Cabinet Handle Projection & Finger Clearance: A Buyer’s Guide

When choosing cabinet handles, check both how far the handle projects and how much room remains behind the grip. These are different measurements. This guide explains what to check, using the published specifications for Zino Handles and the Hailey Collection, with a look at several other Touch Handles ranges along the way.

Four measurements to keep separate

• Projection: the distance from the cabinet face to the furthest point of the installed handle, not the open gap behind the grip.
• Overall length: the full end-to-end length of the handle.
• Centre-to-centre drilling, or hole centres: the distance between the centres of the fixing holes. Both the Zino and Hailey listings state that their size-selection options refer to hole centres, and that overall length is given separately.
• Clearance behind the pull: the open space between the cabinet face and the back of the grip, where your fingers sit. Request this separately for the exact size if it is not specified.

A simple measurement diagram

Why projection is not the same as finger room

Two handles can project exactly the same distance from the cabinet and still feel quite different in the hand. That is because projection includes the grip itself. A slimmer grip leaves more open space behind it, while a deeper or chunkier grip uses up part of that distance and leaves less.

Where to find these measurements on our product pages

You don't need to hunt around. Our product pages have a Specifications dropdown just below the product description. Here is what to look for:

1. Open the Specifications dropdown. For many handles, projection is listed here as a single figure. Zino lists 30 mm, Austin D lists 20 mm and Rhone D lists 23 mm, for example.
2. Check the sizes table underneath. This lists hole centres and overall length for each size. On some ranges, including Hailey, Henley and Flow Bow, projection is listed for each size in the same table, and it can change from one size to the next.
3. Open the Specification card (PDF) link at the bottom of the dropdown. Where a card is provided, this is where you will find the line drawing, with the key dimensions labelled, along with part numbers and finish codes. The labels differ a little between cards (for example HC or C for hole centres, OA for overall length and P for projection), so read the legend on each one.
4. Ask us if a measurement is missing. Not every listing shows every measurement. The Boland Collection page, for instance, doesn't list projection, and finger clearance isn't listed on any of the pages covered in this guide. Call us on 1300 121 800 and ask for the measurement for your exact size.

Zino and Hailey: published dimensions

All dimensions below are in millimetres, from the linked product specification tables.

Hailey's table also lists an entry with 30 mm overall length, 30 mm projection and no hole-centre measurement. Keep that entry separate from the two-fixing pull sizes above.

Neither listing states usable finger clearance. Zino's 30 mm projection and Hailey's 38 mm or 52 mm pull projections must not be read as the open gap behind the grip. These figures alone do not establish which grip will feel more comfortable.

A note on Zino: the product page lists overall lengths of 171 mm and 235 mm, while the Zino specification card lists 172 mm and 237 mm. Small differences like this are a good reason to confirm the exact size before you order.

More handles to compare

Here are the published figures for several other ranges, all in millimetres and taken from each product page. As with Zino and Hailey, none of these listings states finger clearance.

A few things to keep in mind when reading this table. Austin D and Rhone D list a single projection figure for every size, while Henley and Flow Bow list projection size by size. Flow Bow has two sets of fixing holes on each size, so you can choose between the two hole-centre options. Henley also lists two small entries with no hole centres (29 mm and 35 mm overall length), which are separate from the pull sizes above. The Fold Lip Pull Handle is a lip pull rather than a two-fixing pull, with a single projection of 36 mm listed for the product and sizes from 38 mm to 500 mm. 

Across the figures listed in this guide, projection runs from 20 mm to 52 mm. A number on its own can't tell you how a handle feels in your hand, which is why the next section matters.

How to choose for your hand

1. Start with a handle you find comfortable. Measure its projection and the open gap behind the area you grip separately. Use these as your own comparison measurements, not as specifications for another product.
2. Check the exact size. Projection can vary between sizes within the one range. Hailey, Henley and Flow Bow all list different projections for different pull sizes, so don't assume one size's measurement applies to every option.
3. Ask for the missing dimension. Request the minimum cabinet-face-to-back-of-grip clearance across the usable grip area for your selected product and size.
4. Try the grip where possible. Assess a sample or inspect the handle in person before committing to a full set. These listings do not prescribe a universal comfortable finger gap, and neither does this guide.

Retrofit compatibility checks

Use this checklist to identify what needs confirming. It is not a guarantee that a replacement will fit.

1. Measure existing fixing-hole centres. Compare with the replacement's hole centres, not its overall length. Zino lists 160 mm and 224 mm, while Hailey's pull entries list 128 mm, 192 mm and 305 mm. Sizes such as 128 mm, 160 mm and 192 mm appear across several ranges, but a shared hole-centre size only tells you the holes line up. It says nothing about projection or finger space.
2. Check the mounting footprint. Confirm whether the new bases will cover existing holes, marks or finish differences. The dimensions above do not establish base coverage.
3. Confirm screws and cabinet-front thickness. Have the fixing specification and required screw length checked for your installation. Zino, Austin D and Rhone D list screws as included, while Hailey, Henley, Boland and Flow Bow list screws as sold separately. Inclusion alone does not confirm suitability for your cabinetry.
4. Check the opening path. Mark out the proposed overall length and projection, then check against neighbouring doors, drawers, walls and appliances.
5. Confirm grip clearance separately. Matching drilling centres does not establish matching finger space. Request the missing measurement before committing.
6. Resolve mismatches before drilling. Ask your installer to confirm the fixing plan if the dimensions or existing holes do not align.

Coordinating metallic finishes

Zino's listing describes zinc-alloy construction and Brown Bronze, Matt Black, Matt Brass, Matt White and Satin Nickel finishes. Hailey's listing describes solid-brass construction, a Brushed Bronze finish and hand finishing in the UK. If you are browsing other bronze tones, Henley is also offered in Brushed Bronze, and Flow Bow comes in Copper Bronze.

These are the product listings' descriptions, not a promise of a colour match. Do not assume Zino Brown Bronze and Hailey Brushed Bronze are identical because both include "bronze" in their names, and the same goes for Henley's Brushed Bronze and Flow Bow's Copper Bronze. Compare physical finish samples with taps, hinges and other hardware where possible, then choose the combination you prefer in your space.

Before you order

Confirm your selected size, hole centres, overall length, projection, fixing requirements and any finger-clearance measurement you need. Explore Zino Handles and its specification card, the Hailey Collection and its specification card, or any of the ranges below.

Zino Handles30 mm projectionView product Hailey Collection38 to 52 mm projection on the pull sizesView product Austin D Handle20 mm projectionView product Henley Collection34 to 51 mm projection on the pull sizesView product Flow Bow Handle25 to 29 mm projectionView product Fold Lip Pull Handle36 mm projectionView product

Product specification sources: the Touch Handles product listings for Zino Handles, Hailey Collection, Austin D Handle, Henley Collection, Flow Bow Handle, Rhone D Handle, Boland Collection and Fold Lip Pull Handle, checked 30 October 2026, along with the Zino and Hailey specification cards. Dimensions, materials, finishes and screw-inclusion details are taken from those listings. None of the listings states usable finger clearance. The explanatory diagrams are illustrations and supply no product dimensions.