Fixing a Loose Doorknob

Written by Doris Donnerman (last updated August 18, 2021)

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If you have a loose doorknob, there is no need to call in the professionals. With the right tools you can easily fix a squeaky, loose doorknob. The first thing you need to do is get your hands on an Allen wrench or a regular screwdriver.

Before you can begin tightening the doorknob you must determine what type of lock your door has. Looking at the side of the door, with the doorknob perpendicular to the door, look at the shape surrounding the lock to determine what route you will take in tightening the doorknob. Most homes are equipped with cylindrical locks or tubular locks (characterized by the lock being encircled by an oval or circle) but doors found in warehouses often have a lockset. Locksets are rectangular in shape. If you have cylindrical locks or tubular locks all you need to do is secure the lock properly, and in turn the doorknob will tighten. If you do own a lockset then a few more steps are necessary.

First, remove the lock panel with the screwdriver in order to expose the inner workings of the lock. Unscrew one of the doorknobs to expose the end of the other and to view how it interacts with the lockset. Tighten the connection between the exposed knob spindle and the lockset. Hold the doorknob that is still attached closely against the paneling of the door as you screw the other doorknob back into the spindle and lock set. Screw in the doorknob until it is tight against the paneling of the door.

If you have correctly tightened the doorknob, it will move freely but it will not jiggle in the frame of the door. If you wish to alter the placement of the doorknob, you should follow this same process and then alter the placement by shifting placement during the tightening of the knob against the paneling of the door.

Author Bio

Doris Donnerman

Doris is a jack of all trades, writing on a variety of topics. Her articles have helped enlighten and entertain thousands over the years. ...

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Comments

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What is five more than 3?

2013-02-23 13:04:34

David

Very difficult to follow without illustrations.