How to Remove a Door Knob

June 29th, 2009 by Mike

Whether you are a new homeowner or a just a person who enjoys doing things on their own, there are few things that offer the same simple pleasure as a household task that both fixes something that is broken or simply adds beauty to your home such as replacing a doorknob.

If you are reading this text, there is a good chance that you’ve already picked out the new doorknob or maybe you are doing a little research in preparation. Throughout the course of this article, we will walk through the process of removing that old doorknob so that you can install the new one. Have faith. You can do it.

Scouting Ahead

First, do you have all of the tools you might need? All we should need is a screwdriver. The screws that hold the doorknob on may be Philips or Flathead. It is important to know which one you will need in advance. Usually, when I remove a doorknob, I have both types of screwdrivers handy. While the manufacturer used only one type of screw, the last person to own the house might have had to improvise. There’s no way to be sure so it’s best to be prepared.

Second, let’s take a visual tour of the doorknob starting with the trim-plate on the side of the door that meets the jam. Are screws visible? Next, look at the knob base. Do you see two screws there? Let’s get it done.

Now that we know what we are working with, let’s get the doorknob removed. First, remove the two screws from the trim-plate. If the trim-plate doesn’t come off on its own or no screws are used to hold it on, you might need to pry. Be gentle. We don’t want to damage the wood.

If you have screws in the base of the doorknob, remove those screws. Be careful. Use one hand to support the side of the knob opposite you while you take the last screw out. If you have a knob that doesn’t have screws in the base, look for an indentation in the base, near where it meets the door. Press on the indentation hard and the doorknob should pop off.