Zanda Nitro Offset Pull Handles

Zanda Nitro offset pull handles buying guide

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The Zanda Nitro is a slim offset pull handle in 316 marine grade stainless steel, sold as a back to back set. This collection holds the Nitro in four lengths, 300mm, 450mm, 625mm and 900mm, in matte black, stainless steel and graphite nickel. The offset keeps the grip clear of the door and away from the lock, and the slim bar suits hinged, pivot and sliding doors. This guide works as a sizing and fitting guide. This guide explains how to read the Nitro numbers, which length suits which door, how to choose a finish, how the back to back fixing works, how to plan the holes, how to pair the handle with a lock and what to check before you order. For other offset handles, see offset pull handles, and for the whole Zanda pull range, see Zanda pull handles and pull handles.

The Nitro in one paragraph

The Nitro is a thin bar, 20mm or 25mm across, held away from the door on two offset posts. It is one of Zanda's most popular offset pull handles and is made from 316 marine grade stainless steel to withstand harsh environments, so it suits both indoor and outdoor use. It is sold as a back to back set with a fixing kit and installation instructions, and it complies with AS 1428, the Australian disability access standard. The matte black version has a powder coated finish.

Reading the Nitro numbers

Each length has its own centres, projection and section. The 300mm is 300mm overall with 280mm centres, a 50mm projection and a 20mm bar. The 450mm is 450mm overall with 425mm centres, a 60mm projection and a 25mm bar. The 625mm is 625mm overall with 600mm centres, a 60mm projection and a 25mm bar. The 900mm is 900mm overall with 875mm centres, a 60mm projection and a 25mm bar.

Overall length is the full length of the bar. Centres is the distance between the two fixing points, the number you give the door maker. Projection is how far the bar stands off the door. Section is the thickness of the bar. Centres are always a little shorter than overall length, by 20mm on the 300mm and by 25mm on the others.

Which length for which door

Match the length to the size of the door and the job.

The 300mm suits a narrow door, a gate, a pantry or a utility door. It is a compact bar for doors up to about 750mm wide. The 450mm suits a standard side door or an internal door that wants a pull. It sits well on a door around 820mm wide. The 625mm is the front door length. It suits a standard 820 to 920mm entry door and gives a confident grip. The 900mm suits a tall or wide door, a feature entry or a pivot door where a long bar balances the leaf.

If you are between two lengths, hold a batten against the door and look at it from the street. The bar should feel in proportion to the door.

What the offset does

A straight pull stands off the door directly in front of its posts. An offset pull moves the bar to one side of the posts. The gap behind the grip is larger, so your fingers fit behind the bar more easily, and the grip sits away from the lock. Offset pull handles suit doors where you want the handle away from the locking mechanism, and they suit hinged, pivot and sliding doors.

On a front door with a lock set into the edge or a cylinder beside the handle, the offset keeps your hand clear of the lock. On a sliding door, it gives your fingers room to grip the leaf close to the frame.

Hinged doors

On a hinged door, fit the Nitro on the opening side, set in from the edge so your hand falls naturally on the grip. For a front door, a 625mm bar with 600mm centres suits most doors. Place the bar so its middle is at about hip height, with the lock clear of the grip. For a narrow hinged door, use the 450mm or the 300mm.

Pivot doors

A pivot door swings on pins at the top and bottom, and the leaf is often wide and tall. A 900mm Nitro suits it, set in from the opening edge. Plan the handle with the pivot hardware and the lock. A heavy leaf asks for firm fixings, so use the kit supplied and follow the installation instructions.

Sliding doors

On a sliding door, the pull gives a grip to move the leaf. A shorter bar of 300mm or 450mm is usually enough. The offset gives fingers room, and the 50mm or 60mm projection leaves clearance at the frame. Check the clearance between the open leaf and the fixed panel or the track, so the handle does not catch.

Glass doors

A glass door takes a Nitro with fittings made for glass, with gaskets so the metal does not touch the glass. The holes are cut in the glass before it is toughened, so the centres must be confirmed at the ordering stage. Choose the length and centres first, then order the glass. Toughened glass cannot be drilled afterwards.

Finishes

The Nitro comes in matte black, stainless steel and graphite nickel. Matte black is a powder coated finish, flat and strong, and it suits black window frames. Stainless steel is the natural metal, neutral and quiet. Graphite nickel is a soft dark grey that sits between black and silver. Not every length comes in every finish, so check the product page.

Choose the finish to match the lock kit, hinges and house numbers. See door stops and hinges for pieces in matching finishes.

Back to back fixing

The Nitro is sold as a back to back set. One handle goes on each face of the door, and the two are bolted together through the door. The set includes a fixing kit and instructions. The result is a firm fixing that clamps the door between the handles, with a matching look on both faces.

The method suits timber, aluminium and glass doors. Timber needs holes drilled square through the thickness. Aluminium may need the maker to drill and tap the holes. Glass needs holes cut before toughening.

Planning the holes

Mark the centres on the face of the door, using a template or a straight edge, and a level to keep the bar vertical. The centres for each length are on the product page: 280mm, 425mm, 600mm or 875mm. Drill square through the full thickness, with a backing board on the exit side to prevent splintering. Test fit the handle before you tighten anything.

If the door is new, give the maker the centres, the grip height and the lock position in writing, so the holes are drilled in the workshop.

Pairing with a lock

A pull handle does not lock a door. Pair the Nitro with your choice of pull handle lock kit to complete your entry set. Choose a lock kit in the same finish, and plan its position with the handle holes. Check the door thickness, backset and cylinder type on the lock product page. See entrance pull sets and entry door lock sets.

Accessibility wording

The Nitro complies with AS 1428. Where an entry must meet accessibility rules, the installed height, the grip and the clearances matter as well. Check the requirements with your builder or designer before you set the handle height.

Choosing a finish by door colour

The finish does more work than the length in how the handle looks. On a black or dark door, matte black disappears into the leaf and reads as a quiet detail, while stainless steel stands out as a bright line. On a pale or white door, matte black gives a strong graphic bar, and graphite nickel gives a softer, lower contrast. On a timber door, stainless steel and graphite nickel sit well with the grain, and matte black gives a bold modern accent.

Think about the other metal at the entry: the window frames, the house number, the light fittings. Match the finish to the strongest of them. If the window frames are black, matte black is the natural choice. If the entry has brushed stainless fittings, choose stainless steel.

The Nitro compared with other Zanda pulls

Zanda makes several pull shapes. The Polo is a square bar with a plain modernist line. The Duke is a slim flat bar. The Omega is a round offset tube. The Nitro sits in the offset group with a slim square-edged bar. The choice is mostly about the look and the hand feel. A slim 20mm or 25mm bar is light to look at and gives a neat grip. A larger round tube is bolder in the hand.

See Zanda Polo pull handles for the straight square range, and 300mm door pull handles and 600mm door pull handles for size based groups.

Setting the grip height for different users

Fit the bar where the arm falls naturally, about hip to waist height for most adults. A long bar spreads the grip across a range of heights, which helps children and shorter adults. A short bar has one grip position, so set it for the main users. Mark the position with tape, test it with the people who will use the door and adjust before you drill.

For an entry that must meet accessibility rules, check the height and grip requirements with your builder, since the product product page alone does not set the installed height.

Fitting on an aluminium door

Aluminium doors often have hollow frame sections, so the handle fixings must pass through the section or into an internal reinforcing piece. The door maker will usually drill and tap the holes in the workshop, with the centres you supply. Give them the product page and the exact length. Do not drill an aluminium frame on site without checking what is inside, since a hollow section can crush when the bolts are tightened.

Ask the maker whether the door needs spacer sleeves for the fixings, and whether the handle will sit square on the face.

Weather and the outdoor entry

An entry handle sees sun, rain and dust. The 316 marine grade stainless steel resists corrosion and withstands harsh environments. The powder coated matte black can wear at the grip over many years, so it benefits from a gentle wipe and not harsh scrubbing. In a coastal home, rinse the handle from time to time so salt does not build up. A covered porch makes the finish last longer.

Replacing an old handle with a Nitro

Measure the distance between the old fixing holes. If it matches one of the Nitro centres, the new handle can use the old holes. If not, you can choose a different length whose centres match, or ask a joiner to fill and redrill the door. Look at the door face around the old handle: if it left marks, the new handle may not cover them, and you may need to touch up the paint.

Photograph the old fitting before you remove it, so you can check the height and position of the new one.

Fitting order on a new front door

For a new door, work in a clear order. Confirm the Nitro length and centres first. Give the door maker the centres, the grip height and the lock position. Have the holes drilled in the workshop. Paint or seal the door. Fit the Nitro handles on the finished door with the fixing kit, and tighten evenly. Fit the lock kit, then hang the door and fit the strike. Test the handle and the lock together.

This order protects the finish and avoids drilling a painted door on site. If the door is already hung, support it with wedges before you drill, and protect the face with masking tape.

Checking clearance behind the open door

When the door swings open, the back of the handle and the posts come close to whatever is behind. Open the door fully and look at the gap between the handle and the wall, a screen door or a window frame. The 60mm projection on the 450mm, 625mm and 900mm lengths and the 50mm on the 300mm must clear it. A door stop on the floor or wall behind the door protects the wall. See door stops for stops in matching finishes.

Measuring before you order

Write down the door width, thickness, lock position, centres you want and grip height. Compare the centres with the product page for each length. Check the projection against whatever stands behind the door. If you are replacing an old handle, measure the distance between the holes and choose the length whose centres match.

Caring for the handle

Wipe with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry. Avoid abrasive pads and strong chemical cleaners. Matte black shows fingerprints more than satin finishes, so a damp wipe keeps it even. Near the sea, rinse salt off from time to time. Check the fixings now and then.

Common mistakes to avoid

The first mistake is ordering by overall length and not centres. The second is confusing the 20mm bar on the 300mm with the 25mm bar on the others. The third is ignoring projection, so the bar meets a wall. The fourth is a finish that does not match the lock. The fifth is expecting a pull to lock the door. The sixth is cutting glass before confirming the centres.

A short list avoids all six: centres, section, projection, finish, lock and glass.

Our recommendation

For a standard front door, choose the 625mm Nitro. For a narrow door or a gate, choose the 300mm. For a side door, choose the 450mm. For a tall or pivot door, choose the 900mm. Choose the finish that matches your lock kit, and pair the handle with a lock kit.

Measure the centres, check the projection and plan the lock. Then the Nitro will fit on the day it arrives.

Questions about the Zanda Nitro

What lengths does the Nitro come in?

300mm, 450mm, 625mm and 900mm, with centres of 280mm, 425mm, 600mm and 875mm.

What is the Nitro made from?

316 marine grade stainless steel, suited to indoor and outdoor use.

Is the Nitro sold as a pair?

Yes. It is sold as a back to back set with a fixing kit and instructions.

What finishes does the Nitro come in?

Matte black, stainless steel and graphite nickel.

Does the Nitro lock the door?

No. Pair it with a pull handle lock kit to complete your entry set.

An offset pull needs the right door and the right setting out. Check that the door stile is wide enough to carry the offset, mark the centres with a level, and drill from the face the pull will sit on. For an aluminium door, ask the door maker to drill and tap the holes in the workshop, and give them the centres and the grip height in writing before the leaf is made.