How to Replace Door Handles
The door handles that you have in your home are an essential part of the design. A new handle can bring your home's decor modern.
As time passes, your knobs for your doors can begin to feel stiff and even break. These are signs it's time to change them. This guide will help you choose the right replacement door handle for your home.
Door Knobs
Door handles add to the appearance of your house while making it easier for people to open and shut doors. They are available in a variety of finishes, colors, and types to complement your decor. If yours have started to show signs of wear or requires an upgrade, you can change them in just a few simple steps.
The first thing you have to do is locate the shaft or spindle through which the knob is attached to the door. Some knobs have a tiny hole that you can put the screwdriver with a small diameter to loosen the set screws holding the knob in place. Some have a tiny slot, or hole, that you can press a spring-activated detent pin with flathead. When you press the pin it opens the latch mechanism and lets you pull or push on the knob.
Once you have the spindle or shaft in your hands, remove the old knob and replace it. Make sure to align it correctly and verify that the latch is working properly before tightening your new set screws.
After replacing the knob, put 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 prefer the smooth or brushed finish for their door hardware to give it a sleek, contemporary look that complements other furniture in their homes. Others prefer a more rustic design which is great for spaces that are reminiscent of farmhouse. If you have members of your household who have mobility issues You may want to consider choosing a rim lock or lever knobs for doors, which require less pressure to operate.
Other factors are being looked at more and more when it comes to the design of door handles. Accessibility and control of infections are the main issues that have led to the development of new designs for handle handles, such as ones that can be operated with a person's forearm.
Latch
The latch that opens your door can wear out from the wear and tear of use. It is simple to change the latch on your door handle. This will make an enormous difference in the way it opens and closes.
Depending on the type of handle you use the latch can be a separate part or a part of the knob. In either situation, the same procedure for removing and installing will be used. Getting the old latch out of the way is relatively simple especially if the door handle has what's called a "magic button". Located on the side of the knob, this little pressure-slot is the one you need to press to take the latch right out of the handle and off of the latching mechanism.
If your handle isn't equipped with this button, the first step is to remove any cover plates that are positioned over the latch plate. They are typically rectangular or circular and can be removed using a screwdriver in order to remove them off the handle. Some have a slot where you can insert your screwdriver. Other handles just snap off.
Then, unscrew the machine screws that secure the plate's inner and latch to the door handle. These are the screws with a sharp tip - you will need to keep these in a safe location to reuse them in later steps. After the screws are removed, you can take the latch plate and mechanism from the hole and set it aside.
Then you can begin to install the new latch. Install the inside plate of the latch into the hole in the door and secure it using the hardware provided. Make sure that the square pin on interior of the latch faces the latching mechanism of the handle and is aligned with the other holes for screws in the handle. Then attach the latch's exterior plate using the screws supplied.
Strike upvc replacement door handles of the most common reasons for replacing the door handle is that it feels loose or doesn't lock properly. This is often due to incorrectly aligned parts in the latching mechanism, for example an unbalanced strike plate that is too short or moved up or down on the doorjamb with time. This easy project allows you to replace your existing strike plate with a new, larger one that can provide greater security and keep your door closed.
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, then try to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate's hole, it means that the door won't latch due to the fact that the plate is too short. If the mark is higher or below the strikeplate hole the strikeplate may have been moved up or downward on the doorjamb.
You might be able to install the new strikeplate in place over the old one using the screws included with it, depending on the door you have. You may need to first drill holes and then chisel the wood to ensure a perfect fit. If this is the case, be careful not to cut too deeply or you could ruin the integrity of your doorjamb.
You can also consider installing a new strike plate that gives the lock a much stronger grip on the door and requires more force to open it. Typically it will require two longer screws that anchor the strike plate to the door frame. It is necessary remove the old strike plate, then drill and chisel the wood to create space for the new one.
This difficult-to-find strike plate was specifically designed to work with rim locks from the past, and is made of robust solid brass with an extremely thick. This kit includes both wood screws as well as machine screws, allowing you to pick the right hardware for your needs. Keep in mind that wood screws have a pointed tip whereas machine screws are blunter.