How to Replace Door Handles

The door handles that you have in your home are an important part of the decor. A new handle will bring your home’s decor up to date.

Over time, your door knobs may become stiff, or even break. These are signs that it’s time to replace the knobs. This guide will help you select the right Replacement Door handles door handle for your home.

Door Knobs

Door handles add to the aesthetics of your home while also making it easier for people to open and close doors. They come in a wide range of finishes, colors, and styles that will complement your decor. If yours has begun to show signs of wear or require an upgrade it is possible to replace them in a couple of easy steps.

You need to locate the spindle, or shaft, through which the knob is attached to the door. Some knobs have a small opening that you can use an screwdriver to take out the set screws that hold the handle in place. Others have a thin slot or hole where you can use a flathead screwdriver to push on a spring-activated pin called a detent. When you press this pin and the latch mechanism opens, it releases and allows you to pull or push on the knob.

Once you have the spindle or shaft, in your hand, remove the old knob and replace it. Check whether the latch works before tightening the set screws.

After replacing a window handle the knob, you can place the rod that is attached to the latch over the door’s hole. Secure it by securing it to the rod system on the second knob. Make sure that the holes are aligned and then thread in the screws on the latch plate and tighten them.

Some prefer a smooth or brushed metal finish for their door hardware for a sleek, contemporary look that is a perfect match for other furniture in their homes. Some people prefer a rustic look that is perfect for farmhouse-style rooms. If you have members of your household who are unable to move, you may be interested in an rim lock or a lever-style door knobs, which require less pressure to operate.

Other aspects are being considered more and more for the design of door handles. Accessibility and control of infections are two major issues that have led to the creation of new and innovative designs for handles, such as ones that can be operated using the forearms of a person.

Latch

The latch that keeps your door handle open can wear out from age and use. Switching out the old latch to make room for the new handle is an easy DIY project and it will make a significant change in the way your door opens and closes.

Depending on what type of handle you are using the latch may be a separate part or a part of the knob. In either case, you’ll need to follow the same steps for removing and replacing. The process of removing the old latch of place is fairly easy especially if the door handle has what’s called a “magic button”. The button is located on the left side of the knob, this little pressure-slot is what you need to press to pop the latch right out of the handle and out of the latching mechanism.

If your handle isn’t equipped with this magic button, the first step is to take off any cover plates that rest over the latch plate. They are typically rectangular or circular and can be removed with the aid of a screwdriver. Some have a small slot in them where you can insert your screwdriver into, while others simply snap off.

Then, unscrew the machine screws that hold the inner plate and latch to the door handle. These are the screws with a sharp tip and you’ll be required to keep them in a safe place to reuse them in subsequent steps. Once the screws are removed, you can take the latch plate and the mechanism from the hole and put it aside.

Now you can start on the new latch. Insert the latch plate into the door hole and secure it using the hardware supplied. Make sure the square pin on the inside of the latch is pointing towards the latching mechanism inside the handle and that it is lined up with the other screw chambers inside the door handle. Then attach the latch’s exterior plate using the screws provided.

Strike Plate

One of the most common reasons to replace the door handle is that it feels loose or isn’t upvc window locking handles properly. This is usually due to malfunctioning parts of the latching mechanism, such as a strike plate that is too small or has moved upwards or downward 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 will keep your bifold door handle replacement shut.

Apply some lipstick or other marking material on the bolt for the latch to determine if it’s the strike plate. Close the door and try to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate’s hole, it indicates that the plate is too small and the door won’t latch. If the mark is above the strike plate hole, it’s likely that the strike plate has been moved up or down on the doorjamb.

Depending on the door you have You may be able to just install the new strike plate into the existing one, using the screws included with it. However, you may need to pre-drill holes and then chisel a bit of the wood to make sure it’s a snug fit. If this is the case, be careful to not be too rough with the chiseling process or you’ll damage the integrity of the doorjamb.

You can also try installing a new box strike plate which will give the lock a more secure grip on the door and requires more force to open it. Typically it requires two long screws to secure the strike plate to the door frame. To do this, you’ll have to remove the existing strike plate and then drill and chisel out the wood to make space for the new one.

This hard-to-find strike plate is specifically designed to work with antique rim locks, and it’s made from sturdy solid brass in a heavy duty thickness. It comes with wood screws and machine screws, so you’ll have the correct equipment for your task. Remember that wood screws have a pointed tip, and machine screws have a blunter tip.