How to attach a door handle through thin aluminium?

I’m trying to change the door handle on a sliding glass door. I’m having trouble with the strike plate though. When I screwed in with the provided screws it all lined up but it just wasn’t held in place at all. I’m wondering if it’s because the aluminium is so thin?

I’ve included a photo of the aluminium frame where I need to attach it, a photo of the strike plate being held in place and a third of the hole in the face plate where the screw goes through

What are my options for something that will hold it in place?

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Comments

EricL

Hello @Eloise-

In order to provide you with recommendations, would it be possible for you to post a photo of the screws that were provided? Can you please push the sliding door closed to full and place the strike plate in front of it and holding it with your fingers. We would like to see how far the locking mechanism travels to see if it would be possible to relocate the striker plate. We would also like to know if the striker plate can be mounted on the timber frame rather than the aluminium panel. Once we see the photos, we'll be able to provide you with advice on how to proceed.

Eric

Eloise-

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/59920#Comment_59920

I’ve also already adjusted the beak as far towards the jam as it will go using the beak retaining screw so unless there’s another way of adjusting it there’s no way to get it to the wood

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/92409#Comment_92409

Hello @Eloise-

Thank you very much for sharing those extra photos of your door lock. My analysis of the situation is that the aluminium panel you are trying to attach to is too thin and the timber panel is too far away. I propose attaching a piece of 42 x 19mm 1.2m DAR Pine Standard at the back of the striker as a timber filler. This will allow you to anchor the striker plate to the timber frame.

Let me call on our experienced members @Noyade, @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Eloise-

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/112287#Comment_112287

Just to clarify you mean screwing the striker plate onto the wood filler through the holes I’ve circled in red and then attaching the wood filler onto the wooden doorframe I’m holding it against in the picture?

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/123657#Comment_123657

Good Evening @Eloise-

A couple of questions as it looks like it should work as you described...

I just had a look at my sliding door and yes I have a couple of screws going through thin aluminium as well, maybe into a thicker piece on teh far side a little even.

The old handle you are replacing, are you reusing those screws or are the screws ones that you got with the new replacement handle?

How did you screw the screws in? Manually or with a drill?

How loose are the screws in the holes?

I am actually thinking of using a slightly larger size screw but will wait until we can see the old screws that were in the holes. My concern is that those holes are verey close to the edge of teh channel. The screw you have shown us looks like its been modified? as in the tip has been cut off?

Dave

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131149#Comment_131149

Now, THAT, is a lovely little drawing @EricL 👍

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/123657#Comment_123657

Hi @Noyade

Thanks!

Eric

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/123657#Comment_123657

Hello @Eloise-

Just to make sure I've explained it properly. Attach the 42 x 19mm 1.2m DAR Pine Standard first to the door frame. Once the timber piece is in place you then install the striker over the timber piece as shown in my suggested diagram. It's not necessary to use the entire pine piece, it can be cut down and painted over so that it blends in with your door frame.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @Eloise-

This is a difficult scenario and one I deal with regularly when replacing sliding door handles.

It simply comes down to installing the latch as required with the screws exposed through to the other side. Then you need an angle grinder to trim the exposed ends of the screws off. There will still be enough bite, albeit 3mm of thread remaining in the aluminium frame to hold the latch in place.

Nailbag

Eloise-

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131149#Comment_131149

So I’m using the new screws that came with the handle. I do have the old screws too if it helps but they went into a different part of the frame (you can’t see the back of them once they were screwed in) and I wasn’t sure if that’s why they worked and mine didn’t.

I screwed them in with a drill

The holes didn’t seem massively over sized but they weren’t biting into anything either so with any kind of movement to the strike plate they ended up falling about halfway out of the hole

The end was cut off but it is flat across rather than a pointed tip

Eloise-

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/59930#Comment_59930

I figured it would work originally but when I tried it the first time there wasn’t enough bite to hold them in place

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/92424#Comment_92424

Hi @Eloise-,

Are you saying you tried the method @Nailbag mentioned of screwing it in with the provided screws and then grinding the protruding point off?

If that were the case, I would try using a larger diameter screw. Metal deforms when screws are driven through it, and if you are using the same hole with the same size screw, then it more or less needs to line up perfectly with the position the old screw was in for it to bite.

We're in the process of updating the screw listings on our website, so it is tough for me to point you directly to something suitable, but if you head in store and grab a sheet metal screw like these Buildex 8G x 18mm Self Tapping Sheet Metal Screws in a larger diameter to the one you currently have, then drive it into the existing hole before grinding off the tip, you might have more success.

Otherwise, mounting it to the timber on the right like @EricL mentioned, might be your best option.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

Eloise-

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/112296#Comment_112296

Sorry no, I didn’t try grinding the ends of the screws off, would that help with them not having any bite?

When I went in person yesterday I actually had those recommended to me but I wasn’t sure if there was enough metal left between the holes for them to work or if the two sets of holes were likely to merge together.

I’ve also never used them before so I wasn’t sure if I should use a drill or manual screwdriver with them

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/123661#Comment_123661

Hi @Eloise-,

No, grinding the ends off wouldn't help with bite; it was just mentioned because the point of the screw will show on the other side of the aluminium frame, and it can be cut off if required.

What I am proposing is using a slightly larger diameter screw in the same hole as before. Looking at the spacing, this should not make them merge together because you are only increasing the size of the hole by fractions of a millimetre.

If you are driving the screw into the same hole, you should get away with using a screwdriver, but a drill would definitely work. If you are using a new hole, you would need a drill.

To put it simply, use a sheet metal screw with a thread that is slightly larger in diameter than the hole and drive it in with a screwdriver or drill. The main thing is that you need a wider screw so that it bites.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

Jacob

R4addZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131155#Comment_131155

Hi @Eloise-

First I need to ask some silly questions.....

Is the door fully closed in the second set of pictures as things do not seem to be sitting right. The "Beak" is so far extended that the two notches above and below do not have the door "Pips" (for want of the correct term) sitting in them. This could compromise the security of the door.

Is this new handle the same as the previous one as it should pretty much line up with the old setup?

Is it possible that the position you tried screwing the new strike onto the frame has created Burrs on the inside of the frame that are now preventing the door from closing fully and this is why the fixing holes do not line up with the old plate? You can check with a tape measure or ruler how deep the frame is and put a pencil mark on the door and slide it shut to see if it is sliding all the way in. If not, clean the burrs off the frame and try again.

Nailbag

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/123661#Comment_123661

Hi @Eloise-

The diagram below may be more helpful on what I was trying to explain.

And as @JacobZ pointed out the pilot hole for the screw needs to be minimal so the screw bites hard. You will need to use a Phillips screw driver and not a drill/driver or impact driver to avoid stripping the thread. It will be tough to turn the screw. If not possible, then go half a mm size up in pilot hole. If you strip the thread you will need to go a size up in screw.

This process will work as I have repaired many sliding door handles in the same scenario.

Nailbag

Screenshot 2025-11-29 at 7.37.45 am.png

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131159#Comment_131159

"The holes didn’t seem massively over sized but they weren’t biting into anything either"

Just another hardware thought @Eloise- if the screws aren't binding and the aluminium is becoming Swiss cheese - maybe a small bolt with a thin square nut may suffice? Trim the bolt remainder as above.

Good luck.

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