# Spinning Closet Pull



## Jay 78 (Mar 2, 2011)

bitter said:


> (even have a nut between the door and the screw head


That will do nothing.

Get a screw longer than the width of the door, and put the nut on the _back side_ of the door. The door should be between the screw head and the nut.


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## bitter (Apr 30, 2012)

Jay 78 said:


> That will do nothing.
> 
> Get a screw longer than the width of the door, and put the nut on the _back side_ of the door. The door should be between the screw head and the nut.


Thanks for the quick response! That explains why the nut was not helping, but having a nut on the outside face of the door doesn't seem particularly pleasing aesthetically... would a washer achieve the same result? Maybe that would be less visible behind the knob/pull.


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## Jay 78 (Mar 2, 2011)

bitter said:


> Thanks for the quick response! That explains why the nut was not helping, but having a nut on the outside face of the door doesn't seem particularly pleasing aesthetically... would a washer achieve the same result? Maybe that would be less visible behind the knob/pull.


I might be misunderstanding you. Is this a knob where you screw in the screw from the back side? Is the screw head on the back side of the door?


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## bitter (Apr 30, 2012)

Hm. I guess I'm having trouble describing it. 


The screw goes through the door into the knob. The knob and screws are separate pieces.

Edit: Well my attempt at some ascii art did not work. The knob and screw are separate pieces. The knob is on the outside of the bifold door. Then comes the door, then the nut. The screw goes through the nut, the door, into the knob.


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

So, the nut is not part of the assembly - you are just using it as a spacer? Sounds like your screw is too long.

[Knob]-[door]-[nut as spacer]-[screw head]

^^Is this correct?


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## bitter (Apr 30, 2012)

hyunelan2 said:


> So, the nut is not part of the assembly - you are just using it as a spacer? Sounds like your screw is too long.
> 
> [Knob]-[door]-[nut as spacer]-[screw head]
> 
> ^^Is this correct?


Correct. I guess I'll try a short screw, but I thought the nut would have done the trick. I originally measured the width of the door and the length of screw that could be driven into the knob. I found a screw that was exactly that length and when it still spun, that's when I went for the nut.

If anyone has any other suggestions I'm all ears, otherwise thanks for the suggestion for a shorter screw.


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## Jay 78 (Mar 2, 2011)

Post a picture if you can.

If the problem is your screw being too long, then the whole works shouldn't just spin, it should push/pull laterally a bit. Is this happening?


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## bitter (Apr 30, 2012)

Jay 78 said:


> Post a picture if you can.
> 
> If the problem is your screw being too long, then the whole works shouldn't just spin, it should push/pull laterally a bit. Is this happening?


No, not pushing or pulling laterally. Unfortunately I am not home but I will post a picture once I have a chance to take one.


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## daveplot (Apr 29, 2011)

When i've had this happen, I use washers as spacers. It's easier than cutting the screw down. Grab a few from the hardware store and use just the number you need to make the screw tight into the knob.


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## cabala (Jan 31, 2012)

Hmm, it appears I am having the same problem describe by bitter but alas no solution was ever posted. It also appears that bitter's explanation and problem was never fully understood. 

I have the same exact problem. I have bifold closet doors in several rooms that had old ugly brass knobs installed. We are replacing them and have had minimal luck. 

The issue is NOT too long of a screw, which can be easily determined by a) using a shorter screw or b) some sort of spacer like bitter used. Instead of a nut I had a washer and to space it even more I stacked about 6 washers. 

The problem is that no matter how tight I screw the screw into the knob, with little force the knob just spins freely in the hole. There is no back and forth motion (indicating a too long screw) it just simply spins. I can see the screw head spinning on the washer. 

It would seem the intent of the design (for newly installed bifold closet doors) is that you drill a hole about the size of the screw being used and simply screw it down. The clamping action between the screw head on the back of the door and the knob on the front keeps it fixed. Kitchen cabinet doors work this way and I have other bifold doors that don't seem to have this problem but there are no differences in design.

I could use other tricks like getting everything in place, filling it with glue and then tightening down the knob and then hope it holds but the door is hollow so not sure how this would work. 

Very confusing, maybe the hole is simply too big, but again it seem like the clamping action should do the trick. Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have a bunch of closet doors with no handles and my wife is mad! :furious:


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## bbo (Feb 28, 2010)

I found something online called knob secure.
looks like that will work ( or if you find something similar locally like a plastic sleeve the length same as door thickness or something you can cut or grind down.

for something more permanent, put some epoxy on the back side of the knob before you screw it in. use epoxy made for the materials ( pull and door ) you have. keep in mind this is permanent. you may want to add washers and test fit before using the epoxy.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

No need for an epoxy, simple Tite Bond II will work.


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## cabala (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks for the quick responses, bbo, I will have to research this Knob Secure thing a little more as it does appear to be intended for this type of issue and actually makes replacing the knob later a possibility.

Joecaption, Im not sure how your solution would even work. The bifold door is hollow what are you bonding too with your Titebond (wood glue) solution? Even if i put the screw in, pumped a bunch of glue in and then tightened down the knob what does it adhere to, it would just ooze into the door? Seems in a short amount of time it may be spinning freely again as there is little surface area for the bond to hold.


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## Duckweather (Mar 26, 2012)

If the screw is bottoming out in the knob it will not tighten sandwiching the door. grind some off the end of the screw or get a shorter one. If it tightens on the door take it apart, put some blue locktight on it and reassemble.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I've installed hundreds of bifold doors. A dab of Tite bond Behind the knob and the correct lenght screw will lock it in place.
No washers, no nuts needed.
Tite bond will be harder then the material it's bonding.


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

remove the bolt knob an dump the nut.put the old nut on the old bolt all the way down on the bolt,then take the bolt and put it against the thickness of the door mark it just about1/4" thicker then the thickness of the door...then take a lineman pliers/wire cutter and cut the bolt it is thin should cut easy.then remove that nut that was on the bolt as it goes past the cut it wil thread the bolt as it comes off.


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## cabala (Jan 31, 2012)

Joecaption, I think I understand what you are saying now. You are bonding the knob to the door. I guess years later changing the knob may gum up the door a little but not too bad. I originally was imagining the titebond going in the actual hole not on the backside of the knob.


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## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

Everybody take a breath and relax, re-read original question. Sooo much confusion. There's all kinds of ways to get the bolt the right length; spacers, nuts, washers, blocks of wood; cutting, a new bolt. i have several spaced with nut wich was just right thickness, with a washer it can become adjustable length bolt. It helps if you can tighten handle enuff to get nut to dig into wood. Mite need to add another spacer to make bolt short enuff, washer between bolt head and nut, or another nut, helps here to have nut just too large to fit bolt, Yes, it goes between bolt head and nut. 
There's all kinds of ways to keep handle from spinning. Even proper length bolt's head can spin, especially in an old hole that old bolt seated it self too. I don't like the outside behind the knob solutions, you're basically glueing knob to door, just like happens when you install knob B4 paint is completly dry. (!) In a pinch I've taken a small piece of sand paper, folded it in half sand side out, poked a hole in it, pushed bolt thru. Sandpaper goes between door and bolt head, any tight nut spacers go between bolt head and sandpaper; doesn't work as well with loose spacers. Best solution is a lock washer, I like to use two, one inside toothed on bolt, it grips head, (or any nut which screws tight to bolt head before putting on lock washer) one outside toothed washer goes next, it grips door and meshes with first washer, bolt goes through door handle goes on bolt.
Tie a string around the center of a popsycle stick, push string thru hole, tie another stick to other end of string. There a door handle, and it looks just as nice turned one way as another. Paint the outside stick to match decor.


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