How to Replace a Broken Door Handle in Australia — What to Measure, What to Buy, and When to Call a Locksmith
A broken door handle is one of those things that feels urgent the moment it happens — especially if it's a bathroom door your kids can't open, a front door that won't latch, or a bedroom door stuck shut.
The good news: replacing a door handle is one of the most straightforward DIY jobs in the home. The bad news: most people order the wrong thing first and end up waiting for a second delivery. This guide — written by our qualified locksmith team — tells you exactly what to measure, what to buy, and how to get it right first time.
Step 1 — Before You Buy Anything, Take These Three Measurements
This is the step most guides skip, and it's why people end up with handles that don't fit. Before you search for a replacement, grab a tape measure and note down three things:
Measurement 1 — The Backset
The backset is the distance from the edge of the door to the centre of the hole where the latch sits (not the handle hole — the smaller hole on the edge of the door where the bolt pokes out).
Australian doors use one of two standard backsets:
- 60mm — the most common in residential homes built after the 1980s
- 70mm — common in older homes and some commercial doors
If you order a handle with the wrong backset, the latch won't reach the striker plate and the door won't close properly. This is the single most common ordering mistake.
How to measure it: Open the door, look at the edge, and measure from the door edge to the centre of the latch bolt. Or, if the handle is already off, measure from the door edge to the centre of the hole.
Measurement 2 — The Door Hole Diameter
The hole drilled through the face of your door (where the handle spindle passes through) is almost always one of two sizes:
- 25mm–35mm — standard in most modern Australian homes. Most handles fit this without modification.
- 54mm — found in homes built from around the 1970s to early 2000s, or in some commercial doors. This is a larger hole and requires a handle with a backplate or rose wide enough to cover it.
If you have a 54mm hole and order a handle with a small round rose, it won't cover the hole and you'll have a gap showing around the backplate. Not a good look.
How to check: Remove your existing handle. If the hole behind the rose is about the size of a 50-cent coin, you have a 54mm hole. If it's much smaller — closer to the size of a 20-cent coin — you're on standard sizing.
Measurement 3 — The Door Thickness
Most Australian interior doors are 35mm thick. Most exterior doors are 40mm–45mm thick. Handle spindles and through-bolts are designed to accommodate these standard thicknesses, but it's worth checking if you have a non-standard door (e.g. a solid timber heritage door, a commercial fire door, or a cavity slider).
Step 2 — Identify What Function You Need
Once you've measured, you need to decide what type of handle to buy. The function determines whether the door locks, and how.
Passage — No lock. For hallway doors, wardrobes, linen cupboards. The door latches shut but either side can open it at any time.
Privacy — Thumb turn lock on the inside, emergency release on the outside. For bathrooms, ensuites, and bedrooms. Locks for personal privacy, not security.
Entrance — Keyed cylinder lock. For front doors, back doors, and any door that needs to be secured with a key.
If you're replacing a bathroom handle that broke, you almost certainly need a privacy set. If it's a hallway door, you need a passage set. If it's a front door, you need an entrance set.
Not sure? Read our full guide to passage vs privacy vs entrance kits →
Step 3 — Choose Your Handle
Now you know your backset, hole size, and function — you can shop with confidence.
A few things to consider when choosing:
Match your finish. Take note of the finish on your existing handles before ordering a replacement. Mixing a brushed nickel replacement in a room full of matt black handles will stand out immediately. If you're unsure, it's often worth replacing all handles in a room at once for a co-ordinated result — especially if the existing hardware is old or worn.
Backplate vs round rose. If you have a 54mm hole, look for handles on a backplate (rectangular or oval plate behind the lever) rather than a small round rose. Backplates are wider and will cover the larger hole without modification.
Buy a complete kit. If you're replacing a handle on an internal door, the simplest option is a complete door handle kit — a single box containing the lever pair, latch, faceplate, striker plate, spindle, and all fixings. Everything is pre-matched and you won't need to source components separately.
Browse our handle ranges:
- Iver Door Handle Kits — premium brass, available in 9 finishes →
- Gainsborough — reliable everyday residential handles →
- Tradco — period and restoration handles →
- All door handles →
Step 4 — Replacing the Handle (DIY Guide)
Once your new handle arrives, here's how to fit it.
What you'll need:
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Flathead screwdriver
- Allen key (sometimes supplied with the handle)
- Tape measure
Step 1 — Remove the old handle. Look for screws on the interior face of the handle. On some handles they're visible; on others they're hidden under a cover plate or rose. If you can't see screws, look for a small slot or hole on the underside of the rose — insert a flathead screwdriver or pin to release the cover plate and expose the fixings beneath.
Step 2 — Remove the latch. Once the handles are off, look at the edge of the door. There will be two screws holding the latch faceplate in place. Unscrew them and slide the latch mechanism out of the door.
Step 3 — Fit the new latch. Slide the new latch into the existing hole. Make sure the angled face of the latch bolt faces the direction the door closes (toward the striker plate). Screw the faceplate in place. If the new faceplate is a slightly different size, you may need to chisel the recess slightly — or simply live with a small gap if it's recessed into the door edge.
Step 4 — Fit the handles. Feed the spindle through the latch mechanism and fit the handles on each side of the door. Insert and tighten all fixings. If your handle has grub screws on the underside of the lever, tighten these last using an Allen key.
Step 5 — Test before closing. Turn the handle several times to confirm the latch moves in and out smoothly. Close the door gently and check the latch aligns with the striker plate. If it doesn't quite line up, the striker plate position can usually be adjusted by loosening its screws and shifting it slightly before re-tightening.
When to Call a Locksmith Instead
DIY handle replacement is straightforward in most cases — but there are situations where it's worth calling in a professional:
- The door is stuck shut and the mechanism has failed. Forcing the door risks damaging the frame. A locksmith can open it without damage.
- It's a front door entrance set with a cylinder lock. Getting the lock cylinder correctly fitted and keyed is more involved than a simple lever swap.
- You have a mortice lock. Older Australian homes often have mortice locks (the lock mechanism sits inside the door, not in the handle). Replacing these requires the right replacement part and more involved installation.
- You're not sure what you have. If you've measured, read this guide, and you're still not sure — don't guess. A wrong order wastes time and money.
Our locksmith team covers Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula and is happy to advise before you order, or fit the hardware for you if you'd prefer. Email a photo of your door and existing handle to sales@lockmart.com.au and we'll point you in the right direction — no obligation.
Quick Reference — Replacement Door Handle Checklist
Before ordering, confirm you know:
| What to check | How to find it |
|---|---|
| Backset | Measure door edge to centre of latch bolt (60mm or 70mm) |
| Door hole diameter | Remove handle — is hole standard (~25mm) or large (54mm)? |
| Door thickness | Measure edge of door (usually 35mm internal, 40–45mm external) |
| Function needed | Passage / Privacy / Entrance |
| Finish to match | Check existing handles in the room |
Still not sure? Email us a photo at sales@lockmart.com.au — our locksmiths will identify exactly what you need.
👉 Shop all door handles → 👉 Shop Iver Door Handle Kits → 👉 Read: Iver Kits Explained — Passage vs Privacy vs Entrance →
Written by the Lockmart team — qualified locksmiths serving Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula for over 60 years.