Replacing Door Knobs and Lock Sets
Like most things in the home, door
knobs and door lock sets get worn too. Sooner or later they fail to work
properly. Wear
of the internal latch and lock mechanism is usually the
fault for a door that will not properly lock. There is very
little that can be done to repair it leaving you no choice
but to replace the door knob and lock set. Replacing the
door knobs and lock sets is a very easy DIY project. For most
door knobs and lock sets you only need a screw driver to do
the job. Do not call a locksmith. He will charge you a
minimum of $75 just to come to your home and tell you what
you already know, “the door knob and lock set requires
replacement”.
If you purchase a replacement door knob
and lock set that is the same as the old one, your task will
be much simpler because you can use the old latch and
striker plates. The latch is that part of the set that
extends through the edge of the door into the striker plate
that is screwed to the door frame. There seems be an endless
variety of door knobs and locksets including inside,
outside, deadbolt, keyless, magnetic, and cipher security
sets. For our purposes we will stick with the most common
door knob and lock set that is seen in Fig. 1.
 There are six screws that hold all
parts together. Two are in the striker place mounted on the
door frame. Two more that hold the latch to the edge of the
door itself, and two more that pass through the inside door
knob into the outside knob. These are the only two screws
that will require removal to change the door knobs. If the
latch mechanism is worn and does not function properly then
it needs replacing too. To do so only requires that the two
screws holding it in place on the edge of the door have to
be remove following the removal of the door knobs.
Instructions:
-
Remove the two door knob screws. The
inside and outside door knobs can be removed at this time.
-
Remove the two screws in the latch
plate and pull the latch out from the edge of the door.
-
Insert the new latch and install the
two screws in the mounting plate.
-
Now it is time to install the door
knobs. Slide the outside knob into the hole and hold it in
place while you slide the inside knob into place. This gets
a little tricky because you have to hold the inside and
outside knobs in place while you install the two screws.
-
Make sure all the screws are tight and
the latch functions normally by turning either knob. You may
have to make a small adjustment to the striker plate or the
latch plate if the latch does not align with the striker
plate properly.
That is all there is to it. By now you
realize that your replacement door knob and lock set came
with a lot of stuff you didn’t use. That’s normal because
most door knobs and lock sets are made for a variety of
different doors. Essentially the kit will permit the set to
be installed in most doors.
Related articles:
Deadbolt Installation
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