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How to Replace Door Handles Door handles are a key element of your home's decor. A new handle can elevate your home and bring your decor up to date. Over time the knobs on your door could become stiff or even break. window handles are indicators that it's time to replace the knobs. This guide will help you pick the appropriate replacement door handle for your home. Door Knobs Door handles enhance the aesthetics of your house while making it easier for people to open and close doors. They are available in a variety of colors, finishes, and styles to complement your decor. If yours is beginning to begin to show signs of wear or simply require an upgrade, replacing them is relatively simple and can be completed in just a few steps. The first thing to do is locate the shaft or spindle through which the knob is affixed to the door. Some knobs have a tiny opening that you can use a screwdriver to remove the set screws that keep the handle in place. Some have a small slot or hole where you can use the flathead screwdriver on a spring-activated pin called a detent. When you press this pin it opens the latch mechanism and allows you to pull or push the knob. Once you have the spindle or shaft, in your hand take the knob off and replace it. Make sure you align it properly and then test to see that the latch works properly before tightening your new set screws. Once you've replaced the knob, hold the rod of the latch over the hole in the door and then lock it using the rod mechanism on the second knob. Make sure that the holes are aligned and then thread in the screws on the latch plate and tighten the screws. Some people choose an brushed or smooth metal finish for the door hardware to give their home a sleek and contemporary appearance. It will complement the furniture they have. Others prefer a more rustic style that is a good match for rustic-styled rooms. If you have a member of your family with mobility issues, you might want to choose the lever or rim lock that requires less pressure to operate. While aesthetics are traditionally the most important factor in door handle design, other factors are being taken into consideration as well. Infection control and accessibility are key issues that have led to the development of innovative new handle designs like those which can be operated by a person's forearm. Latch The latch that opens your door is prone to wear and tear due to the wear and tear of use. The replacement of the latch to fit an entirely 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 the type of handle you have the latch could be a part of the knob or it might be an independent piece that is attached to the door. In either case, the same process for removing and reinstalling will be used. The process of removing the old latch of its place is quite simple especially if the door handle has what is known as a “magic button”. Located on the side of the knob, this small pressure-slot is what you need to press to pop the latch out of the handle and off of the latching mechanism. If your handle doesn't have this magic button you'll have to take off the cover plates that are placed over the latch plate. They are typically circular or rectangular and can be removed by using a screwdriver to pull them off the handle. Some have slots where you can insert your screwdriver, while others just snap off. Next, you will want to remove the two machine screws that secure the latch and the inner plate to the door handle. These are the screws that are shorter with a pointy tip – you will have to store them in a secure location to reuse them in later steps. Once these are off, you can take the latch plate and mechanism out of the hole in the door and set it aside. Then you can begin to install the new latch. Place the inside of the latch into the hole in the door and secure it using the hardware provided. Make sure the square pin on the interior of the latch is pointing towards the latching mechanism inside the handle and that it is lined up with the other screw chambers inside the door handle. Then attach the latch's exterior plate using the screws provided. Strike Plate It is typical to replace a door handle when it feels loose, or does not lock properly. This is usually due to misaligned components in the latching mechanism, such as an unbalanced strike plate that is too small or shifted upwards or downwards on the doorjamb with time. This simple project will allow you to replace your existing strike plate with a new, larger one that will provide better security and ensure that your door stays shut. Apply a lipstick or another marking material on the latch bolt to determine if it's the strike plate. Close the door, then try to latch it. If the mark is below the strike plate hole, this means that your door won't latch because the plate isn't long enough. If the mark is above or below the strikeplate hole, the strikeplate may have been moved upwards or downwards on the doorjamb. It is possible to put the new strikeplate in place over the existing one using the screws that come with it, based on the door you have. You may need to drill holes first and then chisel some wood out to ensure a perfect fit. If this is the case, be careful to not be too rough with the chiseling process or you'll damage the strength of the doorjamb. You can also consider installing a new strike plate, which provides the lock with a more secure grip on the door and requires more force to open it. It typically requires two longer screws to fix the strike plate to the door frame. You'll have remove the old strike plate before drilling and chiseling the wood to make space for the new one. This hard-to-find strike plate is made to work with rim locks from the past, and it's made from durable solid brass in an extremely thick. It comes with both wood screws and machine screws, which means you'll have the right hardware for your job. Be aware that wood screws have a pointed point, while machine screws are more blunt.