Why Nobody Cares About Replacement Door Handles

How to Replace Door Handles

Door handles are a key element of your home's decor. A new handle can bring your home's decor and interior up-to-date.

Over time the knobs on your door could become stiff, or even break. These are indicators that it's time to replace them. This guide will help you choose the appropriate replacement door handle for your home.

Door Knobs

Door handles can enhance the appearance of your home, while making it easier for people to open and shut doors. They come in a wide variety of finishes, colors, and styles to complement your decor. If yours have started to show signs or need an upgrade, you can replace them in a couple of easy steps.

You must locate the spindle, or shaft through which the knob is inserted to the door. Some knobs have a tiny opening that you can access with a screwdriver to remove the set screws that keep the handle in place. Some have a small slot or hole where you can use the flathead screwdriver on a spring-activated nut, known as a detent. The pin opens the latch mechanism, and lets you pull or push the knob.

Once you have the spindle or shaft in your hand take the knob off and replace it. Make sure you align it properly and test to see that the latch works properly before tightening the new set screws.

After you've replaced the knob, place the rod for latching over the door's hole and interlock it with the rod mechanism on the second knob. Make sure the holes are lined up and then thread in the screws for the latch plate and tighten the screws.

Some people opt for a smooth or brushed metal finish on their door hardware to create a sleek, contemporary look that matches other furnishings in their homes. Others prefer a more rustic style which is great for farmhouse-styled spaces. If you have members of your household who have mobility issues You may think about the rim lock or lever-style door knobs, which require less pressure to operate.

Other aspects are being looked at more and more when it comes to the design of door handles. Infection control and accessibility are key issues that have led to the development of new and innovative designs for handles, such as ones that can be operated with the forearm of a person.

Latch

The latch that opens your door will wear out due to age and use. It is easy to change the latch on your door handle. This will result in an enormous difference in the way it opens and closes.

Depending on the kind of handle you have the latch could be part of the knob itself or it could be an individual piece that is attached to the door. In either case, you will follow the same process to remove and replace. The process of removing the old latch of place is fairly easy particularly if your door handle has what is known as a "magic button". The button is located on the left side of the knob, this little pressure-slot is what you have to press to pop the latch out of the handle and off of the latching mechanism.

If your handle doesn't have this button the first step is to remove any cover plates that rest over the latch plate. These are usually circular or rectangular and can be removed using a screwdriver to pry them off the handle. Some have a tiny slot in them where you can slide your screwdriver into, while others simply snap off.

Then, unscrew the machine screws that hold the latch and the plate to the door handle. You will need to store the screws that are shorter and have a pointed tip in a safe location to be able to reuse them later. Once these are off you can remove the latch plate and mechanism out of the door's hole and place it in a safe place.

Then you can begin to install the new latch. Insert the latch plate into 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 latching mechanism of the handle and aligns with the other holes for screws in the handle. Then fix the exterior latch plate with the provided screws.

Strike Plate

One of the most frequent reasons to replace the door handle is because it feels loose or doesn't lock properly. This is typically caused by misaligned parts in the latching mechanism, such as a striking plate that's either too short or has moved upwards or downward 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 keep your door closed.

To check if the problem is caused by the strike plate, apply lipstick or similar marking material to the bolt that is used to latch. Close  repairmywindowsanddoors  and try to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate hole it indicates that the plate is too small and the door will not latch. If the mark is higher than the strike hole on the plate, it's likely that the strike plate has been moved up or down on the doorjamb.

Depending on the door you have depending on the door, you might be able to screw the new strike plate into the existing one, using the screws included with it. However, you might need to drill holes prior to drilling and then chisel a bit of the wood to make sure it's snugly fitted. If this is the case Be careful not to chisel out too much wood or you could damage the strength of the doorjamb.

You can also consider installing a new strike plate which will give the lock a stronger hold on the door and requires more force to open it. Typically, it requires two longer screws to secure the strike plate to the door frame. To do this, you'll need to remove the current strike plate and then drill and chisel the wood to create space for the new one.

This difficult-to-find strike plate is made of solid brass and comes with a heavy-duty thickness. It's designed to be used on antique rim locks. This kit comes with wood screws and machine screws so you can select the appropriate hardware for your needs. Remember that wood screws have a pointed tip and machine screws have a blunter tip.