How to Replace Door Handles
Door handles are a crucial element of your home's decor. A new handle can elevate your home's decor and bring your decor up to date.
Over time, your doors' knobs can start to feel stiff or even break. These are signs it's time to change them. This guide will help you choose the right door handle replacement for your home.
Door Knobs
The handles on your doors will improve the appearance of your home and allow you to shut and open them. They come in a variety of colors, finishes, and styles to match your decor. If yours is beginning to show signs of wear or requires an upgrade You can replace them in a few easy steps.
The first thing you need to find is the spindle or shaft through which the knob is affixed to the door. Some knobs have a tiny hole that you can put an incredibly small screwdriver to loosen the set screws holding the handle in place. Some have a tiny slot or hole through which you can press the spring-activated detent pin using flathead. When you press this pin it opens the latch mechanism and lets you pull or push the knob.
Once you have the spindle or shaft in your hand Remove the knob and replace it. Check that the latch is working properly before tightening the set screws.
After replacing the knob, place the rod for latching over the door's hole and interlock it with the rod mechanism on the second knob. Ensure that the holes are aligned, then tighten the screws for the latch plate.
Some homeowners opt for an brushed or smooth metal finish for their door hardware to give their home a sleek and contemporary style. It will complement their furniture. Others prefer a more rustic style that is a good match for farmhouse-styled spaces. If you have a member of your family with mobility issues, you may want to choose an rim or lever lock that requires less pressure to operate.
While aesthetics have traditionally been the main consideration when it comes to door handle design, other factors are becoming more important as well. Accessibility and infection control have been key issues in the development of new handle designs. For instance some handles can be operated with a person's arm.
Latch
The latch that holds the door handle open may wear out over time. It is simple to replace the latch on your door handle. This will make huge differences in how it opens and closes.
Depending on the kind of handle you choose, the latch could be a separate piece or a part of the knob. In either situation, the same procedure for removing and reinstalling will apply. It's easy to remove the old latch, especially when you have doors with a "magic" button. It is located on the opposite side of the knob, this little pressure-slot is what you have to press to pop the latch out of the handle and out of the latching mechanism.
If your handle doesn't have this button, you'll have to take off the cover plates placed over the latch plate. They are typically rectangular or circular and can be removed using a screwdriver. Some have a tiny slot in them where you can insert your screwdriver through, while others snap off.
Then, unscrew the machine screws that hold the plate's inner and latch to the door handle. These are the shorter screws with a pointy tip and you'll need to keep these in a safe location to reuse them in subsequent steps. After these screws are removed, you can take the latch plate and mechanism out of the hole in the door and put it away.
Now you can start on the new latch. Place the inside of the latch into the hole in the door and secure it with the hardware supplied. Make sure that the square pin in the interior of the latch faces the latching mechanism in the handle and aligns with the other holes for screws in the handle. Then, secure the exterior latch plate with the provided screws.
Strike Plate
It is common to replace a door handle because it feels loose, or isn't locking properly. repairmywindowsanddoors is often caused by incorrectly aligned parts in the latching mechanism, like an unbalanced strike plate that is too small or has moved up or down on the doorjamb as time passes. This easy project allows you to replace your old strike plate with a longer, new one that can provide greater security and will keep your door shut.
To check if the problem is due to the strike plate, apply lipstick or similar marking material on the latch bolt. 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 won't latch. If the mark is higher or below the strikeplate hole, the strikeplate may have been moved upwards or downwards on the doorjamb.
It is possible to put the new strikeplate in place over the one you have already installed using the screws included with it, based on the door you have. You may have to first drill holes and then chisel the wood to ensure a tight fit. If this is the case, you must be cautious not to chisel too much or you may cause damage to the strength of your doorjamb.
You can also consider installing a new box strike plate which provides the lock with a more secure grip on the door and requires more force to open it. It usually requires two larger screws to fix the strike plate into the door frame. To do this, you'll have to remove the current strike plate, then drill and chisel the wood to make space for the new one.
This difficult-to-find strike plate is made of solid brass and has an extremely thick. It's specifically designed to be used with antique rim locks. It comes with both wood screws and machine screws, which means you'll have the right equipment for your task. Remember that wood screws have a pointed tip, and machine screws have a blunter tip.