Will Your Window Handle Hit Your Shutters?

Why this matters more than it sounds

A shutter panel sits in the opening, and the louvres rotate towards the glass as they open. If a window handle sticks out into the space those louvres need, they physically cannot turn. The shutter still fits the opening perfectly — it simply won't operate.

This is not something that can be corrected once the panels exist. Your shutters are manufactured to the sizes you give us, so a handle clash discovered after delivery means a remake. Thirty seconds now avoids that entirely.

The straight-edge check

You don't need a special tool. Take any straight edge you already own — a spirit level, a timber batten, even a long steel rule.

1. Lay the straight edge flat across the window opening, resting on the face of the reveal.
2. Look at your window handle.
3. If the handle sticks out past the straight edge, your louvres will foul it.

If the handle sits behind the straight edge, you have nothing to worry about. If it projects past it, measure how far it projects and read the next section before you order.

If your handle does project, you have two options

Both are decisions you make at the point of ordering, and both are straightforward.

Option 1 — Make sure the recess is deep enough

A recess fit places the shutter inside the window reveal. That works as long as there is enough uninterrupted depth in the recess for the louvres to swing clear of the handle. Measure the depth of your reveal and the projection of your handle, and satisfy yourself the louvres have room to rotate fully. Deeper louvres need more room than shallower ones, so if your recess is shallow this is the check that decides it.

Option 2 — Face fit on a Z frame instead

A face fit sits the whole shutter panel in front of the opening rather than inside it, on what's known as a Z frame. Because the panel is mounted forward of the reveal, the handle ends up behind the shutter and the louvres clear it every time.

This is the reliable answer when the recess simply isn't deep enough, and it's a common choice on older properties with shallow reveals. Tell us you're face fitting when you order and we'll supply the right frame for it.

Once you've decided, measure properly

Handle clearance settles how you're fitting. The measurements themselves follow our standard method: measure the width at three points and the height at three points, use the smallest figure of each, then allow 3mm as a fitting tolerance. We don't deduct anything from the figures you give us — whatever you enter is precisely what you'll receive, so the final number is always your decision.

The full method, with recess, bay and non-recess worked through, is in the Measuring Guide.

Common questions

My handle only just touches the straight edge. Is that a problem?

Treat it as a projection. The louvres need clear air to rotate through, not a millimetre of it, so if the handle is level with the straight edge or beyond it, plan for clearance.

Can I just take the handle off?

Some people do, on windows they never open. It's your call — but bear in mind you'll lose the use of that window, and a replacement low-profile handle is often the cheaper answer than changing the fit type.

Does a face fit look worse?

No — it looks different. A recess fit shows the reveal around the shutter; a face fit covers the reveal and reads as a cleaner rectangle on the wall. On older properties with out-of-square reveals, a face fit usually looks better because it hides the irregularity rather than following it.

What if only one window in the house has the problem?

That's normal, and you can mix fit types across an order. Specify the fit type per window when you order.

I've already ordered. Can you change it?

Call us on 0114 463 0090 straight away. Made-to-measure panels go into manufacture quickly, and once they're made to your sizes they can't be altered — so the sooner you call, the more we can do.