Recession fun: Refurbing an 1800's door

Since graduating, I find myself in job-hunting limbo, and all the little jobs filed under "when I have more time" have gotten more of my attention. This one was quite high up on the list, a worn out, loose, ugly door handle. It's the kind of thing you don't notice while it's working, but gets supremely annoying when it's worn out, and you realise how often you need to use it. The whole door, its surround, and the skirting board along the walls were long overdue repainting too.


Domus Flounderias was built in the Victorian era, so I wanted to find a set of doorknobs that were more complementary to the panelling and bevelling you can see on this door. Aside from visual appeal, budget and solidity were important here - I've always believed money can't buy good taste, and some of these Victorian doorknob sets are very expensive... I was happy with how this project turned out, so in the grand tradition of late-night infomercials, here's a before-and-after comparison.

Before:

After!



Here's a couple clearer close-up shots - worn 'goldy-effect' plating and knackered spindle before, solid brass & ebonised hardwood after.

Before:

After!





Excluding the paint, which I already had, the total cost of the door furniture (doorknobs, roseplates, brass fixing screws, spindle, grub screws, a keyhole escutcheon, doorstop and key tassel) was a little less than £20 including postage.

Parts: 

Firstly, a new set of doorknobs. I thought about all-brass, but decided against it. This door is in a north facing room with wood framed, single glazed sash windows - it can get pretty cold in the winter! Wooden handles are warmer in the hand. Maybe that's why the wooden version was supposed to be so popular in Scotland? Anyway, these ones are ebonised hardwood in the common Victorian beehive shape. I found them at an online store called greenlanehardware, for £11 a pair including all fittings, screws, roseplates &c. I don't usually plug shops but for what you get, these doorknobs are by far the least expensive I found, and their all-brass versions are only £1.50 extra.

I was impressed that they're made so that the grub screw holding the handle to its spindle goes through a solid brass collar, rather than the wood itself, for extra strength. Better yet, they'll fit most latch mechanisms without having to research all the different types, and any thickness of door thanks to the threaded spindle. No hacksaw nonsense here. Thanks for that!

Secondly, a keyhole surround (or ‘escutcheon’). I got this to match the doorknobs, from the same seller to save on postage. Quite crudely machined up close, but I suppose if you’re the sort that presses the eye to keyholes, your attentions are otherwise engaged.

As this door had been damaged by bashing against a nearby chest of drawers, I got a brass doorstop from eBay for next to nothing too.