How to Convert a Door Knob to a Tie Back
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Look for antique or worn door knobs in garage sales or old homes of family and friends.Door Knob image by Edward B. from Fotolia.com
Look for a set of vintage door knobs and matching back plates to create two or more curtain tie backs on each side of the window. Find cheap vintage door hardware at garage sales or estate sales. Roam the homes of old relatives or friends and offer to replace their ancient door knobs with new ones. Look for vintage door knobs and matching back plates in online auctions. Or, search for replica vintage door hardware which will cost far less than original ones. - 2
Glue the door knob or antique door handle to the back plate.t??rschloss image by diogenes from Fotolia.com
Set aside the door lock mechanism as you will not need it to convert the door knob to a tie back. Slip the door knob through the hole in the matching back plate and spread strong glue on the opposite side to fasten the door knob in place, just like gluing a pipe in a hole. Rest the door knob on a flat surface as the glue dries to create a flush finish for the back of your tie back. - 3
To create an ornate back plate, look for a profiled or carved wood plaque at craft stores.door image by Dozet from Fotolia.com
Create a matching back plate for your door knob if you cannot find an original. Buy a profiled wood plaque from a craft store and drill a hole at its center to match the diameter of the bottom of the door knob. Paint the plaque with spray paint to match the style of the door knob, or use crackled finish paint for an antique look. Spread glue inside the hole and slip the door knob in place. - 4
To festoon a full curtain away from the window, add a protruding extension to the tie back.luxury curtain image by Andrejs Pidjass from Fotolia.com
Extend the knob for fuller curtains. Buy a metal pipe at the plumbing section of a home improvement store. Take the door knob with you and slip the pipe through its end to make sure the diameter of the pipe fits the diameter of the hole in the door knob. Use a 4- to 6-inch long pipe, depending on your preference and use a metal-cutting hand saw or steel cutting saw blade in an electric saw. Alternatively, buy a wood dowel in the correct diameter and use a wood cutting saw. Spray paint the pipe or dowel with a metallic color to match the door knob and back plate. Spread glue inside the bottom of the door knob and slip the extension rod in, then glue its other end through the hole in the back plate. - 5
Drape the curtains over the tie backs for an elegant window treatment.tall window image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
Attach the door knob tie backs to the wall using the predrilled holes in the back plates which previously attached the hardware to a door. Use the screws that came with the doorknob or replace them with screws that fit well inside the predrilled holes. Drill holes on either side of the back plates if you created them from wood, fitting the diameter of the hole to the size of the screws you select for attaching the tie back to the wall. To add uniformity, use a thin paint brush to dab matching paint over the screw heads once the tie backs are mounted.
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