12 Facts About Replacement Door Handles To Make You Take A Look At Other People
How to Replace Door Handles
The door handles in your home are an essential element of your design. A new handle will bring your home's decor and interior modern.
Over time, your door knobs may become stiff or even break. These are indicators that it's time to change them. This guide will help you choose the correct door handle replacement for your home.
Door Knobs
The handles on your doors will enhance the appearance of your house and allow you to open and shut them. They are available in a variety of finishes, colors and styles to complement your decor. If yours has begun to show signs of wear or requires an upgrade, you can replace them in a couple of easy steps.
The first thing to do is locate the spindle or shaft through the knob's attachment to the door. Some have a tiny hole that you can put the screwdriver with a small diameter to loosen the set screws holding the handle in place. Some have a slot or hole in which you can use the flathead screwdriver on a spring-activated pin called a detent. When you press this pin, the latch mechanism releases and lets you pull or push on the knob.
Once you have the spindle, or shaft, in your hand 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 you've replaced the knob, hold the rod for latching over the door's hole and lock it in place with the rod mechanism on the second knob. Make sure the holes are aligned, then tighten the screws on the latch plate.
Some homeowners opt for an brushed or smooth metal finish for the door hardware to give their home a modern and sleek appearance. This can be matched with their other furniture. Others prefer a more rustic style which is great for spaces that are reminiscent of farmhouse. If you have family members with mobility limitations You might be interested in a rim lock or lever style door knob, which require less pressure to operate.
While aesthetics have been the main consideration when it comes to door handle design, other factors are increasingly being considered as well. Accessibility and control of infections have been major considerations when it comes to developing new designs for handles. For example, some can be operated with a person's arm.
Latch
The latch that holds your door handle open will wear out due to the wear and tear of use. Switching out the old latch to accommodate the new handle is an easy DIY task and will make a huge change in the way your door opens and closes.
Depending on the type of handle you are using, the latch could be a separate component or an integral part of the knob. In either case, you will follow the same procedure to remove and replace. It's simple to take off the old latch, particularly if you have a door handle with a "magic" button. This little pressure-slot, located on the side knob, is what you need to press in order to pop the latch out of the handle.
If your handle doesn't have this button, you'll have to take off the cover plates that are placed over the latch plate. These are usually rectangular or circular and can be removed using a screwdriver to pull them off of the handle. Some have a small hole in them that you can slide your screwdriver, whereas others simply snap off.
Then, unscrew the machine screws that hold the latch and the plate to the door handle. These are the screws with a sharp tip - you will need to keep these in a safe location to use them again in the next steps. Once the screws are removed you can remove the latch plate and mechanism out of the hole in the door and set it aside.
Now you can begin installing the new latch. Place the inside of the latch into the hole in the door and secure it using the provided hardware. Make sure that the square pin on the interior of the latch is pointing towards the latching mechanism inside the handle and that it lines up with the other screw chambers inside the door handle. Then, push the outside latch plate onto and secure it with the provided screws.
Strike Plate
One of the most frequent reasons to replace the door handle is because it is loose or isn't locking properly. This is usually due to malfunctioning parts of the latching system, for example a strike plate that is too short or has moved upwards or downward on the doorjamb over time. This simple project will allow you to replace your old strike plate with a longer, new one that can provide greater security and keep your door closed.
To determine if the issue is caused by the strike plate, apply some lipstick or similar marking material on 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 won't latch. If the mark is above or below the strikeplate hole the strikeplate is likely to have been moved up or downward on the doorjamb.
Depending on the door depending on the door, you might be able to simply screw the new strike plate in the existing one with the screws that come with it. It is possible that you will need to first drill holes and then chisel some wood out to ensure a secure fit. If this is the situation Be careful not to cut too much wood or you may ruin the strength of the doorjamb.
You can also try installing a new box strike plate which provides the lock with a stronger hold on the door and requires more force to open it. Typically it requires two long screws that anchor the strike plate to the frame of the door. To do this, you'll have to remove the current strike plate and then drill and chisel away the wood to make space for the new one.
This hard-to find strike plate is made from solid brass and has an extremely thick. It's made to be used on antique rim locks. This kit comes with wood screws as well as machine screws, allowing you to select the appropriate hardware for your needs. Just remember that the wood screws have a pointy tip, whereas the machine screws are more blunt.