Ready, Set, Home: Dressing Up Your Door
By: Arkansas Today
Updated: January 3, 2013
The
following directions are based on the idea that you are replacing
existing doorknob/lock hardware.
Begin
by removing the old doorknob and lock. These are generally secured by a
number of Phillips head screws that vary in length.
Once
the lock mechanism is out you can remove the deadbolt. Insert and secure the new lock mechanism. Be sure that the screws are facing into your house so they cannot be
removed from the outside.
Your
old "strikes" or "strike-plates" are also probably compatible with the
new hardware. However, there have been security advances in lock design
in manufacturer in recent years,
so go ahead and use the new ones.
Remove
the screws from the doorknob. Generally it is difficult to get a screw gun into the head of the screw behind the knob, so use a
screwdriver carefully. It is easy to strip the
heads on these screws. The doorknob will come apart easily once the
screws are removed.
To
install the doorknocker use the template provided with the product.
Make sure that the template is level when you line it up. You should
also check to see that the door is level.
If you door is not level and the template is, the knocker will appear to
be crooked even though it is level.
As
with the knocker, check to make sure that the kickplate is level, it
too can look crooked if it is level, but the door is not. If the door is
slightly off level, it is better to
line up the kickplate so that it appears to be correctly oriented on the
door. Use duct tape to hold the kickplate in place while you drill
pilot holes for all the screws needed to attach the kickplate. Once the
holes are drilled, secure the screws and then
remove the protective plastic film from the kickplate.
Installing
the house numbers will require the removal of the old numbers and the
drilling of pilot holes, whether into wood, concrete, or brick. If you
are attaching the numbers to
a brick facade, it is easier to drill into the mortar than the brick.
For brick and concrete, you will need to use a masonry bit for drilling.
Once the pilot holes are drilled, secure the numbers with the screws
provided.
Dr.
Sue Hubbard is an award winning pediatrician and medical editor for
www.kidsdr.com. She is a native of Washington, D.C. who travelled south
to attend the University of Texas at Austin and never left. 
