How to Replace Door Handles
The door handles in your home are an essential element of your design. A new handle can elevate your home's decor and bring your decor up to date.
As time passes, your knobs for your doors can begin to feel stiff, or 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 add to the appearance of your home while also making it easier for people to open and close doors. They come in a wide variety of finishes, colors and styles that will complement your decor. If yours are starting to show signs of wear or just need an upgrade replacing them is simple and can be completed in a couple of steps.
You need to locate the shaft, or spindle, through which the knob is attached to the door. Some have a tiny hole that you can insert the screwdriver with a small diameter to remove the set screws holding the handle in place. Some have a thin slot or hole that you can press the spring-activated detent pin using flathead. This pin releases the latch mechanism and lets you to pull or push the knob.
Once you have the spindle or shaft in your hands Remove the knob and replace it. Make sure it is aligned correctly and ensure that the latch is working properly before tightening the new set screws.
After replacing the knob, you can place the rod for the latch into the hole on the door. Interlock it with the rod system on the second knob. Make see this page that the holes are aligned, then thread in the screws on the latch plate and tighten them.
Some people prefer a brushed or smooth metal finish for the door hardware to give their home a modern and sleek appearance. This can be matched with their furniture. Others prefer a more rustic design that is a good match for farmhouse-styled spaces. If you have someone in your family who has mobility issues, you might want to choose an rim or lever lock that require less pressure to operate.
While aesthetics have traditionally been the main consideration when it comes to door handle design, other factors are being taken into consideration as well. Accessibility and infection control are key considerations in the creation of new handle designs. For example certain handles can be operated with an arm.
Latch
The latch that keeps your door handle open will wear out due to age and use. It is simple to replace the latch on your door handle. This will make a big difference in how it opens and closes.
Depending on the kind of knob you are using the latch could be part of the knob or it could be an independent piece that is attached to the door itself. In either case, you will follow the same steps for removing and replacing. It's easy to remove the old latch, especially in the case of a door handle with a "magic" button. Located on the side of the knob, this tiny pressure-slot is what you have to press to pull the latch right out of the handle and off of the latching mechanism.
If your handle doesn't have this magical button the first step is to remove any cover plates that sit over the latch plate. These are usually circular or rectangular and can be removed by using a screwdriver to pry them off of the handle. Some have slots where you can place your screwdriver. Other handles simply snap off.
Then, remove the machine screws that hold the plate's inner and latch to the door handle. You will need to store these screws with sharp tips in a safe place to be able to reuse them in the future. After the screws have been removed, you can take the latch plate as well as the mechanism from the hole, and then set 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 the square pin on the interior of the latch is facing the latching mechanism inside the handle and that it lines up with the other screw chambers in the door handle. Then, push the outside latch plate onto and secure it using the provided screws.
Strike Plate
One of the most common reasons for replacing a door handle is because it feels loose or isn't locking properly. This is typically caused by malfunctioning parts of the latching system, for example a striking plate that's either too short or has moved up or down on the doorjamb with time. This simple fix allows you to replace your old strike plate with a new, larger one that will give you better security and ensure that your door stays shut.
To check if the problem is caused by the strike plate, apply some lipstick or a similar marking material to the bolt that is used to latch. Close the door and try to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate's hole, it means that the plate is too small and the door will not latch. If the mark is above or below the strikeplate hole the strikeplate has likely been moved up or downward on the doorjamb.
Depending on your door You may be able to simply screw the new strike plate in the existing one with the screws included with it. You may need to drill holes first, and then chisel some wood out to ensure a tight fit. If this is the case, be careful not to cut too hard or you'll ruin the strength of your doorjamb.
Installing a brand new box-style strike plate will give the lock a more secure grip on the doors and will require more force to open the doors. It typically requires two longer screws to secure the strike plate into the frame of the door. To accomplish this, you'll need to take off the existing strike plate and then drill and chisel out the wood to create space for the new one.
This hard-to-find strike plate is specifically designed to work with antique rim locks, and is made of robust solid brass with an extremely thick. It comes with both machine screws and wood screws, ensuring that you have the correct equipment for your task. Be aware that wood screws have a pointed tip while machine screws are more blunt.