the edges of your furniture?
Ultimately your choice of handle will depend on many factors; size, shape, finish, design, material and more. This is why we specialise in aftermarket, custom fittings. No two kitchen builds are the same, and no two rooms, even in the same house, are either. Knowing the basics of choosing your fittings empowers you to match your design to your build, making the process smoother and the finish better.
Equipped with some terminology, explore our range of high-quality and versatile fittings, and pick your perfect finishing touches with confidence. Happy building!
