Skip to Content

What Size Screw for Door Handle? (Explained)

Small objects like screws are only remembered when a household or office is looking for a tool to keep objects together. A household must know how important it is to have their joints done perfectly.

If you want to use a door handle, let it be a new or your old door, screw is important. Furthermore, it matters a lot in terms of safety, security and privacy.

So, if you are looking for a screw, and don’t know what and where to look for it, let’s explore what screw is right for your needs.

What size screw for door handle?

Usually, M5 or 5 mm screws are used for the door handle. However, the size varies from door to door, the built material and the thickness of the door. Also, there is a lot of difference between traditional and modern doors. And M5 or 5 mm screws are the most appropriate for modern doors.

Screws keep two or more objects together, and doors are the most essential part of our daily life to keep us and our dear ones safe and secure. The primary object to keep our privacy is made of many components.

Door handle is made of a complicated set of components, to make our job easy. The door handle is made durable so that it can protect our houses. Screw is an important component of the door handle that allows us to use the door handle more efficiently.

Rightly fitted screws are very important otherwise the door handle can fail to perform up to mark. It is also important to recognize the right screw size for each type of door handle. 

Size of some screws for the following types of door handles are –

Kwikset door handle:

Flat head socket cap screws are very useful in these types of door handles. For a rightly fitted Kwikset door handle, the appropriate size for screw is #5-40, or the ones that are mm wide in diameter. Also, the length of the screw is 3/16 inch.

Interior door handle:

Depending on the thickness of the door, screw size for this door handle can vary. As the door handle demands stronger support, usually a 10 mm screw is used.  The screw should not enter more than ½ inches less than the thickness of the door.

Exterior door handle:

These types of doors require utmost security. As a result, these types of jobs require more lengthy screws. Generally, M5 80 mm screws are more used in exterior door handles than other variants.

Door handles are different and so are the screws. A perfectly fit screw is not rare, but finding them gives an upper hand on maintenance of a complicated object.

Are all door handle screws the same size?

Various types of screws are used for various reasons. The types of screws depend on width, length and tips. Depending on the materials to drill into, the screws can be different from each other.

There are many types of doors available, of which the materials and use purpose can be totally different from each other. As doors serve different purposes, the need for a screw shall also be different. Thus, all door handle screws are not the same size.

For different types of doors, the screws required are different. Also, different materials of doors can require different screws. And it goes the same for the width and toughness of the door.

There are many types of screws varying in width, length and tip size. Across all types of screws, a few kinds of screws are only appropriate to use on door handles.

What size grub screw for door handle?

The Grub screw is an essential part of a door handle. Misplacement of the screw can lead to total damage and compromise in safety of your beloved house. If the grub screw is located inappropriately, the door handle can damage itself.

There are many grub screws: brass grub, hex grub and nylon grub are the most popular ones. The size of the grub is labeled with M, which represents the diameter of the screw in millimeters. A grub screw can come in various widths and lengths.

Although grub screws are used in many elements, especially where a typical nut and bolt will not fit, some doors also come with such screws. As door handles come in different sizes and shapes, the grub screw required depends on the size and shape of the door handle. 

In most modern door handles, grub screws used are M5.

What kind of screws do you use for a door handle?

Door handles come in different sizes and mechanisms. It is mostly based on the demand of the manufacturers. A manufacturer decides each and every component of the product they are producing and selling.

Screws in a door knob are also decided by the manufacturers. In fact, different screws are used by different door handle producers. As a result the market is filled with lots of variants of door handle screws.

But you only need the one that is fit for your door handle. So you can use the following criteria for choosing your screw.

Size: 

This is in fact the most crucial criteria for you to choose. You must use the screw of same width and length for the handle, otherwise the door will not be locked or will not function properly. 

You must measure the size required for your lock and then decide which one you need.

Material: 

No wonder, a better screw will be made of better material. You can find screws made of zinc, brass, stainless steel and what not; also there are nylon screws and hex screws. All these screws have different longevity and shell life. 

A screw of better material will last longer and will perform more accurately.

Screw tip: 

If you want to use the most suitable screw, you have to find out the designated tip for the screw. Otherwise, it won’t fit in the screw hole and will compromise your safety.

How long are screws for door handles? 

The length of a screw is determined by the surface or object it is being drilled into. Using a screw is to hold more than one object together. Screws are also used in door handles.

There are several designs and shapes of door handles, which have a specific duty to serve. It is also important to remember the material and thickness of the door. If a door is thicker and needs to fulfill a heavy job, a longer screw will be required. 

Also, there are grub screws used in places where it is difficult to use a bolt. Usually, 5 mm in radius grub screws are used in the door handle. The most used grub screws are 1 inch to 1.5 inches in length. 

Screws should be bought considering all factors as this is the first step toward our safety and security.

How to correctly measure for replacement door handle screws?

Screws are the most essential elements to keep two objects together. Usually door handles require screws to keep its mechanism in place. Thus, the screws are placed in hidden places and they are usually very small.

Size of the screw is important as the functionality of the door depends on how fit is the screw inside the door handle. If a screw does not fit perfectly, it will lose its functionality. Also, a wrong or misfit screw will lead to a reduced lifespan.

As a result, you should always choose the right screw for your door knobs. A right screw should be the one that is perfect in length and width in measure. Thus, measuring the width and the height of the screw will give you the best fit screw for the door handle.

You can follow the following step to measure the replacement screws for door handle:

Measure the width: 

For this step you will need a Vernier caliper. Measure the outer circle of the hole, and keep the note. Closest reading on the screw thread gauge will be the width of the screw.

Measure the length: 

For this you will need a toothpick. Insert the toothpick into the screw hole, and keep a mark on the depth it has entered. From bottom to the top of the hole is the length of the screw.

Determine the screw: 

Use this combination to figure out which screw this door handle will require.

Final Thoughts

Door handles require screws that are not only perfect in size and shape but also that will give them function properly. The M5 or 5 mm screws are most common and can be found everywhere. Especially, in modern-day doors, 5 mm screws are used more than in traditional ones. It also ensures safety.