How to Replace Door Handles
The door handles in your home are an important element of your design. A new handle can elevate your space and bring your decor up-to-date.
Over time your knobs for your doors can begin to feel stiff or even break. These are indicators that it's time to replace the knobs. This guide will help you choose the best door handle replacement for your home.
Door Knobs
The handles on your doors will enhance the appearance of your home and allow you to open and close them. They come in a wide variety of colors, finishes and types to match your decor. If yours are starting to appear worn or simply require an upgrade replacing them is easy and can be accomplished in just a few steps.
upvc door handles must locate the spindle, or shaft, through which the knob is attached to the door. Some have a small hole that you can insert a narrow screwdriver into to loosen the set screws that hold the knob in place. Some have a small slot or hole through which allows you to press an activated detent pin that is spring-activated using a flathead. When you press the pin it opens the latch mechanism and allows you to pull or push the knob.
Once you have the spindle, or shaft in your hands take the knob off and replace it. Make sure to align it properly and then verify that the latch works properly before tightening the new set screws.
After replacing the knob, put the rod that is attached to the latch over the door's hole. Lock it in place using the rod system on the second knob. Make sure the holes are aligned then thread the latch plate screws and tighten the screws.
Some people prefer an brushed or smooth metal finish for their door hardware to give their home a sleek and contemporary look. This will match their other furniture. Others prefer a more rustic style which is great for farmhouse-styled spaces. If you have a member of your family with mobility issues, you may prefer a lever style or rim lock that requires less pressure to operate.
Other aspects are being considered more and more for the design of door handles. Infection control and accessibility have been major considerations when it comes to developing new handle designs. For example, some can be operated using the arm of a person.
Latch
The latch that holds the handle of your door open can wear down as time passes. 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 what type of handle you use, the latch could be a separate part or a component of the knob. In either case, you will follow the same procedure for removing and replacing. Removing the old latch of place is fairly easy especially if the door handle is equipped with what's known as a "magic button". Located on the 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 does not have this button the first step is to take off any cover plates that rest over the latch plate. These are usually rectangular or circular and can be removed using a screwdriver to pry them off the handle. Some have slots where you can put your screwdriver. Other handles simply snap off.
Then, remove the machine screws that attach the plate's inner and latch to the door handle. It is important to keep these shorter screws with an angled tip in a safe location in order to reuse them in the future. Once these are off, you can take the latch plate and mechanism out of the hole in the door and put it away.
Then you can begin to install the new latch. Place the latch plate in 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 inside the handle and that it is lined up with the other screw chambers inside the door handle. Then, push the outside latch plate onto and secure it using the screws supplied.
Strike Plate
One of the most common reasons for replacing the door handle is because it is loose or doesn't lock properly. This is typically caused by misaligned parts in the latching system, for example a strike plate that is too short or has moved up or down on the doorjamb over time. This simple project will allow you to replace your existing 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 to the bolt that is used to latch. Close the door and attempt to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate's hole, it indicates that the plate is too small and the door will not latch. If the mark is higher than the strike plate hole, it's most likely that the strike plate has been moved up or down on the doorjamb.
Depending on the door depending on the door, you might be able to just screw the new strike plate into place over the old one with the screws included with it. But, you may have to drill holes first, and then chisel a bit of the wood to ensure it's snugly fitted. If this is the case, be careful not to cut too deeply or you could damage the strength of your doorjamb.
You can also consider installing a new strike plate which gives the lock a much stronger grip on the door and requires more force to open it. Typically, it requires two longer screws to secure the strike plate to the frame of the door. You'll have remove the previous strike plate before drilling and chiseling the wood to make space for the new one.
This hard-to find strike plate is made from solid brass and has a thick, heavy-duty. It's designed to be used on antique rim locks. It comes with both wood screws and machine screws, ensuring that you have the right hardware for the job. Just remember that wood screws have a sharp tip, whereas the machine ones are more blunt.