Roller catch

Overview

A roller catch has a spring-loaded roller (single or double) in a small housing fixed to the cabinet frame, and a flat metal strike plate on the door. As the door closes the roller is pressed in, rides over a lip on the plate, and snaps behind it; the door is then held by the spring pressure. Wikipedia describes a latch as a fastener that joins surfaces while allowing regular separation; the roller catch is the spring-latch member of the family. It holds more firmly than a magnet but is still easy to pull open.

Types and sizes

• Single roller for light doors, double roller for larger or warped ones.
• Surface-mount is the usual; mortise versions are let into an edge.
• Spring tension is adjustable with a screw on better types.
• Brass and nickel are traditional; zinc-plated steel is the cheap one.
• Body size runs from about 20 mm (3/4 in) wide up to 32 mm (1-1/4 in).

Where it is used

Cupboard and cabinet doors that need a firmer hold than a magnet gives, in period reproductions and modern work alike. Brass-bodied catches suit traditional pieces; zinc-plated ones are hidden inside plain carcasses.

Choosing and sizing

Choose a single roller for a door under about 600 mm (24 in) high and a double roller for taller or heavier doors. For a pair of doors meeting in the middle, one catch on each door or one on the fixed door. A roller catch needs a fairly flat door and a tight fit, because it does not draw the door in as a magnet does.

Installation

1. Close the door and mark the roller position on the frame, about two-thirds up the opening edge.
2. Screw the catch body to the carcass top or side, with the roller toward the door.
3. Fix the strike plate to the door so the roller engages the lip; use a pencil line to find the right height.
4. Adjust the tension screw until the door closes with a positive click.
5. Test the open and closed positions; reposition if the door rattles or pushes open.

Wood movement and species

The strike must be positioned for the door at its widest in summer and narrowest in winter; a catch that fits in winter can bind in summer. Allow for 1 to 2 mm (1/32 to 1/16 in) of travel in the adjustment. Brass is best in tannin-rich oaks (White oak); steel stains.

Common mistakes

• Roller does not engage the strike: height or depth off by a millimetre or two.
• Over-tight spring: the door is hard to open and the strike wears.
• Fitted to a warped door: the catch pulls the door flat but strains the hinge.

Related

• Magnetic catch: quieter, simpler.
• Turn button: a traditional alternative.
• Butt hinge: the hinge usually paired with it.