How to Install a Doorknob in 7 Steps

Hold the new strike plate against the door jam where the latch will meet it and trace its outline with a utility knife. If the new plate has square corners and the old recess was rounded, the plate won't sit flush yet. Watch at 0:24. Deepen the score lines, then chisel out the wood inside the lines a little at a time until the plate drops in level with the surface of the jam. If you're reusing the old recess and the new plate fits, skip the chisel work.

Door jams are usually softwood and they split easily. Pick a drill bit roughly the same width as the screw shank or slightly smaller, then drill a shallow pilot hole at each screw location through the strike plate. Watch at 1:00. If you don't have a drill, snip the tip off each screw with side cutters - chopping the wedge tip off does the same job as a pilot hole. Drive the screws with a hand screwdriver or a drill on low torque. Never an impact driver - 1,200 pounds of force snaps the plate and chews up the jam.

Pick up the latch and find the adjustable slide on the body. It locks into either 2-3/4 inch (long) or 2-3/8 inch (short) - that's the distance from the door's edge to the center of the bore hole. Hold the latch against the door to confirm the round end centers on the bore opening, then slide the latch into the hole on the edge of the door. Watch at 2:25. Keep it square as you press it in. If the door is new and the fit is tight, lay a block of scrap wood across the face plate and tap the block with a hammer until the latch sits flush. Don't strike the latch directly - the mechanism inside isn't built for impact.

Pick up the exterior knob and confirm the privacy lock is set to the unlocked position so the post spins freely. Look at the square post on the back of the knob - it can only enter the latch one way. Watch at 4:10. Slide the post through the latch from the outside of the door so the post sticks out the interior side. If it won't seat, rotate the knob 180 degrees and try again. Keep one hand on the exterior knob the whole time - heavy lever-style knobs are notorious for slipping out and chipping the floor.

On the interior side of the door, hold the mounting plate over the protruding post and line it up with the two screw posts coming through from the exterior knob. Some sets let you pre-load the screws onto the plate and spin everything together - skip that, it never lines up. Just hold the plate in place, start one of the long machine screws by hand, and turn it three or four times until you feel solid threading. Watch at 5:20. Pull the plate back slightly if you can't see where the screw tip is landing. Start the second screw the same way.

With both screws started by hand, the back plate should still have a bit of wiggle. Grab the exterior knob and turn it - it should spin freely with no binding. If it does, switch to a screwdriver (not a drill at this stage) and snug both screws partway down, alternating between them. Watch at 5:40. Turn the knob again. Still spinning? Finish hand-tightening until the plates are firm against the door. If the knob binds even slightly, back the screws out, re-center the back plate, and try again.

The cosmetic cover plate hides the two screws. It has no alignment marks and snaps on at any rotation - just align the tabs around the back plate and press firmly until it clicks. Watch at 6:45. Run the final test: turn the knob from both sides to confirm smooth rotation, push the privacy pin to engage the lock, push the small hole on the exterior side with a paperclip to release it, then close the door and check that the latch catches the strike plate without any rattle. If it does rattle, bend the strike plate tab from step 2 a hair more.