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How to replace a door knob for your exterior or interior door properly

Describing the types of door knobs and the ways how to replace a door knob with your own hands properly.

How to replace a door knobThe main function of the door knobs is opening and closing of doors. It is also a part of decoration and interior. Nowadays the building stores offer a wide range of door knobs models with different shape, design, style, quality and cost. Here we discuss how to replace a door knob with your own hands.

By design the door handles are divided into three types:

  • lever knobs,
  • stationary knobs,
  • handled knobs.

Lever knobs

A latch of a knob of this type is driven by a certain pressing on the knob. The latch moves into its internal (hidden) part, so the door is opened easily. Knobs of this type play more decorative function. For this reason they are used for temporary closing of doors.

Stationary knobs

The most popular kind of stationary knobs are clip knobs. They are ideal for doors which main purpose is the delineation of the area (interior doors). This element makes it possible to pull the door to open it or to close the door with the reverse movement. The kit may also included. They are traditionally used for an entry door (an exterior door) of an old-fashioned style.

Handled knobs

Fasten the new door handleThey are circular and their inside is equipped with a rotary type lock. To open or close the door it is necessary to turn the handle. Door products of this type are used for interior doors. They can also be installed on the doors of a bedroom or a bathroom. If you want to not only shut the door, but also lock it for your privacy, choose a rotary knob with a centrally located latch or button through which you can lock the door on one side.

The main types of locking devices are:

  • a latch with locking;
  • a latch without locking;
  • a latch with a lock and a key.

For the maximum comfort the door knobs must be installed at such a height like when a human hand, bent at an elbow, is touching something in front of a person.

How to disassembling the door knob

There are two ways of disassembling of a door knob (it should be noticed that both of them are not screwless).

Way #1

The order of the work is the following:

  • using a screwdriver, unscrew the screws holding the lever on both sides;
  • pull the device out of the door;
  • remove the knob with a wrench and remove the coiled spring swivel mechanism of a knob.

Way #2

The order of the work is the following:

  • on the side where there is no key remove the cover and pry the door knob latch (the work is traditionally performed using a flat screwdriver);
  • click on the opened stopper while pulling on the knob itself, so it can easily be removed;
  • using a screwdriver open the two screws and remove two untwisted parts of a knob;
  • spun the screws retaining latch, so they can be pulled out of the door.

Removing the door knob

The dismantling of the old door knobsTo remove the door knob you first need to find out what its design is – whether it is standard or latching.

The order of the work is the following:

  1. The knob, attached on both sides with the screws, is removed by the conventional wringing them. After removing the knob screws can be easily separated from the door.
  2. The knobs with the core passing through the whole thickness of the door can be removed by turning the item in a counterclockwise direction with the one hand. The second part of the knob must be held by the second hand. After removing the knob with the first hand, the second part can be easily removed along with the rod.
  3. To remove the knob with mechanical latches use a screwdriver to unscrew the screws holding the decorative fittings. Then it is necessary to determine what holds the knob. The knobs of this design are mainly composed of the mechanism of movement of the latch and the quadrangular rod. In the opening of the rod there is one more smaller rod. When it is removed, the knob is removed easily.

How to remove the handled door knob

The order of the work is the following:

  • on the part where there is no key use a screwdriver to push the stopper until it clicks;
  • pull the cover and then remove it;
  • remove the two screws holding the handle halves, separate them from the door;
  • spun the screws holding the latch and pull them out.

The replacing process itself

Installing a door handle with their handsWhen you remove the door knob it must be replaced by another one. First and foremost you need to examine and define the structure of the inside of your door. A layer of old paint must be removed, the surface of the door should be properly processed with sandpaper. Then you can go to the store for the appropriate model of the door knob.

When choosing a knob you should take into account all the features of the door:

  • whether plastered holes are on the door;
  • whether these holes can be covered with the new fittings.

Based on the chosen design, the assembly is performed in the reverse order of the above-described methods for removing door knobs with your own hands.

We hope this article helped you to answer the question how to replace a door knob.

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