Guide · Compatibility
Compatible with IKEA, Plum, Superfront, and almost everything else
Changing your handles is the shortest path to a kitchen that looks like no other. But it only works if they fit onto the furniture you already own, no renovation required. Good news: our handles are built on the most common standard in cabinet hardware. Here is exactly when they install in two minutes, how, and the rare cases that call for a bit more attention.
The principle
A standard screw, one universal fit
Behind every cabinet handle lies a mechanism of disarming simplicity: **the M4 screw**. Four millimeters in diameter, a 0.7 mm thread pitch. It is the standard used by nearly every furniture maker in the world, IKEA included, which ships its own handles with 30 mm M4 screws.
In practice, it all comes down to two moves:
- A knob attaches with a single M4 screw, through one hole.
- A bar pull or handle attaches with two M4 screws, set apart by a precise distance: the center-to-center.
Our handles are threaded to this standard. If your furniture takes an M4 screw, and that’s the case for the vast majority of wood, MDF, melamine, or lacquered fronts, it takes a Holdon handle.
The right measure
The center-to-center, the only measurement that matters
Center-to-center (c/c) is the distance between the centers of the two holes on a bar pull. The industry has worked for decades within the “System 32” standard: all standard center-to-center measurements are multiples of 32 mm. The most common in kitchens:
- 64 mm, small drawers, narrow fronts.
- 96 mm, the all-purpose size, for both doors and drawers.
- 128 mm, the most widely used on kitchen drawers.
- 160 mm, large drawers and low cabinets.
Measure your center-to-center in 3 seconds
Set a ruler on the existing handle and measure from center of one hole to the other (not edge to edge). This measurement is your center-to-center. If you’re torn between two values, remove the handle and measure the actual screw spacing: it settles the question. Front still blank? You choose the center-to-center freely, we’ll guide you through the drilling.
The material decides
The front: what really changes
The material of the front determines how easy installation will be. Here is the truth, without any polish.
Wood, MDF, melamine, lacquered panels, laminate over board: simple
These are the materials of the vast majority of fronts on the market. You drill, you screw in M4, it’s done. If the front is thick, we simply use a longer screw: we adapt the hardware to your thickness.
Framed glass (aluminum frame), yes
Most kitchen glass doors are actually glass set in an aluminum frame. The handle attaches to the frame, not the glass. An M4 screw holds it perfectly in place.
Tempered glass alone, a special case, let’s be honest
You cannot drill tempered glass after the fact: it shatters. A screwed-on handle only works on a glass panel if the holes were made before tempering, or if the glass is framed. On an already tempered, undrilled glass panel, our screw-on handles won’t work. In that specific case, write to us: depending on your setup, we’ll look for a solution.
Metal, engineered stone, very hard surfaces: case by case
Rare on a cabinet front, but possible. Here too, let’s talk before you buy.
Getting into it
Posing a cabinet handle, step by step
On a blank front, count on ten minutes per handle the first time, two or three after that.
- 1. Mark. Mark the spot with a pencil. To line up several fronts, a template (IKEA’s FIXA, or a piece of cardboard with holes punched in it) keeps everything even.
- 2. Protect. Stick a piece of masking tape over the drilling spot: it keeps the melamine from chipping and gives the pencil something to grip.
- 3. Drill. A 4 mm bit for an M4 screw. Drill straight in, without forcing it, pulling the bit out now and then to clear it.
- 4. Fasten. Hold the handle against the back, start the M4 screw(s), tighten by hand, then give it a quarter turn with a screwdriver. Not too much, not too little.
To avoid
The classic mistakes
- Drill bit too big. A 5 or 6 mm hole for an M4 screw and the handle wobbles. Stick to 4 mm.
- Screw too short or too long. Too short, it won’t bite; too long, it pokes through the front. Match the length to the thickness, ask us if you’re unsure.
- Drilling melamine without tape. The coating chips at the surface. A strip of masking tape fixes it in two seconds.
- Measuring center to edge. It’s always center to center. The most common mistake when ordering a bar handle.
Good to know
All Metod fronts, same logic
Whatever style of IKEA Metod door you’ve chosen, the hardware mounting is identical: free drilling, M4 screws. This holds true for Bodbyn, Kallarp, Voxtorp, Ringhult, Axstad, Lerhyttan, Stensund, and Askersund fronts alike. The pattern changes, the mechanics stay the same, and our handles adapt to all of them.
Frequently asked questions
Handles compatible with IKEA, Plum and Superfront
IKEA, Plum, and Superfront compatibility
Is Holdon_faq_product_name Compatible with IKEA Furniture?
Yes. IKEA Metod, Pax, and Besta fronts are factory drilled for hinges and drawer slides, but never for handles: you choose the placement, drill, then attach with an M4 screw, exactly like an original IKEA handle. Our handles follow this standard.
And with Plum, Superfront, Reform, or A.S. Helsingö Fronts?
Yes, in the same way. These brands design their fronts to IKEA Metod's dimensions and drilling: Plum, Superfront, Reform, A.S. Helsingö, Holte, and the other workshops making fronts for IKEA cabinets. Installation is identical, free-choice drilling and M4 screws.
Delivery, Customs, Payment, and Support
How Long Will It Take to Receive My Handles?
Each handle is made to order in our Paris atelier. Allow an average of 5 to 10 business days for production, plus the carrier's delivery time, which varies by address. You'll receive an email with the tracking number as soon as the shipping label is issued, generally between the 5th and 10th business day after your order.
Are Your Payment Methods Secure? What Payment Options Do You Offer?
We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) via Stripe, as well as PayPal. Transactions run through these two international references in online payment: Holdon Paris never sees and never stores your card number, all sensitive data is transmitted encrypted to the platform. The site runs entirely on HTTPS. For large professional orders, bank transfer with a deposit is possible (see architects and professionals).
Can I Return My Order if I Don't Like It?
Yes. French law gives you 14 days from receipt to exercise your right of withdrawal, with no need to justify it. The handles must be returned in their original condition, uninstalled, and return shipping is at your expense unless the error is ours: the refund is issued within 14 days of receipt at our workshop. To start a return, write to us via contact Holdon Paris: we'll send you the address and the process. Custom and personalized pieces are not eligible for the right of withdrawal, since they are made specifically for you.
Not sure about your furniture?
A photo of the mounting holes is all we need to confirm compatibility and center-to-center spacing. And if your setup is unusual, we’ll figure out the solution together.