How To Remove A Door Knob That Is Stuck

Door knobs otherwise known as levers, every so often get stuck due to changes in temperature and varying degrees of humidity. This problem might most likely improve when these natural changes adjust with seasons. 

Another reason which will cause a door-lever to get stuck might be long-term exposure and usage. The deadbolts might be unable to retract after turning the lever or be unable to return when the lever is released. This issue will either leave one locked out of your room or locked in.

While some people choose to fix a stuck lever, others simply detach it. Fixing can sometimes require the application of lubricants, however, in many cases, removal is the best option.  

Detaching a lever can be a bit confusing, especially for individuals who have no experience with bolts and screw drives. A majority of door-levers come with mounting bolts, which means that one would have to look out for sunken holes which are positioned at the neck of the lever. Levers without these holes often come with coverings positioned behind the levers. Removing these coverings would reveal detachable mounting bolts which secure the lever.

A simple ten to fifteen minutes procedure with certain simple apparatus should get the stuck handle out of your way. Before diving into how to remove a doorknob that is stuck, let us first list out the apparatus required for this procedure.

Apparatus Required To Detach Doorknobs

To remove a broken doorknob or one that keeps getting stuck, the following apparatus is required.

• Hex head wrench: this is a type of screw-drive specially designed with its handle and hexagonal head positioned at 90oc to each other. They are utilized in unfastening screws that have heads with internal hexagonal recesses.
• Flat-head screw-drive: this is a common screw-drive with a flattened wedge-shaped tip, utilized in tightening and unfastening bolts designed with a linear incision in their heads.
• Philips screw-drive: this has a head designed with pointed cross-shaped edges. They are specifically made to fit into the cross-holes of Philip’s bolt.

Detaching A Stuck Lever With Visible Bolts

Because numerous levers are designed differently, some with screws alone, some with sunken bolts, and some with coverings, there are specific methods to remove a doorknob that is stuck, although this is dependent on its design. 

For levers with visible bolts, the following process will be required to detach them.

Look out for visible bolts within the door

A majority of doors come with one to three visible mounting bolts by the side which have no keyhole. Look out for bolts on the covering that are around the handle. Assuming you do not see visible bolts on the covering, then examine the neck of the lever. If after checking, you still don’t see visible bolts, then you would probably need to unbolt some sort of sunken clasp in the lever’s neck.

Lose the mounting bolts with a screw-drive

Assuming your lever is tightened with visible bolts, one can detach them using a Phillips or hex head screw-drive. To unfasten them, find a screw drive that matches the screw’s head design, place it on the head till it fits, and then turn it anticlockwise.

If one intends to reinstall the bolts, store them in a protected place to prevent losing them

Detach the lever from the entire latch

After detaching the mounting bolts, one ought to have no issue removing the door handle from the entire design. Pull the levers out in opposite ways to slide them out completely.

Detaching A Stuck Doorknob With Sunken Bolts

For door-levers with sunken bolts, the following process will be required to detach them.

Look out for sunken holes in the lever

For doors that do not have visible bolts, look out for a tiny round hole at the neck of the lever. Normally, a sunken bolt is often concealed here. It can be detached by simply unbolting the lever.

Depress with a tiny sharp apparatus if you don’t see the bolt

If there are no bolts in the sunken holes, this means you cannot unbolt. However, one can slide a tiny sharp apparatus into the holes and unfasten it while you pull out the lever.

The apparatus will help in springing out all the parts of the lever, thus making it easier for you to pull out the lever.

Pull out a sunken bolt with a linear screw-drive

If there is a bolt in the sunken holes, this means that one can unbolt it using a flathead screwdriver. Position the screw-drive accurately into the holes and turn anticlockwise until one feel a release. 

After unbolting the sunken bolt, it should be no issue detaching the doorknob. If a difficulty arises when pulling it out, then you will be required to unbolt the covering.

Utilize the hex head wrench to unbolt internal hexagonal recesses

If the holes recess has a screw with its head in a hexagonal shape, then slide a hex head wrench into the holes, and turn anticlockwise to release the screw.

Detaching A Stuck Doorknob With A Covering

For doorknobs or levers which have coverings, the following process will be required to detach them.

Detach the covering at its incision

Use your eyes and hands to simultaneously touch and check the coverings for an incision. When you notice the incision, slide a flattened wedge-shaped screw-drive into the incision, and pull out the covering. After detaching the covering, you should be able to see the bolts used in holding all parts of the lever together.

Look out for sunken bolts

If after detaching the covering, the lever is still in its position, one could experience difficulty sliding a screwdriver between the covering and the mounting bolts. To avoid this difficulty lookout for a sunken hole and unbolt the bolts concealed there using a tiny sharp apparatus.

Detach the bolts within the covering

The final process would be to unbolt the bolts concealed within the covering by turning the screw-drive anticlockwise until a release is felt. One can comfortably pull out your door-lever now, after having detached all bolts.

For any emergency with your door repairs in Toronto, call A+ Lock & Door at (416) 253-9615!