Zanda pull handles buying guide
Zanda pull handles are long stainless steel bars for entrance doors, fixed back to back through the door. This collection brings together the Zanda ranges: the round Duke, the square Polo, the Streamline and Toorak with radiused corners, the Round Profile tube, the Nitro and Nitro Plus offset handles and the Omega handle and lock kit combination. They come in 316 marine grade stainless steel in satin brass, graphite nickel, matte black, stainless steel and white, in lengths from about 300mm to 1800mm. This guide explains how the ranges differ, how to read centres, projection and offset, how to match a handle to a door, and what to check before you order. For one range in depth, see Zanda Polo pull handles and Zanda Duke pull handles.
What Zanda makes and how the handles are built
Zanda is an architectural door hardware maker whose ranges are designed in house. The pull handles in this collection share a common build. They are made from 316 marine grade stainless steel, which is the grade chosen where corrosion resistance matters, and they suit harsh environments and both indoor and outdoor use. They are sold as back to back sets, with one handle for each side of the door fixed together through the door.
The ranges differ in section, which is the shape of the bar in cross section, in projection and in whether the handle is straight or offset. Those three things decide how the handle looks and feels, so they are the first things to compare.
Overall length, centres and projection
Three measurements describe every pull handle. Overall length is the full length of the bar. Centres, written as centre to centre, is the distance between the two fixing points, and it is the figure your door maker uses to drill. Projection is how far the bar stands out from the door face. Centres are always slightly shorter than overall length, because the bar extends a little past each fixing.
The Duke 330mm has 300mm centres, the Duke 630mm has 600mm centres and the Duke 930mm has 900mm centres, all with a 55mm projection. The Streamline is 600mm overall with 570mm centres and a 58mm projection. The Toorak is 625mm overall with 600mm centres. The Round Profile is 600mm overall with 400mm centres and a 76mm projection. Always order by centres when the door is already drilled.
Duke pull handles
The Duke is a round, slim bar with a 30 by 10mm section. It is offered in 330mm, 630mm and 930mm lengths, with a 55mm projection. It complies with AS 1428, the Australian disability access standard it is sold as a back to back set. Its slender profile suits a modern door, and its finishes include satin brass, graphite nickel, matte black, stainless steel and white. See Zanda Duke pull handles.
Polo pull handles
The Polo is a square section bar with a plain, modernist outline. The straight Polo runs from 300mm to 1800mm, with centres from 270mm to 1760mm and a 50 to 60mm projection. The offset Polo is 640mm overall with 600mm centres. The Polo suits a door that wants a strong, simple line. See Zanda Polo pull handles.
Streamline and Toorak
The Streamline and the Toorak are square handles with radiused corners. The radius makes them more comfortable in the hand while keeping the square look. The Streamline is combining sleek design with better ergonomics, and as suited to high traffic doors. The Toorak has a 25 by 25mm tube section and is offered in three finishes. If a handle will be gripped many times a day, a softened corner is a practical choice.
Round Profile
The Round Profile is a 32 by 32mm tube, 600mm overall with 400mm centres and a 76mm projection. The design explores verticality and the illusion of a continuous extruded piece of metal. The tube is thicker than the Duke, so it reads as a solid bar and gives a larger grip. Its 400mm centres are shorter than the overall length by a wide margin, so check the holes if you are replacing an existing handle.
Nitro and Nitro Plus offset handles
An offset handle has fixing posts that sit to one side of the bar. Offset pulls suit doors where you want the handle away from the locking mechanism they suit hinged, pivot and sliding doors. The Nitro is offered at 300mm with 280mm centres, 450mm with 425mm centres, 625mm with 600mm centres and 900mm with 875mm centres. The finish is powder coated.
The Nitro Plus is the same family with a bigger offset. It is 625mm overall with 600mm centres, or 925mm overall with 900mm centres, in a 25 by 25mm tube with a 60mm projection and an 85mm offset. The larger offset gives more room for fingers behind the bar and moves the grip further from the lock.
Omega handle and lock kit combination
The Omega combination pairs a stainless steel offset pull handle, 600mm overall with 400mm centres, with a round double turn lock kit and a 60 by 38mm floor mounted door stop. It is supplied with three keys and sold as a pair. It suits timber, aluminium and glass doors, and hinged, pivot and sliding doors. It is the only product in this collection that includes the lock. See entrance pull sets for handles with locks.
Comparing the sections
The section is the size and shape of the bar, and it changes the grip more than the length does. The Duke is 30 by 10mm, a thin, flat-sided bar that is light to look at and sits close to the door. The Toorak and the Nitro Plus are 25 by 25mm tubes, which have a squarer, fuller feel. The Round Profile is a 32 by 32mm tube, the largest in this collection, and it fills the hand. The Polo is a square bar and the offset Polo is 40 by 20mm.
A thin bar suits a slim, minimal door. A thick bar suits a heavy timber door or a wide pivot, where a light handle would look undersized. If you are unsure, look at the door leaf thickness and the width of the stile. The handle should look in proportion to both.
Pull handles on glass doors
Glass entries use back to back handles with fittings made for glass, and the handle holes are set before the glass is toughened. That means the centres must be fixed at the order stage, and a change later means new glass. Confirm the centres with your glazier, then choose the handle whose centres match. A long bar suits a frameless glass door well, because the bar gives the leaf a visible edge.
Check how the door is hung. A pivot glass door has its pin at the top and bottom, and the handle needs clear space at the open edge. A hinged glass door needs the handle clear of the hinge side. In both cases, mark the handle position on the glass with tape before the holes are drilled.
Pull handles on sliding doors
On a sliding door the handle gives a grip to move the leaf. A shorter bar is usually enough, because you are pushing sideways and not pulling the full weight of the door open. Fit the handle where your hand falls naturally when you reach for the door edge. A sliding door also needs clearance, so check that the projection will not catch on the frame or on the fixed panel as the door passes.
Offset handles, like the Nitro, work well here, because the offset gives the fingers room to get behind the bar and pull the leaf along.
Pull handles on pivot doors
A pivot door swings on pins and often has a wide, tall leaf. A long bar suits it. Set the handle at a comfortable height and a short distance in from the open edge, so the door opens without a long reach. The weight of a large leaf makes a firm fixing important, so use the fixing kit supplied and follow the installation instructions.
Replacing an existing pull handle
If you are swapping a handle on a door that is already drilled, measure the distance between the holes, not the length of the old bar. Choose a handle with the same centres, or within a few millimetres, and check that the hole diameter suits the new fixings. If the holes do not match, you have three choices: choose another length whose centres do match, fill and redrill the door or use a different handle. Filling and redrilling is a job for a joiner, and it is much easier on timber than on glass or aluminium.
Look at the old holes for damage. A loose handle often leaves elongated holes in a timber door, and these need repair before a new handle is fitted.
Grip height and handle position
Place the grip where the arm falls naturally. For most adults that is around the middle of the handle at hip height, so the whole bar sits within an easy reach. A long bar spreads the grip over a wider range of heights, which helps people of different heights and children. A short bar has one grip height, so set it where the main users can reach it comfortably.
Keep the handle at a sensible distance from the lock. Offset handles help with this, because the grip is moved clear of the cylinder. Keep the handle clear of the door edge as well, so the fingers do not catch on the frame.
Choosing the right range
Start with the door. A tall front door or a pivot door takes a long bar, and a narrow door or a gate takes a short one. Then choose the shape. A round bar like the Duke or Round Profile gives a soft line. A square bar like the Polo or Toorak gives a crisp one. An offset bar like the Nitro gives more finger room and sits clear of the lock.
Think about use as well. A door that is used by children, older residents or people carrying loads is easier with a handle that has a generous grip and a rounded corner. Check the handle height and grip against the standard with your builder where the entry has to meet accessibility rules.
Finishes
The ranges are offered in satin brass, graphite nickel, matte black, stainless steel and white, and not every range comes in every finish. Check the product page. Satin brass gives a warm gold tone, matte black gives a strong dark line, graphite nickel gives a soft dark grey, stainless steel is the neutral option and white recedes on a white door.
Choose one finish for the front door set, including the lock kit and the door stop, so that the entry reads as one piece. See door stops for matching stops.
Back to back fixing and door types
All of these handles are sold as back to back sets. The two handles bolt together through the door, which clamps the door between them. That gives a firm fixing and the same look on both faces. The method suits timber, aluminium and glass doors. A glass door needs fittings made for glass, and the holes must be set before the glass is toughened.
The handles are used on hinged, pivot and sliding doors. On a hinged or pivot door they pull the door open. On a sliding door they give a grip to move the leaf.
Pairing with a lock
A pull handle does not lock a door. For an external door, add a pull handle lock kit in the same finish. The lock sits in the door edge or beside the handle, and its position and the handle holes need to be planned together. Check the door thickness, backset and cylinder type on the lock product page. See entry door lock sets and deadbolts.
Measuring before you order
Write down five numbers for the door: width, thickness, lock position, the centres you want and the grip height. For a new door, give the door maker the centres from the product page so the holes are drilled in the workshop. For an existing door, measure the holes already there and choose the handle whose centres match.
Check projection against what is behind the door, such as a wall, a screen or a window frame. A handle with a 76mm projection takes more room than one with a 55mm projection, and the door must still swing clear.
Looking after the finish
Wipe with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, rinse and dry. Avoid abrasive pads and strong chemical cleaners, which can mark a satin or coated finish. Matte black shows fingerprints more than a satin finish, so a damp wipe keeps it even. Near the sea, rinse salt off the handle from time to time, because salt left on a surface can stain even marine grade steel.
Common mistakes to avoid
The first mistake is ordering by overall length instead of centres. The second is ordering a single handle when a back to back pair is needed. The third is forgetting projection, so the handle clashes with a wall or screen. The fourth is a finish that does not match the lock kit and hinges. The fifth is a handle that is too short for a tall door or too long for a narrow one.
A short written list for each door avoids all five: length, centres, projection, section, finish and lock.
Matching the rest of the door
Hinges, lock kits, door stops and house numbers sit in view of the handle. A consistent finish across them makes the entry look planned. See hinges and Zanda door hardware for matching pieces. For other makes of pull handle, see pull handles.
Our recommendation
For a standard front door, choose a 600mm to 630mm handle in the finish that matches your lock kit. Choose the Duke for a slim round line, the Polo for a crisp square line, the Streamline or Toorak for a softened square line and the Round Profile for a heavier tube. Choose the Nitro or Nitro Plus when you want the grip clear of the lock. Choose the Omega kit when you want the handle, lock and stop together.
Measure the centres, check the door type and fixings, and match the finish across the entry. Then the handle will fit on the day it arrives.
Questions about Zanda pull handles
What material are Zanda pull handles made from?
The material is 316 marine grade stainless steel, with finishes including satin brass, graphite nickel, matte black, stainless steel and white.
Are Zanda pull handles sold as a pair?
Yes. They are sold as back to back sets, with a handle for each side of the door fixed together through the door.
What is the difference between centres and overall length?
Overall length is the full length of the bar. Centres is the distance between the two fixing points, and it is the measurement used to drill the door.
What is an offset pull handle?
An offset pull handle has fixing posts to one side of the bar, which gives more room for fingers and moves the grip away from the lock.
Do I need a separate lock?
Yes, apart from the Omega combination, which includes a double turn lock kit. Other handles take a pull handle lock kit in a matching finish.
