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Ask a tradesman anything

anticlimatic

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If anyone is curious about the building trades as careers or has any questions or need of home repair tips from a mechanical engineer graduate, experienced woodworker mechanic electrician appliance, and a licensed mechanical (heating) and plumber, I’m all ears.
 

Betty Blue

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Awesome thread!

I have so many questions.

Will start with an easy one.

I have some new handles on doors after recent decoration/home improvement.

One of the handles keeps coming off. The door has lots of holes when the handle should (previous screws) be placed and I'm at a loss as to how to put it back on again and get it to stay on, what do you advise?

Maybe glue in the holes, to fix the screws in?
 

anticlimatic

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Awesome thread!

I have so many questions.

Will start with an easy one.

I have some new handles on doors after recent decoration/home improvement.

One of the handles keeps coming off. The door has lots of holes when the handle should (previous screws) be placed and I'm at a loss as to how to put it back on again and get it to stay on, what do you advise?

Maybe glue in the holes, to fix the screws in?

Plenty of options! First a few more details. Are these regular door handles that you twist to open to change rooms, or are they static handles like for a closet?
 

Betty Blue

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Plenty of options! First a few more details. Are these regular door handles that you twist to open to change rooms, or are they static handles like for a closet?

Internal doors, they were turn handles but I have replaced one side with more decorative handles which are static. I could take a pic if useful ?
 

anticlimatic

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Internal doors, they were turn handles but I have replaced one side with more decorative handles which are static. I could take a pic if useful ?

A pic would be very useful! It's always the small details that matter most when it comes to which approach to use to solve physical problems.
 

Betty Blue

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A pic would be very useful! It's always the small details that matter most when it comes to which approach to use to solve physical problems.

Pictures attached. You can see where the current holes have worn, and also where previous holes have been filled ….. what to do for an easy fix?


door.jpg

handle.jpg
 

anticlimatic

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Pictures attached. You can see where the current holes have worn, and also where previous holes have been filled ….. what to do for an easy fix?

Ah yes, I see your dilemma. Most interior doors, to make them light, are hollow and made from wood that's just a little thicker than paper in most places. Because of that, the screws will probably keep pulling out. The easiest fix, with the lowest projected durability, is just to rotate the handle to a point where all three holes have fresh wood beneath them. From there:

1. Hold it steady and stick a pencil in each hole to mark it.
2. Drill a tiny hole the length of the screw with a drill bit that is a little smaller than the thickness of the screw on your marks.
3. Screw your handle on without over tightening.

A better solution, if possible, depends on what that metal object I see inside the door is- and if the twist handle on the other side is still there, or needs to be there. Typically with those kinds of doors you get two matching handles, and screw them to each other through the door. That way the screws basically just hold it against vertical forces, and the handles are connected by the force of squeezing themselves instead of tugging on the fragile wood. In one-sided handle situations, typically I would recommend substituting the other handle with nuts and large metal washers to simulate the same effect, so long as it was out of sight.
 

Betty Blue

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Ah yes, I see your dilemma. Most interior doors, to make them light, are hollow and made from wood that's just a little thicker than paper in most places. Because of that, the screws will probably keep pulling out. The easiest fix, with the lowest projected durability, is just to rotate the handle to a point where all three holes have fresh wood beneath them. From there:

1. Hold it steady and stick a pencil in each hole to mark it.
2. Drill a tiny hole the length of the screw with a drill bit that is a little smaller than the thickness of the screw on your marks.
3. Screw your handle on without over tightening.

A better solution, if possible, depends on what that metal object I see inside the door is- and if the twist handle on the other side is still there, or needs to be there. Typically with those kinds of doors you get two matching handles, and screw them to each other through the door. That way the screws basically just hold it against vertical forces, and the handles are connected by the force of squeezing themselves instead of tugging on the fragile wood. In one-sided handle situations, typically I would recommend substituting the other handle with nuts and large metal washers to simulate the same effect, so long as it was out of sight.

Oh I already know how to put on a handle, the issue is that there are no more spots to drill into. The inside of the door has a lever handle and there is usually a spindle but I took it out for the purposes of taking pics. I was thinking maybe of putting a two part wood filler into the existing holes and leaving it to set when the screws are in the correct position? I do not want to have to change the whole door.
 

anticlimatic

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Oh I already know how to put on a handle, the issue is that there are no more spots to drill into. The inside of the door has a lever handle and there is usually a spindle but I took it out for the purposes of taking pics. I was thinking maybe of putting a two part wood filler into the existing holes and leaving it to set when the screws are in the correct position? I do not want to have to change the whole door.

I would not recommend replacing the whole door. Unless you get a solid core door, or at least one with a solid core where the handles are usually installed (not sure these exist), the loose/falling off handle issue will persist. I would also not recommend investing any time or money into attempting a wood filler solution. That stuff is usually meant for solving aesthetic problems, and does not hold up under physical forces for very long. It might last a week. A month if you’re lucky. But my money would be on no more than one or two pulls before it came undone. The bottom line is that those three screws are not a viable option for holding a door handle onto this door, regardless of current or former damage. There is a solution but it will require a different approach.

What does the other handle on the other side look like? Does it still function? How is it attached? What does that door lead to?
 

Betty Blue

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I would not recommend replacing the whole door. Unless you get a solid core door, or at least one with a solid core where the handles are usually installed (not sure these exist), the loose/falling off handle issue will persist. I would also not recommend investing any time or money into attempting a wood filler solution. That stuff is usually meant for solving aesthetic problems, and does not hold up under physical forces for very long. It might last a week. A month if you’re lucky. But my money would be on no more than one or two pulls before it came undone. The bottom line is that those three screws are not a viable option for holding a door handle onto this door, regardless of current or former damage. There is a solution but it will require a different approach.

What does the other handle on the other side look like? Does it still function? How is it attached? What does that door lead to?

It a bathroom door and has a very old basic lever handle on the other side, but it works, and has done for approx. 30 years. When the bathroom is decorated in a couple on months i'll likely be changing that handle too. There is an internal latch lock inside the door, similar to the image below.


splendid-internal-door-knobs-internal-door-knobs-with-locks-door-knobs-ideas-internal-door-knobs-l-956b1331f174c3aa.jpg
 

mgbradsh

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Can I jump in?

I think the handle you are looking to fix is not meant to go with the lock set existing in the door so there’s a compatibility issue and the work around for that issue is tearing the door apart.

Get a new lock set. They are meant to squeeze together on the door and be pressure fit in place. It will cover the existing holes (provided everything lines up (measure first) and everything will match and your handle issues will be solved. It’s probably the easiest and least expensive option that gives you the best solution.
 

anticlimatic

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It a bathroom door and has a very old basic lever handle on the other side, but it works, and has done for approx. 30 years. When the bathroom is decorated in a couple on months i'll likely be changing that handle too. There is an internal latch lock inside the door, similar to the image below.


splendid-internal-door-knobs-internal-door-knobs-with-locks-door-knobs-ideas-internal-door-knobs-l-956b1331f174c3aa.jpg

For a bathroom door handle I would definitely recommend a standard 2 handle + latch assembly passage/privacy (without lock/with lock) handle. Right now you have what’s called a “dummy” handle on one side, and half of the old two handle assembly on the other.

Depending on how much empty space you have inside the door behind the holes, you could also try to find the smallest toggle bolts you can (make sure the heads of the bolts catch your decorative handle and aren’t so small they pull right through):

61O4%2BiuCJ3L._SX355_.jpg


You may need to make the existing holes even larger to fit the spring clips through, so make sure there is enough depth inside the door to fit them in.

 

Firebird 8118

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Sorry, totally random question here but:

If you wanted to build, say, a set of drawers on wheels, what would be the best/sturdiest wood to use for that?
 

Betty Blue

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For a bathroom door handle I would definitely recommend a standard 2 handle + latch assembly passage/privacy (without lock/with lock) handle. Right now you have what’s called a “dummy” handle on one side, and half of the old two handle assembly on the other.

Depending on how much empty space you have inside the door behind the holes, you could also try to find the smallest toggle bolts you can (make sure the heads of the bolts catch your decorative handle and aren’t so small they pull right through):

61O4%2BiuCJ3L._SX355_.jpg


You may need to make the existing holes even larger to fit the spring clips through, so make sure there is enough depth inside the door to fit them in.


I have concerns over making the holes larger as they are likely to run into other holes and cause the whole area to collapse. But, thank you, I shall definitely look into the sizing and usage for these toggle bolts.
 

1487610420

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I have concerns over making the holes larger as they are likely to run into other holes and cause the whole area to collapse. But, thank you, I shall definitely look into the sizing and usage for these toggle bolts.

These locks are standard, the external handles can be different shapes and screwing methods so long as they use the same square core like yours
example
 

anticlimatic

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These locks are standard, the external handles can be different shapes and screwing methods so long as they use the same square core like yours
example

If there's solid wood to screw to in the door this kind of mounting works fine, but if it's a hollow core door- and betty's looks like a hollow core door- there isn't enough meat there to withstand the constant pulling and pushing of a door handle. Even with big fat screws like she's using.
 

anticlimatic

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Sorry, totally random question here but:

If you wanted to build, say, a set of drawers on wheels, what would be the best/sturdiest wood to use for that?

Any of the hardwoods should suffice depending on your aesthetic preference.
 

Julius_Van_Der_Beak

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Have you ever thought about how cool screws are? Like the fact that someone came up with concept of a screw? Like, you can attach stuff together and disassemble stuff relatively easily (in theory) because they all use this sort of universal fastener.

And then you have the specialized types of screws, like the ones with the squares, hexagons and triangles.
 

anticlimatic

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Have you ever thought about how cool screws are? Like the fact that someone came up with concept of a screw? Like, you can attach stuff together and disassemble stuff relatively easily (in theory) because they all use this sort of universal fastener.

And then you have the specialized types of screws, like the ones with the squares, hexagons and triangles.

2tfe2c.jpg
 
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