Frequently Asked Questions

To disinfect a door handle set, you need a virucidal disinfectant for surfaces and disposable wipes - such as from a kitchen roll.
In the first step, wet the door handle completely with disinfectant. The areas where the palm of the hand rests on the door handle are particularly important. For WC sets, do not forget the WC lock. 
Afterwards, the disinfectant must act according to the manufacturer's instructions. Follow the respective product instructions.
Finally, wipe the surface with the disposable cloth. When doing so, avoid rubbing the cloth back and forth on surfaces that have already been disinfected and avoid using the cloth several times.
To ensure that the surface remains beautiful after frequent disinfection, it can be wiped with water or soapy water. Disposable cloths should also be used for this purpose. Throw the water away afterwards.

Yes, usually a screwdriver or cordless screwdriver is sufficient to remove the protective fittings and pull out the door handle.

Mortice lock door handle sets, BB sets for short, are suitable for room doors made of wood. Doors that are typically equipped with a door lock cylinder require a door handle with profile cylinder insert, or PZ for short. The most common door handle for use on bathrooms and toilets is the WC set with closer. For more intelligent closing and locking, there are door handles with Griffwerk smart2lock technology. The locking mechanism is integrated in the handle. You no longer need a key rosette. Smart2lock handles also impress with a modern and puristic design.

A continuing trend: Black Door handles. Griffwerk offers a comprehensive range of these. The special feature: The black door handle is available from Griffwerk in the specially developed black shade Graphite black: particularly matt, high-quality, soft feel.

Basically, weekly cleaning is sufficient. First remove dust or similar particles with a dry towel, then wet with detergent and wipe thoroughly. In pandemic times like Covid-19, we recommend disinfecting hard surfaces that are touched often several times a day. So if there is a risk of your door handles being touched by infected or possibly infected people, wet the door handle with disinfectant. Pay special attention to the areas where the hand rests. Allow the disinfectant to take effect. Please follow the manufacturer's instructions. Finally, wipe the surface once with a disposable towel.

Escutcheons consist of door handle and cover or border of the door lock. Escutcheon fittings: Door handle and keyhole are connected with a metal plate ("door shield"). Interchangeable sets consist of two different door handles: on one side a classic door groff, on the other side a knob. 

Half sets are characterized by the fact that one side has a completely different door handle installed than the other - mainly to connect two rooms with different interior style. 

Match the material for door fittings to the look of the door. Stainless steel and aluminium go well with glass doors - whereas brass door handles tend to harmonise better with dark wood and plastic fittings are most suitable for lacquered or powder-coated doors. For heavy doors, stainless steel handles are preferable to all others. 
Stainless steel fittings made of rust-free stainless steel, optionally matt or polished, are of particularly high quality. GRIFFWERK door handles in soft2touch surfaces offer exciting accents. Their velvety soft feel makes them particularly pleasant to touch.

Toughened safety glass or laminated safety glass. If the sliding door needs to withstand a lot, VSG PRIME DOORS are a good choice. These sliding doors are made of two thermally toughened safety glasses and a tear-resistant film on the inside. If the glass breaks, shards of glass stick to it.

Please refer to the exact product description of the sliding door system.

Yes. If you choose a sliding door system that runs in front of the wall, such as R8 or one from Griffwerk's Planeo line, you can even install the sliding door over the old door frame, depending on your taste.

If you want a sliding door that disappears into the wall, you will need to create a cavity in front of the existing wall using drywall or a built-in box system, where the door can disappear.

Hanging and standing Sliding doors made of Glass differ mainly in the way of installation and operation. Here are the main differences:

1. Installation:
   1. Hanging Glass sliding doors: this type of sliding door is suspended from the top. The Sliding door runs along the ceiling in a track system and is supported by Rolls attached to the top edge of the door. This allows the door to slide smoothly and requires None rails on the Floor.
   2. Standing Glass sliding doors: these doors run on rails that are mounted to the Floor. The door moves along these rails and is usually supported by Rolls on the Floor of the door. Compared to hanging doors, standing Glass sliding doors require a rail on the Floor.
2. Space Requirements:
   1. Hanging Glass sliding doors: since they require None rail on the Floor, hanging Glass sliding doors are usually more space efficient. They are well suited for rooms where floor space needs to be kept clear, such as when a uniform floor covering is desired.
   2. Standing Glass sliding doors: these doors require a floor track that takes up some floor space. In some cases, this can impact the design of the room.
3. Aesthetics and Design:
   1. Hanging Glass sliding doors: Because they do not require a floor track, hanging sliding doors can have a sleeker and more minimalist appearance. Suspension from the ceiling can also provide an elegant aesthetic.
   2. Standing Glass sliding doors: because of the visible bottom track, these doors can appear a bit more massive. However, they still offer a solid and traditional look.
4. Installation and Customization:
   1. Hanging Glass sliding doors: installation requires the addition of a sturdy ceiling mount and proper alignment of the Rolls to ensure smooth gliding. Adjustments may be required to ensure the door hangs level.
   2. Standing Glass sliding doors: installation requires proper insertion of the Floor track and adjustment of the Rolls at the Floor of the door. Adjustments are also needed here to ensure the door can be moved easily without jamming.

Ultimately, the choice between hanging and standing Glass sliding doors depends on individual preferences, available space and desired design. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered when making a decision.

Instead of permanently transforming a large room into several small ones by putting up a wall, sometimes a floor-to-ceiling sliding door is more suitable: it divides large rooms into smaller ones - temporarily or forever, but in any case without taking away light. How exactly to do this, read our blog.

We have developed a special technology for Griffwerk sliding doors: smart2lock: With this, a push of a button is enough to lock or unlock the sliding door. A busy indicator by LED inside and outside shows on the sliding door whether it is locked or unlocked. In addition to long battery life, we have of course made sure that the sliding door can also be unlocked when the batteries are flat: no problem thanks to panic opening and emergency unlocking.

We do not have a sliding door with a motion sensor that opens automatically when you approach.

Sliding glass doors are usually made of either single-pane safety glass or laminated safety glass (LSG), which is about 8 millimeters thick. This corresponds to a high level of break resistance. In the case of sliding glass doors made of toughened safety glass, only punctual, strong pressure loads can cause the glass to crack. The splinters are very small and blunt. In the case of laminated safety glass, it takes even more force for a pane to shatter - but the pane splinters then stick - to the adhesive film that holds the laminated panes together.

We recommend a thickness of 10.8 mm for larger formats. In principle, toughened safety glass or laminated safety glass doors with a thickness of 8.8 mm can also be installed. However, due to the height and the larger amount of glass, we would advise a LSG door with a thickness of 10.8 mm. Room-height doors appear remarkably spacious and create an open living feeling. In LSG, they are of particularly high quality.

Glass doors can also be subsequently satinized. By laser or sandblasting the glass becomes milky and opaque.

Glass doors are suitable for all rooms. Tightly closing glass door systems are also sound and heat insulating.

Optimum privacy is achieved with the help of a film that is inserted between two panes of toughened safety glass. In the Griffwerk range, you will find high-quality VSG PRIME glass that can bear matt, grey or opaque film in various colours and nuances. The advantage of opaque matting: with adequate privacy protection, enough light still flows into the room. Such doors are suitable, for example, for bedrooms, office doors and, of course, bathrooms.

Yes, Glass doors are a stylish option for cabinet doors and can reveal the contents.

In the case of a glass breakage, the fragments of a laminated glass door do not only adhere to the film on the inside. The entire glass door remains suspended in the anchorage due to the high tensile strength of the film. It therefore does not fall to the floor and does not splinter into the room. LSG is therefore indispensable for overhead roofing in particular. The residual load-bearing capacity naturally also increases safety in the event of glass breakage in living areas.

No. Since our LSG glass doors are made of TSG panes, they cannot be cut. Due to the stress conditions in the single-pane safety glass (TSG), normal cutting wheels cannot be used. The glass would shatter. Later adjustment of your door is also not necessary. Griffwerk offers all common formats in its range. Special sizes can be ordered. It is best to use our practical measurement sheets to order your new glass door. So nothing can go wrong and everything fits perfectly.

Lockable window handles are suitable as an additional means of burglary protection or child safety. Whether plastic windows or noble wooden frames - whether plain silver or noble brass look - in our Griffwerk range you will find the right lockable window handle for every window variant. Ask your specialist dealer about Griffwerk products.

When choosing a window handle, consider to which side you have room to turn and to which side the window should open. Window handles for windows that are opened and closed often need to be more durable and fit better in the hand than those that are rarely used. Window handles should match the material, shape and color of the existing door handles and hardware or those being purchased. If the window is located on a poorly visible corner, on a lower floor or in the children's room, you should think about lockable window handles.

Yes, there are different types of window handles that are suitable for different window types and styles. For example, there are window handles for swing windows, pivot windows, tilt windows, etc.

The window handles from Griffwerk can be individually matched to other design elements. Choose your window handle in the same look as your door handle or show your colours and surprise with strong contrasts: At Griffwerk, every taste will find what it is looking for.

As a renowned manufacturer of handles of all kinds, we at Griffwerk always try to cater to individual needs. Griffwerk window handles can be made with different square spindle lengths and can therefore be used in any window frame. On request, we produce special designs with variable pin lengths. Contact us!

First you should loosen the cover of the previous window handle. When doing this, align the handle horizontally so that you can reach the screws that connect the handle and the window. Now turn the cover that sits over the screws. If the cover is glued, loosen it carefully with a cutter knife.

Then remove the screws and pull off the window handle. Screws that are stuck can be loosened with a little oil.

Now you should clean the area where the handle was attached very thoroughly.

Finally, mount the new window handle. Hold it in the same horizontal position as the old handle. Now fix the square pin into the window frame. Now screw the new handle on as tightly as possible. Then close the new cover. Your window handle is now ready for use.

Colors and shapes of window handles determine how the entire room looks. In a playful country house living room, the CAROLA window handle from Griffwerk is certainly more appropriate than in a loft-style room. There, a simple design with clear contours, such as the SIEGER DESIGN MINIMAL MODERN window handle, is more convincing. A golden element has a different effect than a black one. An angular window handle with clear edges contrasts more than a curved handle.

Lockable window handles protect from the outside and from the inside: Inside, they prevent, for example, small children from opening windows and falling out, or persons with dementia from opening windows unnoticed, which then remain open and are an invitation for burglars.

From the outside, they provide some burglary protection: burglars like to drill or punch a hole in the pane next to the window handle. This then allows them to reach the handle, open the window and easily enter the home. A lockable window handle prevents this.

Yes, you can replace glass fittings for glass doors yourself. A Phillips or slotted screwdriver and, if necessary, a hexagonal wrench and a drilling template are sufficient in most cases to change glass fittings.

LSG doors can be used for glass door systems with clamp mounting SENSA by GRIFFWERK. The inner foil is only slightly elastic. We nevertheless recommend readjusting the screws of the fixing after some time and later if necessary. Glass doors, like wooden doors, can adapt to changing room conditions and thus change. Please refer to the respective product data sheets for detailed information.

A whisper latch is a door latch that has been partially coated with plastic. The plastic dampens the impact of the metal latch in the lock. Doors can thus be closed "whisper quietly". Whisper latches are available for door handles for wooden doors as well as for glass lock cases on all-glass doors.

Glass fittings are made of sturdy material, such as metal, stainless steel, brass or aluminum.

When cleaning glass fittings, water with a little washing-up liquid is often sufficient as a cleaning agent. After wiping with a towel, always dry well to avoid rust.

To ensure that doors stay open or to protect against a hard impact, it is worth using a doorstop. Especially for glass doors, which break more easily if hit too hard. The door leaf and wall are thus not damaged. Glass doors in particular are protected with a doorstop.

Floor and wall door stops: To prevent the door from hitting the wall, door stops are fixed to the floor or wall. They are screwed or glued to the wall. Some are also equipped with magnets to stop the door. There are also floor doorstops that hold the door open by their own weight without being fixed. Door wedges are only placed on the floor and thus prevent the door from falling into the lock unintentionally. Risk of breakage: Door wedges should not be used for glass doors. Soft rubber door stops are suitable for glass.

There are heavy doorstops made of metal that stop doors based on their own weight and can weigh up to a kilo or more. Door wedges made of plastic or wood weigh only a few grams. As with door stops that are screwed into place, the weight does not matter because they are fastened with screws or wedged in place.

Doorstops are often made of silver stainless steel. Door stops made of plastic are available in almost all colours. For a harmonious overall appearance, it is worth considering the colour of the glass door and the door fittings.

Door stops can be made of stainless steel, metal, plastic, rubber or silicone. Door wedges are often made of wood as well as plastic. Sack-like door stops that are placed on the floor are usually made of fabric.

A security fitting is mounted on the front door and protects the profile cylinder and mortise lock from mechanical impact. This means that the lock cannot be broken open without considerable force - which deters burglars because it costs them time. The goal: to protect your house or flat from unwanted intruders.

A security upgrade in rented flats, like all changes affecting the building fabric, must be agreed with the owner. It makes sense to obtain written permission, which also excludes the obligation to dismantle the building when moving out. Ideally, change requests can be clarified before the tenancy agreement is signed.

Never just pull the front door closed. Under certain circumstances, they are legally considered to be unlocked. In order to benefit from insurance cover in the event of damage, it is worth checking with your insurance company. Take this opportunity to clarify whether the resistance class of the protective fittings is sufficient.

Good security fittings are labelled with the manufacturer's name or mark, the resistance class and the test number. They are marked with the corresponding test and inspection mark.

Protective fittings protect doors, locking cylinders and handles against manipulation from the outside. They are composed of an inner shield with a door handle or door knob and a resistant outer shield to which a knob, handle or door lever is attached. Screwed from the inside, protective fittings have no attack surface for burglars: nothing sticks out that can be broken off or twisted or pulled out.

Anyone who wants to provide additional protection for their home or property can take one of the following special measures. GRIFFWERK does not sell these products, please contact an appropriate specialist dealer if you are interested.  

• Multi-point lock: A multi-point lock is an alternative to the mortise lock that secures the front door with up to 7 locking elements.  
• Hinge side security: With hinge side security, several toothed elements interlock in order to keep the attack surface for mechanical effects as small as possible. 
• Sturdy striking plate: High-quality striking plates allow the deadbolt and latch of the mortise lock to engage when the front door is closed.
• High-quality locking cylinder: A burglar-proof locking cylinder ensures increased security through drilling and picking protection. 
• Stable door hinges: Door hinges connect the door frame or frame and the door leaf - similar to a hinge. Deeply anchored door hinges protect against the door being prised open.

Doors are divided into five sound insulation classes:

• Sound insulation class 0: Test value (Rw,P) min. 27 dB corresponds to requirement value (Rw,R) min. 22 dB
• Sound insulation class 1: Test value (Rw,P) min. 32 dB corresponds to requirement value (Rw,R) min. 27 dB (for corridors, workrooms, staircases etc.)
• Sound insulation class 2: Test value (Rw,P) min. 37 dB corresponds to requirement value (Rw,R) min. 32 dB (for classrooms, hotels etc.)
• Sound insulation class 3: Test value (Rw,P) min. 42 dB corresponds to requirement value (Rw,R) min. 37 dB (for treatment rooms in surgeries etc.)
• Sound insulation class 4: Test value (Rw,P) min. 47 dB corresponds to requirement value (Rw,R) min. 42 dB (special cases)

Bel is an auxiliary unit of measurement named after Alexander Graham Bell. It is common to express values in decibels (dB). One decibel is equal to ten Bel. Decibels are used to measure the level of noise. The higher the value, the higher the level and the louder the noise. Even a quiet garden has a noise level of about 25 dB. A television broadcast is already at 35 dB and a normal conversation at 45 dB. An aeroplane, measured at close range, comes to 114 dB. Also interesting: a difference of 10 dB represents a doubling or halving of the level. So the difference between 110 dB and 120 dB is immense. On the other hand, a sound insulation of 10 dB already halves the noise pollution by about 50%. A door with a sound insulation value of 30 dB (sound insulation class 1) therefore already minimises a conversation of 45 DB to the level of rustling paper or the ticking of a clock. Zero decibels would correspond to absolute silence. This practically does not occur. Noise is only perceived by humans from approx. 2 dB.

Balanced room acoustics can lead to an extraordinary sound experience. Musicians know this. It is important that all frequencies are reflected as harmoniously as possible. It would be particularly negative if noises were emphasised and fine nuances were swallowed. Long reverberation times are generally unpleasant. They blur the sounds into one another. It becomes exhausting to listen to someone. Speech intelligibility suffers. One feels stressed.

Windows and doors influence how much sound enters a room. Windows and doors are also sound-reflecting surfaces. They therefore also change the room acoustics in a room. In a normal living environment, however, sound reflection through doors hardly plays a role, especially since large wall surfaces, and especially ceilings, have a much greater influence on room acoustics. However, if you are very particular, sound sources should not necessarily be positioned near windows and doors and should not be exposed to direct sound. In general, there should be no large, sound-reflecting surfaces opposite speakers.

A distinction is made between airborne sound and structure-borne sound. Sound can therefore propagate not only in the air but also in bodies or materials. Only in a vacuum would there be no sound waves. Solid materials and liquids conduct sound even better than air. The speed in air is about 333 metres per second, in rubber only 40 metres, in water 1480 metres, in wood up to 5500 metres and in steel even 6,000 metres (which corresponds to over 21,000 km/h !). Concrete and stone can have similarly high values. In summary, the less a building material can be made to vibrate, the less it transmits sound.

A good and attentive neighbourhood is worth a lot. So make sure you talk to your neighbours if they are planning to be away for a long time. Watch out for strange visitors in the residential area. A few days before a planned break-in, a patrol usually patrols the area. The accomplices look for suitable objects and try to find out as much as possible, for example when a resident is at home, whether a dog lives in the house, how many people live there and how the entrances are secured. Sometimes houses are even marked with so-called crook tines in the form of chalk markings. To find out whether a house is currently occupied, strips of tape are attached inconspicuously to the entrance or garden door. In this way it can be seen whether it has been opened. Sometimes a parcel note is left behind or a small detail is changed, such as moving the doormat. Pay attention to such signs and inform the police if this happens.

Old windows and doors are an invitation for every burglar. Outdated doors must either be replaced as a whole assembly, i.e. including the frames, or retrofitted as best as possible. The easiest way is to at least change the front door fitting. Doors can then still be opened by force, for example by massive entry, but this causes noise and the destroyed door is clearly visible. Thieves prefer more inconspicuous methods. What applies to doors must also be observed for windows. If it is not possible to replace windows, at least burglar-resistant fittings should be chosen. Window grilles also do a good job. They must be installed professionally and are always advisable, especially for cellar windows that are difficult to see. Those who close roller shutters are also better protected. Entrances can also be illuminated or equipped with electronic security measures, for example cameras, motion detectors or alarm systems.