Retrofitting Push-to-Open: Compatible Touch Latches for Kika & Leiner Furniture

October 10, 2025

A push-to-open system on hinged doors strictly requires sprung-free hinges (without closing mechanism) and an exact trigger gap of 2 mm to 3 mm between the front and the cabinet carcass.

Anyone wishing to convert Kika or Leiner furniture retrospectively to a handleless design faces a technical challenge. Factory-fitted hardware is typically designed for use with a classic furniture handle. This means doors are held closed by springs inside the hinge, whilst drawers often feature a self-closing mechanism. To retrofit the tip-on function (opening via gentle pressure), the mechanical counterparts inside the carcass must be replaced or supplemented with precisely matched touch latches.

This guide provides the technical specifications for joiners and experienced fitters to select the correct hardware for the conversion.

Key Buying Criteria for Handleless Systems

When selecting the appropriate release mechanism, the dimensions, front weight, and existing cabinet carcass hardware determine operational success.

1. Trigger Travel (Gap Dimension)

Every touch latch requires a minimum travel distance to activate the mechanism. As standard, this distance is 2 mm to 3 mm. The door or drawer must not sit completely flush against the cabinet when closed. The mechanism operates like the push button on a ballpoint pen – precise pressure tensions and releases the internal catch function. If the gap is too small, the system cannot activate; if it is too large, the front will rattle.

2. Hinge Compatibility (Closing Catch)

Standard furniture hinges feature a spring that pulls the door shut over the final few centimetres (closing catch). A push-to-open latch must push against this spring force.

Optimal: Replace the old hinges with concealed cabinet hinges without a closing spring. A simple push latch with standard ejection travel (approx. 14 mm to 20 mm) is fully sufficient here.
Compromise: If the sprung hinges remain in the furniture, a long-stroke push latch (ejection travel approx. 35 mm to 40 mm) with a magnetic tip must be fitted. The magnet holds the door closed against the spring pressure of the latch.

3. Door Overlay Type

Kika and Leiner predominantly use full overlay doors (the door covers the carcass side panel entirely) on wardrobes and sideboards. For continuous central dividing walls, a half overlay (twin) application is used. The position of the push latch remains identical for both variants (usually on the handle side in the upper or lower third); however, when replacing hinges, the correct cranking (0 mm for full overlay, approx. 9 mm for half overlay) must be strictly observed.

4. Drawers: Nominal Length and Load Capacity

For drawers, a simple push latch is not sufficient. Here, the entire runner mechanism must be replaced. The nominal length of the runner (e.g. 450 mm or 500 mm) must match the drawer depth. In addition, the load capacity is crucial: for lightweight cutlery drawers, 25 kg is adequate; for deep pan drawers in the kitchen, runners with a 35 kg or 45 kg load capacity are required.

Types of Push-to-Open Mechanisms

Depending on the piece of furniture and the component, different fittings are utilised.

Push Latches (Door Openers) for Hinged Doors

These components are mounted on the inside of the cabinet carcass and push the door open.

Drill-in Latches: Drilled directly into the front edge of the carcass wall (typical drilling diameter: 10 mm, depth: 50 mm). This creates a completely concealed appearance. Recommended only for material thicknesses from 16 mm (ideally 19 mm) upwards.
Latches with Adapter Plate: Screwed to the inner side of the cabinet using wood screws and furniture screws (usually 3 x 15 mm or 3.5 x 15 mm). They are suitable for thinner panels and allow precise depth adjustment via slotted holes.
Buffer vs Magnetic Design: Buffers (silicone tip) are used with un-sprung hinges. Magnetic tips require a metal counterpart (counterplate) on the door and are used with sprung hinges.

Drawer Runners with Integrated Push-to-Open

To operate drawers without handles, the extension mechanism is replaced completely.

Ball Bearing Runners: Mounted to the side of the drawer box. They require an exact installation clearance of 12.7 mm between the drawer side and the carcass side wall.
Under-Mount Runners: Positioned invisibly beneath the drawer base. They require specific routing or notching on the drawer rear panel.

A full-extension runner pulls out 100% and provides complete access to the contents. A single-extension (partial) runner stops at around 75% of the nominal length. For modern retrofits, full-extension runners are used almost exclusively.

The Special Case: Push-to-Open Combined with Soft-Close

Technically speaking, these are opposing movements: push-to-open forces the front open, whilst soft-close dampens the movement during closing and pulls it gently shut. If concealed cabinet hinges with soft-close damping are combined with a simple push latch, the damper prevents the door from popping open. However, specialised, synchronised push-to-open drawer runners exist that combine both mechanisms in a single unit. In this system, the drawer opens via pressure and is dampened and pulled shut over the final centimetres during manual closing. These systems require higher trigger force, as closing the drawer tensions the spring for the subsequent opening cycle.

Decision Guide: Which System for Which Scenario?

To convert your Kika or Leiner furniture correctly, refer to the following scenarios:

Scenario 1: A standard cabinet door (chipboard, 16-19 mm thick) is to be converted to handleless.
Recommendation: Replace the old hinges with 110-degree concealed cabinet hinges without a closing spring. Fit a screw-on touch latch with a silicone buffer on the handle side.
Scenario 2: A heavy chest of drawers drawer should open without handles.
Recommendation: Remove the old roller runners. Measure the carcass depth. Install ball bearing full-extension runners with integrated push mechanism and at least 35 kg load capacity. Ensure the 12.7 mm installation clearance per side is maintained.
Scenario 3: The wall unit has a small downward-opening flap.
Recommendation: Use a short-stroke push latch (ejection travel approx. 14 mm) in combination with flap-stay hinges. The latch simply ejects the flap from the carcass, allowing gravity to do the rest.

Installation: Retrofitting Push Latches Professionally

To retrofit push latches on doors, you will need the following tools:

Cordless drill/driver
Drill bits (Ø 3 mm for pilot holes, Ø 10 mm for drill-in models)
PZ2 cross-head screwdriver
Tape measure and pencil

Step-by-Step Procedure (Adapter Plate):

Positioning: Position the latch on the inner side of the carcass, ideally at the height of the pressure point (where the door will be pressed by hand).
Measuring Distance: The front edge of the closed latch (retracted plunger) must sit exactly 2 mm to 3 mm behind the front edge of the carcass.
Fixing: Pre-drill the holes with the 3 mm drill bit to a depth of approx. 10 mm. Secure the adapter plate through the slotted holes.
Fine Adjustment: Close the door. If it does not trigger, loosen the screws slightly and slide the latch 1 mm backwards in the slotted hole. Many models also feature a thread in the plunger, allowing the gap to be adjusted to the millimetre simply by twisting the tip.
Counterplate (Magnetic Only): Stick or screw the metal counterplate to the inside of the door, aligned precisely with the magnet.

Installation frequently takes advantage of the 32 mm system (line boring with 32 mm hole centres), present in virtually all mass-manufactured Kika and Leiner furniture. Adapter plates are generally standardised so that the mounting holes align directly with this hole pattern.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Technical Questions

Can I use push-to-open with soft-close damped hinges? No, with standard hardware components, these mechanisms conflict. The damper inside the hinge prevents the latch from thrusting the door open. The door would only open a single millimetre before being pulled straight back shut. You must use un-damped hinges without a closing spring.

How long must the push-to-open drawer runner be? The nominal length of the runner must correspond at most to the internal carcass depth minus 10 mm. For an internal carcass depth of 460 mm, select a runner with a 450 mm nominal length.

Why is my handleless cabinet door popping open by itself? The trigger gap is set too tight. Natural thermal movement in wood or board causes the door to press against the plunger, inadvertently releasing the mechanism. Screw the plunger in 1 mm to 2 mm using its adjustment thread to widen the gap.

Do I have to drill into the carcass for a drill-in latch? Not necessarily. The drill-in version is purely an aesthetic preference. You can mount the same mechanism to the inner side of the carcass at any time using a suitable adapter or cruciform mounting plate.

How strong must the latch magnet be? If you retain the original sprung hinges in the furniture, the magnet must provide a holding force of at least 15 Newtons (N) to 20 N to counteract the hinge spring.