Door Knobs & Handles

To get the best results, we recommend contacting a contractor to do in the installation, but if you are doing it yourself, just follow these easy steps:

1. Insert the latch plate into the hole in the door’s edge
2. Slide the knob with the extending rod into the latch through the circular hole in the door
3. Secure the knob with screws
4. Screw the latch plate into place
5. Line the second knob up on the other side of the door and interlock it with the first knob
6. Secure the second knob with screws
7. Install the strike plate in the door jamb with screws

Mushroom doorknobs are named as such due to their rounded, mushroom-like shape. They are the authentic style of doorknob from the Victorian era, making them ideal for traditional or period housing designs. The mushroom doorknobs above come in a variety of finishes and locking or non-locking options.

Doorknobs have been around much longer than door levers have. They come in a much wider range of styles, designs, and finishes and are good for keeping children and pets from easily opening doors. Levers are more modern, and were created for accessibility purposes, as they can be opened by a simple push motion instead of the hand twist that a knob requires. For example, people with mobile disabilities benefit from the presence of door handles. Levers are also typically mounted on a backplate, as opposed to knobs which are installed directly into the door. Neither is necessarily better than the other, as they both fulfill different sets of needs, so evaluate your situation to see if a knob or lever is better for you.

Dummy doorknobs do not latch or turn, making them essentially nonfunctional and purely for decorative purposes. They are good for shallow pantries, linen closets, or other small rooms where latching or locking is not necessary. Passage doorknobs latch, but do not lock. Kitchen and other common area doors are typically equipped with passage doorknobs. Privacy doorknobs latch and lock, making them ideal for bedrooms and bathrooms where privacy is desired, hence the name. Privacy doorknobs also have a safety feature that allows them to be unlocked from the outside by sticking a thin key into a pin hole in case of emergency. All three of these types of doorknobs are primarily used for interior purposes and are rarely installed on exterior doors.