Centre-to-Centre: The Only Measurement That Fits a Cabinet Pull
Almost every cabinet pull returned to a hardware shop is returned for the same reason. It was ordered on overall length, and overall length is not what fits.
The two measurements, plainly
Centre-to-centre is the distance from the middle of one fixing hole to the middle of the next. Overall length is the full length of the handle including the end posts. On a typical bar pull the overall length runs 15 to 30 mm longer than the centre-to-centre, and the gap is not consistent between makers. If your doors are already drilled, centre-to-centre is the only number that matters.
Common spacings
Kitchen and dresser fronts in India are most often drilled at 96 mm, 128 mm or 160 mm. Older or imported units may be in inches, commonly 3 inch (76.2 mm), 3.75 inch (96 mm) or 5 inch (128 mm). A 96 mm pull will not sit in 128 mm holes, and the 32 mm difference is far too large to hide behind a backplate.
How to measure what you have
- Remove one existing handle.
- Measure between the centres of the two holes, not between their edges.
- Check a second door: refits and replacements are not always consistent across a run.
- Note the door thickness as well, because that decides the screw length you need.
Single-hole knobs are the exception
A knob has one fixing point, so any knob fits any single-hole door. The variables there are projection, how far the knob stands off the face, and the screw length supplied. Deep drawer fronts and doors with a thick applied panel often need a longer screw than the one in the pack.
Projection matters more than people expect
Projection is the distance from the door face to the back of the handle. Too little and there is no room for fingers, particularly on a drawer with a soft-close runner that needs a firm pull. Too much and the handle catches sleeves in a narrow galley kitchen, or fouls an adjacent door when both are open.
Ordering with confidence
Every pull and knob we list states centre-to-centre spacing where it applies, overall length, projection and the screw lengths supplied in the pack. Where a maker does not publish a figure, we say so rather than estimating it. If you are matching an existing run and are unsure, measure one handle and send us the number; that is a question we can answer precisely.