Door knobs for interior and exterior doors

How to choose a door knob

Start with the door itself. A knob needs to fit the bore hole and the latch backset already cut into the door, or you need to be ready to adjust them. Measure the hole through the door face and the distance from the door edge to the center of that hole. Standard US prep is a 2-1/8 in (54 mm) bore and a 2-3/8 in (60 mm) or 2-3/4 in (70 mm) backset. If your door is prepped to those numbers, most knobs here will drop in with the included hardware.

Next, decide whether the door needs a lock. A closet, pantry or laundry door usually takes a passage knob with no lock. A bedroom or bathroom door often takes a locking knob. The Round Door Knob With Lock ships as a single unit with a latch and strike plate, plus the screws, so it covers that job on its own. The Glass Door Knob is a plain knob with no lock, which suits interior doors where privacy is not the point.

Finally, match the finish and shape to the room. A round knob reads soft and traditional. A glass-look knob reads a little older, closer to the vintage door knobs people search for when they are restoring an older house. Neither style is loud, and both sit well with wood, painted and metal doors.

Sizes and measuring

Get the numbers right before you order, because a knob that misses the bore or backset will not sit flush.

The Glass Door Knob measures 2-7/16 x 1-3/16 in (62 x 30 mm) overall, with a diameter of 1-3/16 in (30 mm). That is a compact knob, closer to a small round than a wide mushroom, so it suits doors where a slim profile matters, such as a pantry, a linen closet or a bathroom door. It weighs 100 g, so it has some heft in the hand without feeling heavy on the spindle.

The Round Door Knob With Lock is sold as a single unit and comes with a latch and strike plate plus the screws. Before you buy, measure the backset on your door and compare it to the latch you receive. If your door is not yet drilled, decide the backset first, then drill to match. On a door that is already drilled, the existing latch is your guide.

For both knobs, check the door thickness. Most interior doors in the US run 1-3/8 in (35 mm) or 1-3/4 in (44 mm). A knob that fits one thickness may need a longer spindle or screw for the other, so read the fixing details on each listing.

Materials and finish

The Glass Door Knob is made from aluminum and 304 stainless steel. The stainless steel gives the working parts corrosion resistance, which matters in a bathroom where steam and damp air sit on hardware all day. The aluminum keeps the knob light enough to turn easily. Wipe it with a dry cloth to keep the surface clean, and avoid abrasive pads that can dull the finish.

The Round Door Knob With Lock is made from aluminum alloy. That alloy is light, holds its shape well and takes a clean finish. The latch and strike plate are included, so the moving parts arrive matched to the knob rather than sourced separately. Care is simple: wipe with a dry cloth. Skip wet sprays and harsh cleaners, which can leave streaks or break down the surface over time.

Neither knob needs oil or polish. A dry cloth once a week is enough for most homes, and a soft damp cloth followed by a dry one handles fingerprints on the glass-look knob.

Vintage door knobs and older homes

If you are searching for vintage door knobs, you are usually matching hardware to a house with some age, or replacing a knob that has worn out. The Glass Door Knob fits that search well. Its round shape and clear look sit close to the glass knobs used in older US homes, and the compact 1-3/16 in (30 mm) diameter keeps the scale right on narrow doors and small rooms.

A few things to check on an older door. The bore may be an odd size if the door was drilled long ago. The latch may be painted over or worn. The strike plate on the jamb may sit slightly off from the latch. In those cases, the included latch and strike plate on the Round Door Knob With Lock give you a fresh set to work with, and you can fill and redrill small screw holes if the old ones have loosened.

For a mixed house, there is no rule that every knob must match. Many people run one style on bedroom and bathroom doors and another on closets and utility doors. Both knobs here are quiet enough to sit together without clashing.

Care and daily use

Door knobs take more hand contact than almost any other hardware in a home, so a little care goes a long way.

Wipe each knob with a dry cloth. On the Glass Door Knob, the aluminum and 304 stainless steel parts both respond well to a dry wipe, and the stainless steel resists the rust that can show up in damp rooms. On the Round Door Knob With Lock, the aluminum alloy body and the latch parts also take a dry wipe. Do not soak the knob or spray cleaner into the lock body, because moisture inside the mechanism can cause sticking over time.

Check the screws once or twice a year. A knob that feels loose is usually a screw that has backed out, not a broken part. Tighten it and the knob will sit firm again. If a door sticks, look at the hinges and the strike plate before you blame the knob. A small adjustment at the jamb often fixes a latch that will not catch.

For a rental or a quick refresh, swapping knobs is one of the simplest changes you can make. Keep the old knobs in a bag so you can put them back if needed.