Replacing a letterbox in a uPVC front door might seem daunting, but with the right tools and a little patience, it’s a job most confident DIYers can manage. Whether you're upgrading your letterplate for a fresh look or swapping out a draughty or broken unit, this step-by-step guide will take you through the process safely and efficiently.

Before you start, it helps to understand the construction of a uPVC door. Unlike traditional timber doors, uPVC doors are made from a rigid plastic outer shell, filled with insulation, and often reinforced internally with thin steel. That means:

No timber to screw into: Letterboxes are secured with self-tapping machine screws that fasten the inner and outer halves together through the door skin.

Risk of crushing: Overtightening screws can dent or crack the plastic face of the door.

Cutting new apertures: If you're fitting a letterbox for the first time, you’ll need

Whether you’ve just moved into a new house or are looking to freshen up the look of the doors you’ve lived with for years, updating door handles can be a cost-effective way to make a noticeable difference. 

It doesn’t have to be difficult, but there are definitely some key points to consider before you make a purchase, along with some techniques that can make life easier while you’re doing the work.

Things to know before you change your door handles

How well does the new handle fit over the space of the old one?

If the handle was fitted before the door was painted, or wasn’t removed before it was repainted, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. Chances are that you’re planning to repaint the door anyway, but you’ll need a fine grain sandpaper to level out the different in height, and smooth off any paint ridges that might have formed around the old handle. This is especially true if you’re changing from a door handle with a backplate to one with a rose,

Replacing the latch on your door might be needed for a couple of reasons. You might be changing it to match the colour of your new handle, or the old one might have broken. The handle action relies on a spring for connection, and after a lot of usage the connection between the action and the spring has been known to snap, leaving you with a useless handle and a door that won’t open. 

For a standard door latch this isn’t too complex, but you should have these tools to hand:

• Ruler or tape measure
• Pencil
• Sharp chisel
• Hammer
• Screwdriver
• Drill

The main issues you are likely to encounter are that the plate which sits around the latch may be bigger than the previous one, and that the mechanism for the latch might not have the hole for the spindle in exactly the same place. If it’s only a few millimetres out, you can use the drill to gently expand the hole. If there’s a large difference, you need to ensure the expansion will be covered by your new handle.

Are you bored of your kitchen, but worried about cost and on a budget? Don’t worry, we have it all covered in this blog!

There are plenty of cost-effective ways to update your kitchen. From replacing your cupboard doors to upgrading the hinges and handles, you can breathe new life into your space.

Here are some tips on how to update your kitchen on a budget using simple DIY-friendly upgrades that won’t break the bank.

If you think about the way your kitchen is built, it’s more than likely that thing you see the most is cupboard doors. The actual skeleton of the kitchen is often not that visible, with the doors providing most of the visual style. If your cabinets are in good condition there’s no need to remove them entirely - just swap out the doors for something more modern or stylish. Happy Doors, for example, have a wide range of doors available.

Why change your kitchen cupboard doors?

• Instantly