Have you ever looked at a doorknob and wondered what all the parts were called? It can be confusing to figure out which part is which, especially if you’re not familiar with the terminology. This guide will help you identify the different parts of a doorknob and their names.
The handles or knob set
These are the doorknobs or handles themselves. The first part of a doorknob is the exterior handle or knobs. This is the part that you use to open and close the door from the outside. The interior handle or knobs is used to open and close the door from the inside.
Both handles are typically connected by a spindle, which runs through the center of the knob set. If the doorknob includes a locking mechanism, the exterior handle will generally connect to the lock cylinder.
The interior handle will usually be connected to the mechanism that allows the door to be opened from the inside while locked, as in this cylindrical Lawrence knob and lockset. Locking and latch mechanisms can be complex. For more on door latch parts, check out our guide.
The strike plate and face plate
The strike plate is typically installed on the doorframe and provides a secure place for the latch bolt to fit into when the door is closed. A poorly fitting or non-existent strike plate can cause doors to bind, jam, or not close properly. This is because the latch bolt is meant to slide across (strike) the strike plate before fitting snugly into its recess. It’s very important to ensure that the strike plate is securely mounted into the frame using screws and that it matches up perfectly with the latch bolt on your doorknob.
The faceplate is the equivalent plate on the door itself, surrounding the latch mechanism. The faceplate serves a few different purposes. It provides a finished look to your door’s hardware while also helping to protect the latch bolt from damage when the door is closed. The faceplate also helps ensure that the latch bolt lines up properly with the strike plate when you close the door. This helps ensure that your door is securely locked and makes it more difficult for the latch to be jimmied.
The rosette or escutcheon plate
The last major component we’ll look at is the rosette, also known as an escutcheon plate. This covers up any holes in the door where screws have been used to secure your knob set in place. Rosettes come in many different shapes and sizes, and are a feature of both lever-style and knob-style door handles. For example, in this Embassy Hardware “Tokyo” lever set, the rosette is rectangular, while on the “Grace” model, it’s cylindrical.
Putting it all together
When you release either the handle or knob on your doorknob set, the latch bolt springs back into its locked position within the strike plate on either side of your door frame (or jamb). This prevents the door from opening when the handle is not turned. Most of our knobs, levers, and locksets are available according to your desired function: a passage function does not involve a lock and allows the latch bolt to be retracted by the lever or knob from both sides. Alternatively, the door can be locked from one side with a button, and from the other side with a key. Shop our range of commercial and residential levers and locksets to find the model suited to your use case and aesthetic considerations.
Get in touch with us
Got a question? Need advice? Our friendly team is always happy to help. Reach out to us at 1-888-737-6515 or email us at [email protected] and we’ll be able to answer any questions you may have.
