How to Replace a Door Knocker

Remove the Old Door Knocker

• 1

  Step to the exterior of the home and examine the surface of the knocker carefully to determine how it mounts to the door. You will either see two screws in the front of the knocker or two screws on the interior side of the door.

• 2

  Insert a screwdriver into the screw on the front of the knocker or on the inside and turn them counterclockwise. Pull out the screws from the door.

• 3

  Grasp the knocker and pull it away from the front of the door. If you feel resistance, run a utility knife around the perimeter of the knocker to cut through any caulk or paint holding it in place.

• 4

  Look at the holes in the door to determine if plastic anchors are in them. If so, grasp the anchors with needle-nose pliers and pull them out.

Install the New Door Knocker

• 5

  Hold the replacement knocker up to the front of the door to determine if the screw holes align with the current door holes. If not, mark each screw hole with a pencil.

• 6

  Insert a 1/4-inch diameter wood or metal drill bit into a drill, depending on the material of the door. Create holes in the pencil locations. If you are installing a surface-mount knocker, the holes should extend one-half inch into the door. If the knocker secures on the interior side, drill all the way through the door.

• 7

  Insert plastic anchors into the door holes by tapping them with a hammer. If the screws extend all the way through the door, skip this step.

• 8

  Hold the knocker back up to the exterior of the door, aligning the screw holes with the new door holes. Insert the two screws through the front using a screwdriver. If it mounts from the rear, insert the screws through metal washers and then through the holes from the back of the door. Align the screw ends with the holes in the knocker and tighten the screws from the back.