Door knobs can make or break the look of a room. No matter how much great cabinet hardware you have or what kind of paint is on your walls, an ugly outdated door knob can ruin the whole look. While removing and installing all new interior door knobs can seem like a daunting task to someone who hasn’t done it before, it’s actually a pretty straightforward process that you can do yourself.
- To start this project you need to find some nice replacement knobs. When purchasing your interior door knobs take into consideration the following items:
- Where will these door knobs be going? If they’ll be going on a bathroom door, make sure to install privacy knobs, closet doors will likely need dummy knobs, etc.
- What color/finish will you need? This is often just left up to taste, but if you’re at a loss take a look at the other hardware in the room. If your door hinges are oil rubbed bronze, then oil rubbed bronze knobs are a foolproof way of keeping a cohesive look. Another rule of thumb is that all knobs that are visible at the same time should have the same finish. Your dining room and bedroom can have different color knobs, but it will look strange if the hallway is littered with doors with different color knobs.
- What style knob do you need? Again, this is a personal choice, but if your home tastes
reflect an old-world style, it would be strange to have very modern-looking knobs.
- Remove all the screws from your door knob and faceplate (the piece of metal between the door and the doorjam). Be careful when doing this, as the knobs may just fall off the door. It’s a good idea to place something soft, like a pillow, underneath the door so the knobs don’t fall and damage the floor. Tip: Don’t toss those old screws just yet! Occasionally you’ll strip a screw or lose one while you’re installing your new door knob. Don’t toss the old interior door knobs until the new ones are all installed.
- Slide the faceplate and pawl out of the door. Once it has been removed you can remove the strikeplate as well.
- Install the new strikeplate. Hopefully it will be a similar shape and size to the old one so that the holes match up. If they don’t, you may have to use a hammer and chisel to increase the size of the space on the door.
Slide the new pawl and faceplate into the door. Again, if the pawl is to big you may need to expand the space. If the space is just slightly too small to squeeze the pawl in easily, you can place a piece of wood over the faceplate and gently tap it with a hammer to slide the pawl in place. Screw the faceplate into place.- Insert the pegs of the knob into the spaces on the pawl. Screw the knobs into place. Test the knobs out to make sure they are turning correctly before attempting to shut the door.