How to Replace Door Handles

Door handles are an essential part of the decor of your home. A new handle will bring your home's decor and interior up to date.

Over time, your door knobs may become stiff or even break. These are indications that it's time to replace the knobs. This guide will help you choose the best door handle replacement for your home.

Door Knobs

Door handles can enhance the look of your home, while making it easier for people to open and shut doors. They come in a variety of colors, finishes and styles that will complement your decor. If yours is beginning begin to show signs of wear or just need an upgrade, replacing them is relatively easy and can be accomplished in just a few steps.

You must locate the shaft, or spindle through which the knob is inserted to the door. Some knobs have a tiny hole that you can insert an incredibly small screwdriver to remove the set screws that hold the knob in place. Others have a thin slot or hole where you can use a flathead screwdriver to push on a spring-activated pin, also known as a detent. When you press this pin and the latch mechanism opens, it releases and allows you to pull or push the knob.

Once you have access to the shaft or spindle, take off the door knob and replace it with the new one. Make sure you align it properly and check to ensure that the latch functions correctly before tightening the new set screws.

After replacing the knob, put the rod for the latch into the door's hole. Secure it by securing it to the rod system on the second knob. Make sure that the holes are aligned, then tighten the screws on the latch plate.

Some people opt for a smooth or brushed metal finish for their door hardware to give it a sleek, contemporary look that is a perfect match for other furniture in their homes. Others prefer a more rustic look which is great for farmhouse-styled spaces. If you have one of your family members with mobility issues, you might want to choose a lever style or rim lock that requires less pressure to operate.

Other aspects are being taken into consideration more and more in the design of door handles. Accessibility and control of infections are key issues that have led to the development of new and innovative designs for handles including ones that can be operated with the forearm of a person.

Latch

The latch that opens your door can wear out from age and use. changing window handles out the old latch to fit the new handle is an easy DIY task and will make a huge difference in the way your door handle repair near me opens and closes.

Depending on what kind of handle you choose the latch can be a separate piece or a component of the knob. In either scenario, the same procedure to remove and install will be used. It's easy to remove the old latch, particularly when you have a door handle with a "magic" button. This tiny pressure-slot, found on the side knob is what you will have to press to pop the latch out of the double glazing handle.

If your handle doesn't have this button the first step is to take off any cover plates that sit over the latch plate. They are typically rectangular or circular and can be removed with the aid of a screwdriver. Some have slots where you can put your screwdriver. Other handles simply snap off.

Then, unscrew the machine screws that hold the inner plate and latch to the door handle. These are the screws that are shorter with a pointy tip You will need to keep these in a safe location to reuse them in later steps. After the screws are removed, you can remove the latch plate as well as the mechanism from the hole and put it aside.

Then you can begin to install the new latch. Place the latch plate in the door hole and secure it with the hardware supplied. Make sure that the square pin on the interior of the latch is facing the mechanism for latching inside the handle and that it lines up with the other screw chambers in the door handle. Then, secure the exterior latch plate using the screws supplied.

Strike Plate

It is common to replace a door locking window handle because it feels loose, or does not lock properly. This is usually due to misaligned parts in the latching system, such as the strike plate being too short or has moved upwards or down on the doorjamb with time. This simple project will allow you to replace your old strike plate with a new, larger one that will provide better security and will keep your door shut.

Apply some lipstick or other marking material on the latch bolt to determine if it's the strike plate. Close the door and attempt to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate hole it means that the plate is too small and the door will not latch. If the mark is higher or below the strikeplate hole the strikeplate has likely been moved up or downward on the doorjamb.

You might be able to screw the new strikeplate into the one you have already installed by using the screws supplied with it, depending on the door. However, you may need to drill holes prior to drilling and then chisel a bit of the wood to ensure it's a good fit. If this is the case, you must be careful not to chisel too much or you may cause damage to the strength of your doorjamb.

Installing a new style box strike plate will give the lock a stronger hold on the doors and require more force to open the doors. Typically it will require two longer screws that secure the strike plate to the frame of the door. You'll need remove the previous strike plate and then drill and chisel the wood to create space for the new one.

This hard-to find strike plate is made of solid brass and comes with a thick, heavy-duty. It's specifically designed to be used with antique rim locks. This kit includes wood screws and machine screws so you can select the appropriate hardware to suit your requirements. Keep in mind that wood screws have a pointed point, while machine screws are more blunt.