Nidus Spring door hardware buying guide
Nidus Spring is a zinc alloy lever range with a 128mm lever, made as passage, privacy, dummy and entrance sets, with a combination entry and deadbolt set and a Eurobolt deadbolt in single and double cylinder versions. It comes in brushed nickel, matte black, satin brass and graphite grey, and it belongs to the Nidus Project Series. This guide explains the lever, what each set contains, the sizes that decide fit, how the entrance and deadbolt sets work, and how to choose and fit a Spring set. The brand overview is on Nidus door hardware, and the other Project Series ranges are on Nidus Collins door hardware.
What the Spring looks like
The Spring lever is a straight, slim bar, 128mm long, that projects 60mm from the door. It has a clean, modern line with no ornament, so it suits a contemporary house and works equally well on a flat painted door or a timber door. It is made in zinc alloy, with the finish applied over the metal, and the sets include the latch or lock so the working parts arrive together.
The reach of 60mm is moderate, so the lever sits a little away from the door and gives a comfortable grip. Beside a wall or a cabinet, a handle that projects 60mm needs about that much clear room, and a stop is a sensible addition. See door stops for matching options.
The sets in the range
The range has six kinds of set.
The passage set with a latch latches the door with no lock, and suits hallways, living areas and laundries. The privacy set with a latch adds a lock that works from inside, for bathrooms and bedrooms. The dummy lever is a single lever with no latch, for wardrobes, cupboards and pantries. The entrance key in lever set is a lever with a key lock built into it, so the door can be locked from outside with a key. The combination entry and deadbolt set pairs an entrance lever with a deadbolt for added security on a front door. The Eurobolt is a deadbolt on its own, in a single cylinder version and a double cylinder version.
See passage lever sets, privacy door levers, dummy levers and entry door lock sets.
Sizes that decide fit
Every Spring set suits doors 34 to 45mm thick, which covers the standard internal door and many external ones. The backset is 60mm, the usual size on interior doors, so most replacements fit the existing hole. The three numbers to check before you order are the door thickness, the backset and the diameter of the hole in the door. Measure the door edge with a tape, measure from the edge to the centre of the spindle hole, and measure the hole in the face. If the door is thinner than 34mm or thicker than 45mm, the set does not suit it.
Photograph the old handle from both sides with a tape beside it, and keep the old parts until the new set is fitted. If you are replacing a different make of handle, check that the fixing holes suit the new rose, or be ready to fill and redrill.
The entrance key in lever set
The entrance key in lever set puts the key lock in the lever itself, so there is no separate lock above or below. It suits a front or back door where a single lever with a keyed lock is wanted, and it gives a clean face on the door. Because the lock is part of the lever, check the backset and the thickness against the set, and plan the key arrangement before you fit. Keep the keys together, give a copy to someone you trust, and think about who in the household needs one.
The combination entry and deadbolt set
The combination set is made for a front door that needs a lever and a deadbolt. The lever handles the latch for everyday use, and the deadbolt adds a solid bolt that moves only with a key or a thumb turn, so the door is locked when nobody is home. The two work independently, and the set includes both so the finish matches. Fit the deadbolt first, then the lever, so any adjustment to the bolt does not disturb the handle, and check that the strike plates line up and do not interfere.
The Eurobolt deadbolt
The Eurobolt is a deadbolt for a door that already has a latch or a lever. It comes as a single cylinder, which takes a key from outside and has a turn on the inside so anyone can leave without a key, and as a double cylinder, which needs a key on both sides. The single cylinder is the usual choice for a front door. The double cylinder adds security on a door with glass beside it, since a broken pane cannot be used to reach a thumb turn, but it means a key is needed to leave, so keep a key where the household can find it and an intruder cannot reach it. Some areas limit double cylinders for fire safety, so check local rules.
A deadbolt is only as strong as the door and frame around it. Press on the door near the lock and look at the frame: a hollow door or a thin, split frame will fail long before the bolt does. Check that the strike plate screws reach solid timber. See deadbolts.
Finishes
The Spring is made in brushed nickel, matte black, satin brass and graphite grey. Brushed nickel is a soft, cool silver that hides fingerprints and suits stainless steel and chrome tapware. Matte black is neutral and suits black window frames and fittings. Satin brass is a warm gold that suits timber and Hamptons style homes. Graphite grey is a dark grey between nickel and black that suits modern interiors. Choose the finish to match the other metal in the room, and keep it the same on every handle, hinge and stop. See brushed nickel, matte black and gunmetal for the wider choice in those finishes.
Reading the product names
The names follow a pattern. In Nidus Spring Passage Lever Set With Latch Graphite Grey, the brand is Nidus, the range is Spring, the function is a passage set with a latch, and the finish is graphite grey. A name with Entrance Key In Lever Set means a keyed lever. A name with Combination Entry/Deadbolt Set means a lever and a deadbolt. A name with Eurobolt and a cylinder type means a deadbolt on its own. A name with Dummy Lever means a single lever with no latch.
Fitting a passage or privacy set
Fit the latch first, with the bevel facing the way the door closes. Slide the spindle through the latch, place a lever on each side, and fix the levers. Check that each lever returns to level when released, since a lever that droops usually means a loose fixing. For a privacy set, fit the lock side on the inside of the room and test the release from outside once the door is hung. Show everyone in the house how it works, and keep the release tool where the household can find it.
Fitting an entrance set and a deadbolt
For an entrance lever, mark the position, drill the spindle hole and the lock hole, fit the lock, and check that the bolt works freely. For a deadbolt, drill the large hole in the face of the door and the smaller hole in the edge, fit the bolt and the cylinder, and test the throw before the strike is fitted. Mark the strike position by closing the door with the bolt extended, and chisel the recess in the frame to the depth of the plate. Drill from both faces of the door to avoid splintering. A joiner is the safe choice for a door that is already hung.
Using dummy levers
A dummy lever is a single lever fixed to the door face, with no latch. Use it on a door that only needs to be pushed, pulled or shut: a wardrobe, a linen cupboard, a pantry or the fixed leaf of a pair of doors. Choose the dummy in the same finish as the working handles beside it, so the doors read as a set. Mark the height from the working handle on the next door, and fit the dummy at the same height. Order two if you want a lever on each face of the door.
Doors the Spring suits
The Spring suits flat and panelled doors in timber, MDF and painted finishes, in modern houses and renovated homes. Its straight, slim line works best on a flat door or a door with simple square panels. On a door with deep curved mouldings, a straight lever can look severe, so check the effect against the panels. The range suits doors 34 to 45mm thick, so one range covers most internal doors and many external ones. On an external door, choose the entrance or combination set and pick the finish with the exposure in mind, since a covered porch is easy on a finish and a door in full weather wears faster.
The privacy release and safety
A privacy lock is made for a room where the occupant wants privacy, not security, and it must be possible to open it from outside in an emergency. Each privacy set has a release on the outside, usually a small slot that takes a coin, a small pin or a screwdriver. Test the release the day the lock is fitted, keep a tool where the household can find it, and show everyone in the house how it works, including older children, so a locked bathroom door never becomes a problem.
Key arrangement for an entrance door
Plan the keys before you order. Count the doors that need locks, count the people who need keys, and decide where spare keys will live. If you want one key to open more than one lock, ask for the locks to be keyed alike when you order, since keying cannot easily be changed after the lock is fitted. Keep a spare key where the household can find it and an intruder cannot reach it through glass or a letterbox, and give a copy to someone you trust. A lock that is shared with a deadbolt should use the same key system where possible, so one key opens both.
Retrofit checks
Before you order for an existing door, check four things. The thickness of the door at the latch. The backset of the old latch, measured from the door edge to the centre of the spindle hole. The diameter of the hole in the face of the door. Whether the old latch is still in good order, since a worn latch is worth replacing while the handle is off. If all four agree with the Spring numbers, the set swaps in, and the old marks are the only thing to touch up. If the existing hole is larger than the new rose, a larger plate or a filler will be needed.
Setting out a run of doors
In a hallway with several doors, consistency matters more than any single choice. Set every lever at the same height, use the same finish, and fit every privacy set with its lock on the same side. A row of doors with handles at slightly different heights is noticeable, so mark the height once with a tape and a level, and carry it along the wall. A dummy lever on a cupboard should be set at the same height as its neighbours, and a wall stop should be fixed at the same height on every door that needs one.
Matching hinges and stops
Hinges and stops are not part of the lever sets, but they should match. Choose hinges and stops in the same finish as the levers, so the door reads as one piece. A brushed nickel lever pairs with a satin chrome or stainless steel hinge, a matte black lever pairs with a black hinge, and a satin brass lever pairs with a brass hinge. Replace every hinge on a door in one go, and check the size of the old hinge so the new one seats in the existing recess. See hinges.
Setting out a door and a house
List every door against its function before you order. The front door takes an entrance set or the combination set. Hallways and living areas take passage sets. Bedrooms and bathrooms take privacy sets, and cupboards take dummy levers. Choose one finish and order every set together so the finish agrees from the first door to the last. The usual handle height is about 900 to 1100mm above the floor, and about 1050mm is common on new doors. In a hallway with several doors, set every lever at the same height and fit every privacy lock on the same side.
Replacing existing handles
Take off the old handle and check the spindle hole, the screw holes and the backset. If the latch is in good condition and the backset is 60mm, a Spring set swaps in without changes to the door. If the old rose was larger than the new one, a paint line will show, so touch up the door face. Check how the door hangs before you fit new handles, since a door that drops at the latch edge makes any lever feel loose, and fixing the hinges first saves redoing the handle.
Care
Wipe the levers with a soft damp cloth and dry them. Keep abrasive pads, polishes and acidic or bleach-based cleaners away from the finish. Tighten the fixings once a year, since timber moves with the seasons, and if a latch sticks, a drop of light oil on the latch tongue will free it. A brushed finish hides fingerprints better than a polished one, and matte black needs a gentle wipe to keep the coating even.
Questions people ask
Does the Spring include the latch? The passage and privacy sets include it. The dummy lever does not, since it has no latch.
Can the Spring go on an external door? The entrance and combination sets are made for front and rear doors, and the finish should be chosen with the exposure in mind.
Which Eurobolt do I need? A single cylinder for a front door where the household needs to leave quickly, and a double cylinder where there is glass beside the door and the key can be kept safely.
Before you start, lay out every part on a clean surface and check the contents against the product: the levers, the spindle, the latch or lock, the strike plate, the fixings and the instructions. A missing part is easy to sort out before the door is drilled, and hard to sort out after. Keep the packaging until the set is fitted and working, in case a part needs to go back, and keep the instructions with the house documents for future repairs.
If the lever feels stiff after fitting, check the alignment of the spindle with the latch and make sure the rose is not pressing against the door. A small adjustment to the fixing usually frees it. If a lever sags, tighten the fixing, and if it still sags, check that the spring in the latch is not worn.
