Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors

Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors

I bought glass door knobs for the entire house, but we have agreed that more modern handle sets are a better idea. Cliff works for Schlage locks and was unhappy with my choice of vintage style glass door knobs.

He is perfectly content with using them on the closets, though. So, here are three different ways to put glass door knobs onto closet doors. One method has way more photos than you probably need.

The closets have double doors, so the handles only work as pulls, like on a cabinet door.

Spindle to use a single doorknob as a pull - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Spindle to use a single doorknob as a pull

The First Method

I had ordered dummy spindles on Amazon. These are parts to just screw onto a cabinet door or drawer so that you can use a vintage door knob as a pull handle.  We might end up using these somewhere else, but this is how Cliff decided to put the door knobs on.

The Second Method

First, Cliff broke a box and put it under the door to catch the sawdust. He brought over a trash to throw away packaging and anything else.

Removing the old door knob - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Removing the old door knob

Then he removed the handles that were on the door.

Measuring - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Measuring

He measured and marked.

Two drills and a screwgun - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Two drills and a screwgun

He has a lot of tools, so he used two drills and a screw gun so he wouldn’t have to change bits.

Screwing out the center for the doorknob spindle - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Screwing out the center for the doorknob spindle

He drilled the first hole for the spindle. He pulled the drill back occasionally to pull the sawdust out of the hole.

Centering the rosette - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Centering the rosette

He lined the new rosette up to check his marks for the little screws that hold it on. The new outside holes are very close to the old holes, but they are just to hold the rosette in place. They aren’t going to be under stress.

Drilling the holes for the rosette screws - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Drilling the holes for the rosette screws

He drilled the holes with a very thin bit, then cleaned the entrance to all of the holes with this.

Cleaning up the holes - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Cleaning up the holes
He used this bit to clean up the holes - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
He used this bit to clean up the holes

He moved the door, folded the box and poured the sawdust into the trash can.

The rosette screws ready to screw in - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
The rosette screws ready to screw in

So, here it is, ready to screw in the screws. If you screw these in before the door knob is on, it is easier to go in straight. I know that is obvious, but the final method does not result in straight… anything.

The spindle pushed through - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
The spindle pushed through

Cliff attached the glass doorknob to the spindle and pushed the spindle through the door. He lined up the rosette on the other side, screwed in the screws and attached the other doorknob.

The new glass door knob and the satin nickel door knob - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
The new glass door knob and the satin nickel door knob

The old doorknob and the new doorknob.

The Third Method

I put an old door knob onto a Bifold door in a house I used to live in. I used a long drywall screw and screwed it all the way through the small hole that was already on the door. Then, using the claws of a hammer I pulled the screw back out. It didn’t want to come. So, using plyers, I sawed and twisted until I enlarged the hole enough to force the spindle of the door knob through. I threaded the rosette over the doorknob and pounded the doorknob through the door with the heel of a shoe. I put a folded up t-shirt from the laundry over the doorknob first, so I wouldn’t hurt it. I only had one rosette, so I stacked a few washers on the inside of the closet door and screwed the doorknobs together tightly. Then I screwed in the side screws on the rosette. They went in crooked, because the door knob was in the way. I forced them, because I hadn’t started the hole in any way. They were pointy, so they were meant for making their own hole. It looked great! There were a few issues… but if people are going to look that hard, you should give them something to find, right?

Schlage Brookshire Handles - Putting Glass Door Knobs on the Closet Doors – Project Small House
Schlage Brookshire Handles

For the rest of the doors, I am thinking I would love to have the Schlage Brookshire locks with lever handles in Aged Bronze finish.  Aren’t they beautiful?