Door handle height, how important?

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Mark61

11 posts

Geek

#225724 2-Dec-2017 16:25

I'm renovating a 1970's home that has all the existing door knobs at 1350mm above the floor, as they did back then. I need to decide if I should change them all to the modern standard of 900-1000mm. The doors are woodgrain vineer with round wooden door knobs. I intend to spray paint all the doors a neutral colour and probably reuse the door knobs and latches.
The home is having a full repaint, carpet, bathroom, new ensuite, complete kitchen etc. I intend to sell it, so I'm being very careful not to over capitalize my investment. Do members think door handle height is a big deal? Thank you for your thoughts. Cheers

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2915 posts

Uber Geek

#1912034 2-Dec-2017 17:52

Personally I try to work with a home's original character and try to keep true to that when modernising.

I would keep the heights, use similar architraves, scotias etc etc.

YMMV

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

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Aredwood

3885 posts

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#1912047 2-Dec-2017 18:24

Just leave them as is. Considering the number of houses out there with poorly thought through renovations, door handle height is the last thing I would care about.

Also if those existing doors are hollow core, you probably won't be able to change the handle height anyway.

k1w1k1d

1194 posts

Uber Geek

#1912061 2-Dec-2017 18:42

As others have said, leave as they are.

Our 1950's house had three different styles of door handles. I changed them all to a modern type when we had our first lot of earthquake repairs done. Even putting the new knobs in the existing locations took quite a bit of work to get a good finish for painting.

Bung

5442 posts

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Subscriber

#1912075 2-Dec-2017 19:46

"Modern Standard" indeed. Our 1940's ex State House has all knobs at 1000mm. The bach has a collection of mismatched doors. The only time it is noticed is going from toilet 1000mm to bathroom ~1300mm in the dark.

Mark61

11 posts

Geek

#1912076 2-Dec-2017 19:51

Well, that answers it for me. They stay where they are. Thanks to all for your input. Great to get some different opinions.
Cheers, Mark

GGJohnstone

86 posts

Master Geek

#1912194 3-Dec-2017 09:51

Well enough left alone.

Shoulder height handles in any house with children should have the mechanisms disabled for safety on all internal doors. It is easy to imagine situations where exit doors with child defeating height handles could be contributing to danger.

Graeme

Mark61

11 posts

Geek

#1912223 3-Dec-2017 11:15

I appreciate your input, pretty helpful.

Elpenguino said..
*Personally I try to work with a home's original character and try to keep true to that when modernising.
I would keep the heights, use similar architraves*

And I agree, keeping the original shape architraves, cornice, skotia etc is a must.

Aredwood said...
*Also if those existing doors are hollow core, you probably won't be able to change the handle height anyway.*

And I hadn't considered that, thanks.

Graeme said...
*Shoulder height handles in any house with children should have the mechanisms disabled for safety on all internal doors. It is easy to imagine situations where exit doors with child defeating height handles coulI appreciate your input, pretty helpful.

Elpenguino said..
*Personally I try to work with a home's original character and try to keep true to that when modernising.
I would keep the heights, use similar architraves*
And I agree, keeping the original shape architraves, cornice, skotia etc is a must.

Aredwood said...
*Also if those existing doors are hollow core, you probably won't be able to change the handle height anyway.*
And I hadn't considered that, thanks.

Graeme said...
*Shoulder height handles in any house with children should have the mechanisms disabled for safety on all internal doors. It is easy to imagine situations where exit doors with child defeating height handles could be contributing to danger.*

Which is an interesting comment, not one I had thought of as we don't have rugrats. Might have to think a bit more about that aspect, there's probably a regulation on this somewhere. As a society we seem to try to make everything 'safe' for all. Don't get me started on pool fencing!

Bung...
*Modern Standard" indeed.*
Yeah, I take your point on that. Although this is a surprisingly straight house that hasn't been mucked with and it's very well built IMO.

Mark

geoffwnz

1271 posts

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ID Verified

#1912480 4-Dec-2017 08:52

The only reason I modified the height of the door handles at my place was because I was completely replacing them and it was easier to drill completely new holes than to try enlarging the existing ones neatly. Then could fill and sand the old holes prior to painting the doors.
Given I'm partly through this process, the house has a collection of heights and handles throughout. :-)

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Rickles

2694 posts

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Trusted

#1912498 4-Dec-2017 09:21

Our 1903 villa in Wellington has all original door handles at 740mm

I matched that with the "new" French doors.

Bung

5442 posts

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#1912523 4-Dec-2017 09:55

If the original owners were short enough to find that comfortable they probably could have put a mezzanine floor into the usual room heights of those days :-)

irongarment

280 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1912528 4-Dec-2017 10:07

GGJohnstone:
Well enough left alone.

Shoulder height handles in any house with children should have the mechanisms disabled for safety on all internal doors. It is easy to imagine situations where exit doors with child defeating height handles could be contributing to danger.

Graeme

How does everyone else operate the doors if the mechanisms are disabled?

Rickles

2694 posts

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Trusted

#1912531 4-Dec-2017 10:21

>If the original owners were short enough to find that comfortable they probably could have put a mezzanine floor into the usual room heights of those days :-)<

One of the reasons we find it hard to think about moving to an apartment ... our ceilings are what used to be called "10 foot studs" ... in fact 3.2 metres (I had to buy a new step ladder for decorating, changing light fittings and building bookcases ).

Mark61

11 posts

Geek

#1912537 4-Dec-2017 10:33

geoffwnz:
The only reason I modified the height of the door handles at my place was because I was completely replacing them and it was easier to drill completely new holes than to try enlarging the existing ones neatly. Then could fill and sand the old holes prior to painting the doors.
Given I'm partly through this process, the house has a collection of heights and handles throughout. :-)

How did you conceal the original holes? Was filler enough or are you still able to see the outlines?
It always seems to be difficult to successfully hide a repair like this, especially on a off-white door.
I was considering routing out a section and glueing a "patch" in.... But maybe I'm over thinking it..

GGJohnstone

86 posts

Master Geek

#1912580 4-Dec-2017 11:19

irongarment:
GGJohnstone:

Well enough left alone.

Shoulder height handles in any house with children should have the mechanisms disabled for safety on all internal doors. It is easy to imagine situations where exit doors with child defeating height handles could be contributing to danger.

Graeme

How does everyone else operate the doors if the mechanisms are disabled?

I am suggesting that the mortise could be stymied. Possibly with a super screw to the required depth to inhibit the successful engagement of the lock tongue. It might be possible to achieve a slight latching effect and yet still push the door open.

Are awkward child and wheelchair door handles just for boudoir privacy?

Give me a more noble reason please.

irongarment

280 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1912590 4-Dec-2017 12:05

GGJohnstone:
irongarment:
GGJohnstone:

Well enough left alone.

Shoulder height handles in any house with children should have the mechanisms disabled for safety on all internal doors. It is easy to imagine situations where exit doors with child defeating height handles could be contributing to danger.

Graeme

How does everyone else operate the doors if the mechanisms are disabled?

I am suggesting that the mortise could be stymied. Possibly with a super screw to the required depth to inhibit the successful engagement of the lock tongue. It might be possible to achieve a slight latching effect and yet still push the door open.

Are awkward child and wheelchair door handles just for boudoir privacy?

Give me a more noble reason please.

I don't see how disabling the door mechanisms contributes to safety. Surely it would make things more dangerous, especially if you wanted to get out and the mechanism was disabled.

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