How to Replace a Schlage Door Handle

There's a door handle to match every decor.

If your door handles are worn out, or you just want a change of style, replacing the door handle is an easy job for the average do-it-yourselfer. Chances are, the door handle and lock you'll be replacing is made by Schlage. Schlage, a subsidiary of Ingersoll Rand, has been making locks and handles for more than 85 years, with an excellent reputation for quality. Schlage door handle styles vary, and run the gamut from simple to ornate. Some include locks, and some do not. What they all share, though, is a fairly standardized design and size, so it's easy to replace your old door handle with a Schlage product you've bought "off the shelf" at your local home improvement store.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips screwdriver

Instructions

1. Pick your new door handle. Choose a door handle based on the application. For example, a handle for an interior door may not require a lock, whereas a door handle for an exterior door most certainly should. Schlage door handles are labeled for their intended uses, so check the packaging for information like "exterior" or "interior" when choosing a door handle. Once you've chosen a door handle to match your application, examine the style and finish, and choose one to match your home design or planned home design.

2. 

   Remove the old door handle. Removing the two screws holding the strike plate (on the side of the door). Then remove the two screws holding the handle in place. Pull off both sides of the handle (one from either side of the door), then pull out the latch mechanism from inside the door.

3. 

   Install the new door handle. Slide the latch mechanism into the door. Slide the handle side with two posts into the door, making sure that the posts line up with the openings for them in the latch mechanism.

4. Place the other side of the handle on the door, and secure it in place with two screws. They'll screw into the openings of the post on the other side of the handle.

5. Install the strike plate with two screws. Schlage door handles and locks come with a variety of different strike plates. Simply choose the one that best matches the one you've taken off of the door.