How to Replace an Interior Door Knob

Things You Need:

• Screwdriver
• New doorknob kit

One fixture that can spruce up the interior of a house instantly is a new door knob. Replacing the doorknobs on the interior doors in your home will highlight the features of your home and provide a focal point on each door. Updating door hardware with the right fixtures can also make doors easier to open for children and the elderly. Interior door knobs are relatively easy to replace. Any homeowner armed with a few hand tools and a few easy steps can quickly and easily replace an interior door knob or door handle in their home. Different door knobs may have slight variations in their installation, but following these steps should give you a good guide to installing any new door knob or handle.

Replacing a Door Knob:

1. Remove the knob assembly. Use the screwdriver to remove the two mounting bolts in the handle cover. The bolts will only be on one side of the door. If the doorknob has a knob-set screw, unscrew it at the base of the doorknob assembly on the edge of the bolt mechanism. This screw holds the two sections of the doorknob together. Pull the two halves of the doorknob apart and remove them from the door.

2. Remove the bolt mechanism. The bolt mechanism is the spring-loaded latch that holds the door closed. If you are using a similar doorknob or handle, you may be able to use this bolt instead of installing a new one. If you need to remove it, pull the bolt out the side of the door, using a screwdriver as leverage if necessary. If you are installing a new bolt mechanism, insert the bolt mechanism for the new doorknob into the door.

3. Insert the new doorknob into the hole in the door. Mate the other knob up to the opposite side of the door and secure into place with the corresponding knob-set screw. You may need to ask a friend to help hold the knob in place while you secure the screws and bolts. Slide the two doorknob-handle covers up against the door to conceal the doorknob hole and tighten the cover-mounting bolts securely.

Interior Door Knob Tip:

1. Most doorknobs which lock have secret releases. Be sure you use door knobs with these releases and understand how to use them. It can be easy to inadvertently lock an interior door, and, without a key, you may damage the door or frame getting it open.