20 Myths About Replacement Door Handles: Busted

How to Replace Door Handles

Door handles are a crucial part of your home's decor. A new handle will bring your home's decor and interior modern.

As time passes, your doors' knobs can start to feel stiff, or break. These are indicators that it's time to replace the knobs. This guide will help you select the correct door handle replacement for your home.

Door Knobs

The handles on your doors can enhance the appearance of your house and make it easier for you to open and close them. They are available in a range of finishes, colors, and styles to match your decor. If yours is beginning show signs of wear or simply require an upgrade, replacing them is relatively simple and can be completed in a few steps.

The first thing you need to find is the shaft or spindle through which the knob is attached to the door. Some knobs have a small opening that you can access with a screwdriver for removal of the set screws that hold the handle in place. Some have a slot or hole in which can be used with a flathead screwdriver to push on a spring-activated pin called a detent. When you press this pin, the latch mechanism releases 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. Align it correctly and check that the latch is working properly before tightening new set screws.

After replacing the knob, 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 the holes are aligned then tighten the screws on the latch plate.

Some people choose a brushed or smooth metal finish for their upvc door handle hardware to give their home a sleek and contemporary style. This will match the furniture they have. Some people prefer a rustic look that works well with farmhouse-style rooms. If you have a member of your family who has mobility issues, you may want to choose a lever style or rim lock that require less pressure to operate.

Other aspects are being taken into consideration more and more in the design of bifold door handles handles. Infection control and accessibility are the main issues that have led to the development of innovative new handle designs, such as ones which can be operated by the forearms of a person.

Latch

The latch that opens your door will wear out due to age and use. The replacement of the latch to fit a new handle can be an easy DIY project and it will make a huge change in the way your door opens and closes.

Depending on what kind of handle you choose the latch may be a separate part or an integral part of the knob. In either case, the same process for removing and installing is applicable. It's simple to take off the old latch, especially when you have a door handle with a "magic" button. Located on the side of the knob, this tiny pressure-slot is the one you need to press to pop the latch out of the handle and off of the latching mechanism.

If your handle does not have this magic button the first step is to take off any cover plates that are positioned 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 where you can slide your screwdriver through, while others simply snap off.

Then, loosen the machine screws that hold the latch and the plate to the upvc door handles handle. These are the screws that are shorter with a pointy tip You will need to keep these in a safe location to reuse them in subsequent steps. Once the screws are removed, you can remove the latch plate as well as the mechanism from the hole and set it aside.

You can now begin installing the new latch. Place the inside of the latch into the hole in the door and secure it with the hardware supplied. Make sure the square pin on the interior of the latch is facing the mechanism for latching inside the handle, and that it lines up with the other screw chambers of the door handle. Then attach the latch's exterior plate with the provided screws.

Strike Plate

One of the most common reasons to replace the door handle is that it is loose or doesn't lock properly. This is usually caused by malfunctioning parts of the latching system, such as the strike plate being too small or has moved upwards or downward on the doorjamb with time. This easy project allows you to replace upvc door handle your existing strike plate with a longer, new one that can provide greater security and will keep your door shut.

Apply a lipstick or another marking material on the bolt that you are using to check if it is the strike plate. Close the door and try to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate hole it means that the plate is too small and the door won't latch. If the mark is over the strike plate hole, it's most likely that the strike plate has been moved up or down the doorjamb.

Depending on the door You may be able to simply install the new strike plate into place over the old one using the screws that come with it. You may have to first drill holes and then chisel a bit of wood to ensure a perfect fit. If this is the case, be cautious not to chisel too deeply or you could cause damage to the integrity of your doorjamb.

You can also consider installing a new strike plate that provides the lock with a stronger hold on the door and requires more force to open it. It usually requires two longer screws to secure the strike plate into the door frame. To do this, you'll need to remove the existing strike plate, then drill and chisel the wood to make room for the new one.

This hard-to-find strike plate is made to work with antique rim locks, and it's constructed of robust solid brass with a heavy duty thickness. It comes with both wood screws and machine screws, so you'll have the right hardware for your job. Keep in mind that wood screws have a pointed tip, while machine screws are more blunt.