Letter plates come in a variety of styles, sizes and materials. Whether you have a new door, or you simply want to change the letter plate on your existing door, this article will help you choose the perfect letter plate for your door.
Choosing the size.
The main consideration is the size of the letter plate. There are three essential measurements in regard to the size of the letter plate:
- Overall size of the letter plate.
- Size of the opening of the letter plate (where the letter will pass through). You’ll have to consider the sizes of mail you receive most often, whether it is A4 envelopes or standard letter sizes.
- The distance between the centre of the two fixings on the back of the letter plate.
To be certain that the size of the letter plate will suit your door, cut a piece of paper to your preferred size and hold it or tape it to the door.
If you want to change your existing letter plate, you will be limited to the size of the letter plate you had previously, or you could always pick a bigger size and contact a carpenter to increase the hole in the door.
Choosing the style.
The style of your letter plate comes down to personal preference. We have available a wide range of letter plates to suit any house and door, including our most popular letter plate styles, the polished brass letter plate, which features a clean and simple design, and the polished brass letter plate with knocker, which has a more traditional design and features a door knocker.
For more traditional properties, historical renovations and cottages, we also supply From the Anvil hand-forged letter plates, including aged bronze period letterplate and polished brass postal letter plate. Whilst for more contemporary properties, we would recommend the polished chrome letter plate or the bright stainless steel letter plate.
Choosing the material.
You should choose a good quality letter plate, which will withstand the exposure to the elements, in order to last a long time. For instance, our grade 316 stainless steel letter plate is suitable for external coastal environments and features anti-corrosion properties and an additional gasket to prevent water ingress.
Additionally, there are various finishes to pick from, including brass, chrome, nickel, black, among others. You might want to match the letter plate finish to the rest of your door furniture, which always looks good. Keep in mind that some materials will require more maintenance than others to retain their finish.
Some letter plates will also have special qualities, such as the black blacksmith traditional letterbox which contains a tunnel and brushes to reduce drafts and insulate the door. Adding a letterplate tidy to a standard letterplate will also be a good way to reduce draughts as well as to give a neater appearance to the door.
In case you require letterplates for fire rated doors, we have a large range of intumescent letter plates, which are ideal for doors that offer 30-minute fire protection. Their intumescent sealing will expand when exposed to extreme heat and block smoke and fire from spreading any further.
Choosing the placement.
Letterplates can be installed in the middle of the door, at the bottom of the door, vertically and horizontally – it all depends on your personal preference. Letterplates shouldn’t be installed close to the door lock as it could give strangers easy access to the lock. There is always the possibility of purchasing a letterbox to be installed on the wall outside your door.
If you have any questions regarding our selection of letterplates and any other ironmongery product available on our website, feel free to contact our team at info@ironmongeryexperts.co.uk. Alternatively, give us a call on 01376 557 561.
