Taking the time to replace doorknobs is easy for anyone who has the slightest bit of DIY experience.
You should only take about a minute to remove a door knob. If you have standard interior doors and you want to upgrade the look and feel of your home, choosing to replace an old door knob with a new one is probably the first thing that comes to mind. You will need to have the right tools for the job. Some tools you will need to have on hand include:
A wrench.
Screwdrivers. Each screwdriver has a different application - for example, a flat head screwdriver is used when working with flat head screws and a recessed screw usually needs a Philips head screwdriver.
Screws of various types, including mounting screws, flat head screws, and at least one recessed screw (have a couple on hand).
Angle grinder.
Drill bits, including a hole saw bit.
Some parts of your door, door knob, and latch and lock mechanisms you should be aware of include:
The round cover plate. The cover plate on your door conceals lockset holes. Without a cover plate, your door would have a much more unfinished look.
The latch bolt.
The strike plate or latch plate.
The latch plate is a piece of metal attached to the doorjamb with a set of holes where the bolt of the latch will slide in. The latch plate ensures the door remains closed when you slot the bolt in. A faulty latch plate will mean your door will not lock properly.
The exposed screws, visible screws, and mounting screws that are already present on the door.
The door lock itself.
Latch assembly mechanism.
Firstly, check for screws on the interior or exterior edge of the knob. If there are no visible screws or exposed screws, try lightly tapping around the centre of the knob (and surrounding area) with a hammer and screwdriver (we recommend having both a Phillips head screwdriver, a narrow screwdriver, a flathead screwdriver, and other appropriate screwdrivers on hand during this process - these screwdrivers will come in handy) or another tool (like an Allen wrench or some other similar tool); this may loosen it enough that you can unscrew it manually.
Scrape away any paint buildup from around the hole where the doorknob is attached using a metal scraper like those used to remove excess paint (such as an ice scraper). If the inside knob is in good shape, this shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. You may also have to scrape away paint from around both the cover plate and the strike plate.
Unscrew the screw using either a Phillips head screwdriver, flathead screwdriver, or hex key head screwdriver (if your door knob doesn't use one of these heads you should be able to get away with using a different one in order to unscrew the screw. However, using a different head than required to unscrew may damage the other components in your lock and is not recommended for inexperienced users). You can buy an attachment that turns your own Phillips head screwdriver, flathead screwdriver, and other appropriate screwdrivers into a hex key; they are inexpensive and easy to install (just slide it onto your existing driver and turn until tight). Once you have managed to unscrew the screws, slowly pull on the doorknob until the inner mechanisms dislodge from the door frame. This should give you enough room to unscrew any screws (including mounting screws) that prevent access to other parts of the lock.
Once all visible screws, exposed screws, and mounting screws are out, slowly turn the door knob back and forth until it comes loose. With a simple lock like this one, there's no need to worry about locking pins or anything like that; all you need to do is pull (gently) and rotate the exterior cylinder away from the interior mechanism until it pops out of place.
Place the knob into position and screw in any screws (including mounting screws) on the exterior edge of the knob, then slot the inner mechanisms into their respective positions. Reattach any other components (including the cover plate and strike plate) you have removed by attaching them back in place with screws. Finally, attach your new door knob to the door frame by twisting it gently back and forth until it clicks into place.
If you've ever wondered how to remove a door knob without screws (including mounting screws), this section should help you.
Hold your screwdriver with extra force into the centre of the door knob's base (where it meets with the door frame) and twist counter-clockwise until you loosen it.
If this doesn't work, you'll need to brace yourself and pull on (or pry) the knob hard until it comes loose; this may take a few minutes but you should be able to break free one way or another. If you have an Allen wrench set, it can come in handy.
Do not use excessive force when pulling or prying on a locked doorknob as they are subject to serious damage (and risk breaking all together).
Lever door handles differ from a doorknob in that they have a protruding bar that serves as a locking mechanism. Simply remove this by inserting the Philips head screwdriver, flat head screwdriver, or another appropriate screwdriver into the hole where the lock should be and twisting counter-clockwise until it comes loose. If the locking bar is out of place, don't force it back in until you have removed your door knob.
This type of door knob is very easy to use and comes in a wide range of colours and finishes. The downsides, however, are that round door handles can be difficult to grip tightly because they don't have any sort of bar. If someone has arthritis or other issues with their hands, round doorknobs are quite hard to open.
If this doesn't work, try using a pair of pliers or vice grips on top of your flat head screwdriver or another appropriate screwdriver until you are able to get enough leverage to break the lock free. Do not use excessive force when pulling or prying the lock as you run the risk of damaging your door.
Remove a broken door knob by using a pair of pliers to grip as much as possible and then turning it out counter-clockwise (to the left). If that doesn't work, try to insert a flat head screwdriver or another appropriate screwdriver into the tiny slot between where your lock should be and twist it counter-clockwise. The screws (including mounting screws) holding this in place are usually hidden behind the face plate (or cover plate) on modern models, so make sure to apply pressure evenly as you work on the plate or you might end up stripping the screws and making your problem even worse. You may also have to remove the cover plate, depending on the type of door you have a whether or not the cover plate is broken like the inside knob. The face plate is a decorative plate on the door edge. It is sometimes the same as a cover plate, and like a cover plate, it ensures that your door has a more finished look. Once the lock is off, what remains is a small metal rod (sometimes considered a small pin) called a spindle. You can remove this with your hands or using needle-nose pliers to get more leverage. Pulling it directly out of the door handle mechanism can be difficult and often requires a fair bit of force. How you do this depends on your specific model, but generally speaking there should be enough room to pull it out without too much trouble if you're careful. If the spindle is stuck in a tiny slot, you may to carefully pry it loose from the slot. Next, try to insert the small pin into the replacement knob you purchased from Amazon. If you have trouble getting it in, don't lose hope just yet! When buying a knob for you door, be careful about the manufacturer. Some manufacturers produce knobs with slightly different mounting mechanisms so it might not fit perfectly at first. Don't be afraid to use a hammer or mallet to gently beat the new door lock into place if it isn't catching on anything.
The best way to remove a door knob that doesn't have a small slot without causing any damage is to use a drill with a hole saw bit. Drill using the hole saw bit into the face plate, but do not go all the way through. The tip of the hole saw bit should get stuck inside the plate. Once the tip is stuck, this is a sign that should have enough leverage to break the knob free and also remove the face plate if needed. Once you've done this, twist your hand in a clockwise (to the right) motion and push outwards on the knob at the same time. If the knob doesn't come off in five seconds or less after you start to push, make sure you didn't drill too deeply and instead focus on getting more leverage by making your hole bigger using the tip of larger hole saw and other bits. Use a pair of pliers to grip the spindle and slowly remove it from your door. It should be very easy to do with such little resistance, though you may need a second set of hands in some situations. Once the old doorknob is removed, carefully install the new one. You will have to push the knob in and rotating clockwise (to the left) until the knob snaps into place. Make sure everything goes in the right direction and doesn't catch on to anything before applying pressure. Once you're done installing the new knob, simply twist counter-clockwise (to the right) once again and turn your handle to make sure everything is working properly. If the handle isn't catching, feels loose, or there's an issue with the latch then is still something wrong that needs to be fixed before you can lock the door again.
If you've ever tried removing a door handle and noticed there are no visible screws or exposed screws holding it in place, then you probably have a door lock that uses hidden screws. You can still unscrew these without too much trouble. To unscrew, all you need is a simple rotary tool such as an angle grinder with a metal cutoff wheel or some other similar tools. Cut through the centre of your door latch until you break through to the other side of the door. If this is your first time doing something like this, we suggest practising on another piece of scrap metal first so that you're sure not to damage anything else while learning how to use your new toy! Once this is done, just twist the latch bolt back and forth in opposite directions until it breaks free and pull outwards. If everything went smoothly, then once again try installing your replacement doorknob and check if it's working properly.
The first step is to identify the cause of the stripped knob and latch. Was the issue with the door knob and door latch caused by rust, an accident, or faulty installation? In most cases, this isn't a permanent issue as long as you can get hold of a new door lock cylinder and latch mechanism for your specific handle set. If possible, try removing the stripped piece so that you have more room to work with when installing the replacement and doing latch assembly on the new latch and door knob.
Once this is done, carefully insert the shaft of the spindle back into place making sure it doesn't catch on anything along its way in. Make sure it goes all the way in before turning clockwise (to the right) and test to see if it turns smoothly.
If it doesn't, then try removing the spindle and clean out any debris on both the shaft of the spindle and inside the small slot. If the slot is fill to the brim with dirt, or debris is stuck on the spindle, that may be preventing your knob from turning. Depending on the size of the spindle slot, you may need a paper clip to help with things. However, make sure to be careful when getting the paper clip and your brother - when I told him how I was, and how you were, he said he wanted to meet.
Once you've cleaned the slot and the spindle, gently tap along the length of the spindle where you suspect there might be a screw hidden underneath to loosen anything that might have been jammed in during installation.
You can also try running a length of dental floss or string underneath so that you create a makeshift fishing line and pull or pry any extra screws up and away from the door latch mechanism (this works best with 4-sided latches). Once all screws are out and everything is clear, insert the spindle into the slot again. Then, twist clockwise (to the right) into the slot once more until it snaps into place.
If nothing seems to work and you're really stuck with a stripped doorknob, then unfortunately it might be a sign that it is time to replace the entire latch mechanism. This is usually only the case if your handle is still attached but both need to be working before you can lock or unlock your door again.
Once this is done, simply install your replacement doorknob by inserting the spindle and turning counter-clockwise (to the left) until it drops into place. Feel free to measure the space that the knob will fit into, so you will have an idea of what you're looking for in a replacement. If everything goes smoothly, then the knob clockwise (to the right) and check for proper operation of each side of the door before locking up and testing out your doorknob. If you are looking for an extra level of comfort and airflow, try installing a screen door.