How To: Replace Old Door Knobs
Old door knobs can age your home. New knobs can modernize and add your personality to the theme of your home. This is a small detail that can often be overlooked when making changes in your home, but it’s an easy fix.
First thing you’ll have to do is remove the old door knob. This is started by removing the door knob trim, which is a ring shape, on either side of the knob. The trim usually just has two screws on either side that needs to be unscrewed. If yours do not have the screws you can use a flathead screwdriver and carefully pry the trim off, making sure you don’t damage the door underneath.
Now you can remove the screws that are left holding the knob in the door. Now, you can just pull the knobs apart by grabbing both and pulling them at the same time. Once you have the knobs removed, you should have two screws holding the dead latch. Take these screws and pull out the rest of the unit.
Now you can change out the door plate, if you decide you want to change it out. This is the small plate that holds the lock or bolt in the door frame. Unscrew it from the door frame and now you are ready to install your new door knob. If you aren’t changing it you can leave it in place and go on to installing your new door knob.
If you are changing out the door plate, put the new one in at this time. Putting the door knob in is just as easy as taking the old one out you just need to do it opposite than how you took it out. So you start with the trim. Place the trim on one side around where the knob will go. Put the knob into place and do these two things on the other side, also. Make sure the second knob lines up by aligning the two long screws.
Start putting the two handles on by using the long screws. Screw them in alternately to get a tight even fit. Make sure they are in correctly and snugly by testing the door knob a few times.
Repeat this on all the knobs you want to replace and you will notice a big difference in all your doors by something as simple as a door knob.
5 Comments so far to “How To: Replace Old Door Knobs”
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January 17th, 2009 at 8:55 am
I am working on replacing door knobs in a 28 year old house. I have come across a problem I am not sure how to fix though. The original doors had round strike plates, but the knob I purchased (and subsequently all the ones I checked at Home Depot) have rectangular strike plates. I cant use the old one, as it doesn’t match the new knob, and I have already lost track of it.
How do I install the new strike plate, which is taller but skinnier than than the old one (without it looking absolutely dumb)? I can’t find anything out there on this particular problem.
February 6th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I am having the very same problem as Sara (Jan. 17, 09). My house was built in 1979 and I am wanting to change the interior door knob sets. The original knobs do not have any exposed screws, so, it I understand above, they must be pried? I see the strike plates are also round but do not yet know if I will have a problem. First I must figure out how to detatch the knob sets. Please advise. Thanks.
February 12th, 2009 at 10:22 am
My house was built in 1960 and I want to change the interior door knob sets. The original trim plates do not have any exposed screws, so, I pryed one off? However, I still cannot move the ring far enough off the door to get at the screws holding another metal plate to the door. How do I detatch the knob sets. Please advise. Thanks.
September 13th, 2009 at 7:37 am
I have the same problem as Sara and Patty.
The knobs do not have any exposed screws.How do I remove the knob sets.Please advise.Thanks.
January 16th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Patty, Sara, and Lorena if you look at the knob just behind the handle on the piece that goes towards the door there should be a little slit that can be pushed in with a flat head screw driver. Once that is done there is a spring like wire piece that is holding the plate on. Push that in with the screw driver and pry the plate off. This will expose the screws.