Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Changing A Door Knocker And A Doorbell

How about a post about hunting for knockers? Nope, not those knockers. This is just the follow-up we promised yesterday about updating our door knocker and doorbell.

Here was the situation before: a nice but quite aged door knocker whose main flaw was that the previous owner’s last name that was etched into it (it’s a little hard to see because I slightly blurred it for their sake).

Knocker 1 Before

We took the engraving as a sign that it needed to be replaced, rather than salvaged, so we figured we’d use the opportunity to buy something unique and statement piece-y. First we hit up our favorite local hardware store (Pleasant’s Hardware) which had some animal kingdom inspired options that Clara couldn’t keep her hands off of. But with those prices ($188?!) Sherry and I had no trouble.

Knocker 2 Pleasants Options

Our next stop was a local architectural salvage place that’s always full of interesting pieces (Caravati’s). They had some cool options – we especially loved the chunky ring in the bottom right – but the prices were still about one digit longer than we were hoping to spend (that one was $185). I guess I never really thought about how much a door knocker could cost.

Knocker 3 Caravaits

Next we scoped out Lowe’s and Home Depot, which both had options like these. The price was certainly right, but it was the same basic urn style knocker that we already had except smaller and not as “original” looking. Plus the size difference would mean we’d have to make new holes in the door to achieve basically the same look.

Knocker 4 Home Depot

When the big box stores failed to excite us, we hunted online a little and found some interesting and slightly more affordable options at both Restoration Hardware and Anthropologie. Never did I think I’d put those two stores in the same sentence as “slightly more affordable” but compared to our first options their $50-ish price tags felt like a deal. But these were both about half the size (or less) than our original knocker, so we worried they’d look a little lost/piddly on our two-story facade.

Knocker Anthro Resto

Feeling a bit KO’d by knocker hunting, we started to look at our existing knocker with fresh eyes. A gentleman at Caravati’s had mentioned we could take it someplace to get the engraving buffed out… but maybe it was worth attempting an at-home buffing first? After all, my Dremel had some sanding pads that seemed built for a job like that.

Knocker 4 5 Dremel

Figuring we didn’t have much to lose, we removed the knocker and I attached the lowest grit sand paper to my Dremel (the one with the roughest texture) in hopes that it would scratch out the old owner’s name.

Knocker 5 Engraving Closer

Scratching achieved. I stopped at first, worrying I was permanently damaging it, but Sherry assured me that a new coat of paint should cover it up. So I charged on, er, buffed on.

Knocker 6 Starting To Buff

After a few passes with the low-grit sandpaper, I went back over with the high-grit stuff (which has a much smoother texture) to minimize the scratches by buffing them. It still had slight traces of my buffing pattern, but it certainly got smoother. It even revealed a gold finish that’s probably close to what the knocker looked like decades ago.

Knocker 7 Done Buffing

If gold was what we were going for – and if I had the patience to buff every nook and cranny – it could’ve been a very exciting discovery. Instead, I was just happy to get that engraving off so Sherry could get down to oil-rubbed-bronzing it to match the door hardware as well as some other dark-toned items on the porch (more on those in a second). She used her favorite self-priming spray paint by Rustoleum (Universal All-Surface Spray) and just applied three thin coats (more of a mist than a coat, so they built up gradually without dripping).

Knocker 8 Spraying

Once dried, the de-personalized knocker looked right at home on our new blue door. You can see how its fresh shine is reflecting the front yard – there’s even a reflection of Sherry standing in front of it taking the picture, but the area that I sanded down is exactly the same color and texture as the rest of it. Thank goodness for small use-what-you-got victories.

Knocker 9 After

Here’s a detail shot of the door open to try to capture the smooth finish for you with less of the porch reflection thing going on.

Knocker From Side

While we were at it, we decided to clean up the doorbell too. We liked the shape, so it just needed a coat of the same oil-rubbed bronze finish as the knocker to cover the sloppy looking over-painted areas that had obscured its interesting shape.

Knocker 10 Bell B And A

Sherry’s trick for keeping the button from getting painted was to press a piece of sticky-tack over it (you know, that poster putty that you use in college to hang Weezer posters?). It was much easier than trying to cut painter’s tape in a perfectly sized circle. And as you can see above, it worked out pretty nicely – she just yanked it off after the paint dried and the button was clean and unpainted underneath.

Knocker 11 Bell Sticky

So that’s how one can of $7 spray paint allowed us to keep and update two etched and painted over items on our porch. Hopefully it’ll come in handy for anyone else out there with a not-quite-there-yet door knocker or doorbell. We really like how the new darker finish helps them stand out more while tying in with the door handle, the black planters on the porch, and even the black rule around the doormat.

Door12

Now if we can just do something about that bug-infested crooked light…

Update: And since our current home didn’t come with a wired doorbell, we ended up installing a wireless Ring video doorbell. It was crazy easy and took only 5 steps.

Psst- Clara’s at it again, being all funny and cute over here.

Comments

  5. Haley says

    Love it when using what you have turns out to be the best option! We’ve been searching and searching for the perfect replacement for our coffee table, inherited from a friend who passed away unexpectedly. Needless to say, it’s loaded with sentiment but it’s also falling apart – the veneer is coming up or missing all over the place and there are some serious dents/scratches. It’s also awesome, every time I saw one in a store or online that I sorta liked, I instantly came up with 10 reasons it wasn’t as good as our one at home. So we’re having it restored! Too much veneer work for me to DIY. In our case not the cheapest option, but it’s what needed to be done for both our hearts and our home.

    Also, HGTV put your new article online, not sure if you saw it yet http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/how-home-improvement-bloggers-live/pictures/index.html how does that match up to the magazine? Still worth tracking down the hard copy?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, that’s not the full article but it’s most of the photos I think (maybe 10% of the copy?). I would check it out for free at B&N if you’re iffy about buying it :)

      xo
      s

  7. Jenelle says

    Okay, a few things.
    1. The door knocker. I love what you did with using what you had. I have dreams of someday having a pineapple door knocker. Why? Well, during labor (med-free), I found myself unintentionally getting through contractions by picturing objects. Weird things came to mind like our shed. But the one that kept popping into my head over and over was a pineapple door knocker. Almost two years later, I learned about the history behind pineapple door knockers. In colonial America, sea captains who had returned home would spear a pineapple on their fencepost. This would alert friends and neighbors of his safe return and was an invitation to come visit. As the tradition grew, the pineapple became the sign of hospitality and welcome. I had no idea about any of this as I was visualizing the pinapple doorknocker as I welcomed my little girl into the world.

    2. You mentioned doing something about the light on the porch. I saw that, too. Things that need to be updated sometimes become glaringly obvious when you update other things around it. I was thinking- with your pretty, new door color and the freshened up door knocker, what if you split the lights and hung two on either side of the door, instead of directly in front of it? Since the ceiling is low, you could afford to do bulkier, statement lights if you put them on the sides instead of directly over the door where people walk. And then it wouldn’t compete with your door. Just a thought.

    3. Just last night my husband put in The Newsies for our daughter. She LOVES it. She didn’t mention anything about the boys being cute, though. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s such a cute story about the pineapple Jenelle! And as for lights on either side of the door, we’d love that! Our neighbors have that and it looks awesome. They have large-ish lanters. And Newsies = thebomb.com.

      xo
      s

  8. Eri says

    Ooh, ftw! Great fun reading the search process. I bet in the end it must have felt more satisfying than it would’ve been with a new (expensive) purchase… save some $$$, bring the original to a new life, add more of you to the house while keeping its character at the same time. DIYing that is! :)

    Reply

  10. Kate says

    Hi guys!

    Longtime reader, first time commenter! :-) LOVE the door color, seems like the kind of shade that will look great all year round.

    I know this is lame, but I have to ask: did the previous owners put an apostrophe after their name on the engraved door knocker as if it was possessive? Like “The Smith’s?” As in “this is The Smith’s house?” This opened a whole can of home improvement related grammar worms for me. When you put your name on your home, mailbox, whatever, are you saying “hey, this is MINE!” Or are you really just trying to say “the Smiths live here, in case you were wondering.” Deep thoughts…

    :-) Kate

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So funny! They did have an apostophe, as if they were saying “The Smith’s House” – but I can see how it would work either way. I just try to resist the urge to address cards to The Smith’s because in that case it should be The Smiths… right?

      xo
      s

    • Cynthia says

      Yes! Thank you, fellow grammar nerd! I was hoping someone would mention it… this is one of my pet peeves.
      Love YHL, it inspires me so… I bought the book for my DIY daughter-in-law upon the occasion of her new house!

    • Staci @ My Friend Staci says

      AHA! I was reading through all the comments to see if anyone else noticed this. Apostrophes in last names drive me BANANAS! In fact, it was the first thing I noticed in the photo of the engraved version.

    • Leah says

      I had the EXACT same thought. If their last name ends in an O, it should end in -oes. So the Manolo family’s knocker should say “The Manoloes.” I, too, resist the urge to address cards in the correct way because people think you are spelling their name wrong. Argh! I just go with “The Manolo Family” in that case. This is also a problem with last names that end in s because you have to add an -es at the end. Grammar nerds unite :)

    • Alisha says

      Funny that they didn’t bring it with when they moved since it was (obviously) theirs haha. But I guess the knocker replacement search ended up being quite extensive so maybe they were not up for the hunt?

      Just have to add I LOVE that doorbell shape!!!! Super envy. I’m gonna go look at mine just to see if it’s an untapped treasure! Boo. Dingy plastic and ugly.

  11. Audrey says

    I don’t normally comment, but I have to about the Weezer posters. That seriously made me snort coffee when I read it. It’s like you went back in time to my dorm room, poster putty and all! haha

    Reply

  12. tess says

    Clever and thrifty to use what you had already, the fixtures look so fresh, can’t even believe how much you all got done, you are working at a breakneck speed, kudos!

    Reply

  13. gwen says

    i love how you all “make it work!” that fox knocker was amazing, but you have to pick what really matters. thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  14. Kayla says

    The front door really does make your house smile now. John and his (somewhat) cheesy phrases wins again!!

    Reply

  15. Abby says

    It’s uncanny. It’s like you look at my home improvement to-do list and post about it. You’re saving me so much trial and error!

    Reply

  16. Sarah says

    I was at Lewis ginter gift shop and saw a bumble bee door knocker and totally thought of you guys and how it would be cute in your new house!

    Reply

  17. Lindsey says

    Too funny…I JUST did this same project last weekend, totally inspired by your old posts about ORB spray. I’d never used it before, but I was able to paint our old ugly brass knocker (which looks VERY similar to yours, but no engraving, thank goodness!) and it turned out awesome. Also painted our front door a similar (but slightly more toned-down greyish) blue…c’mon, guys, stop copying me. ;-)

    (Just kidding…love all the inspiration I get from this blog!)

    Reply

  18. Julie @ Living on the Ledge says

    Nice knocker! In the process of building, and I truly can’t believe the price of some things – haven’t even begun to look at door knockers, but those prices seem crazy! Love the giraffe, but even for $50 – that’s money I could spend elsewhere. Nice work reusing what you’ve got already!

    Reply

  19. Veronica says

    I’m about to tackle painting my front door in a bright yellow. As I was inspecting it yesterday I noticed a few things and was wondering if you had any suggestions:

    1) The door is metal
    2) It looks like it used to be red and was then painted over white, not a problem since they did an ok job but..
    3) it looks like the red paint peeled and chipped/was ripped off they clearly didn’t sand it.

    Think it’s ok at this point to sand the entire door and then paint it? Not sure given that it’s a metal door.

    Lastly – what are your thoughts when the door inlay is gold as is the hardware but you want to oil rub bronze everything?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I would take a photo and then bring it to the paint desk and see what the pros recommend. There might be a product that works best on metal doors or a priming/smoothing method to deal with any chips. As for the inlaid gold hardware, hmm. Anyone ever dealt with that? Maybe just leave it since it’s inlaid and spray the other parts? Or spray it all?

      xo
      s

  23. Ashley says

    Why would you just blurr a couple letters instead of the entire name? You need to fully obscure the last name on the door knocker out of respect for the prior owners. Between this and the constant comments about how ugly their choice of decor is, it’s like you enjoy messing with these people.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We didn’t blur all of it because we thought readers would appreciate seeing a few of the etched letters at the end, just to see how deep they were. We knew it wouldn’t give away their name (can you tell me someone’s last name by knowing only the last 2 letters of it?). As for the dated decor, they marketed this house as an “extreme fixer upper – very dated but someone with vision could turn it around” so we’re definitely not messing with them. It was their pitch and they seemed very happy that we bought it with the hopes of showing it some love.

      xo
      s

    • Lisa E says

      I think their comments have been more along the lines of certain decor not being their taste as opposed to outright criticism. Big difference. The Petersilks have always been very gracious.

    • Theresa says

      Ashley,
      he only time I’ve ever seen the word ugly about the décor of the previous owner was from people who have made comments. John and Sherry have always said things weren’t their taste or style. I’ve read other blogs and those authors can be cruel about a previous homeowner’s style. John and Sherry have been nothing but gracious and kind.

  25. heyruthie says

    Great transformation.

    I went through almost the exact same process you did with my previously-personalized knocker, in terms of sticker shock. But without a Dremel or equivalent, I took the opposite route and just filled the former owner’s name in with wood filler. Although it seems like it wouldn’t work, it did! I smeared it in, let it dry, and then I lightly sanded it smooth, and then ORB’d it. It was very little effort. The old owner’s name it completely gone. I figured I had nothing to lose, and it was a great solution for anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to delve into the heavy-duty sanding. I did it 2 years ago, and it’s held up beautifully. ;-)

    Reply

  26. Lisa says

    How about a light fixture that mimics the white detail porch trim? – don’t forget to sign up for One Kings Lane. 70% off random stuff that is sometimes useful like porch light.

    Reply

  27. heyruthie says

    P.S. My previous owner had also drilled MULTIPLE holes in the metal front door and attached plastic hangers–to hang various knick-knacks and wreaths. (Picture “A guardian angel lives here”-style plaques!) –all of these into the metal! I just used no-shrink wood filler to fill those holes too, and then sanded them down and painted the metal door. The holes are still invisible two years later.

    Reply

  28. Theresa says

    Alright- hate to be the snobb here, but the door knocker is upside-down (according to traditional knocker-hanging methods hahaha). In your defense, it was upside down before. Which is very strange because that means the engraving was done upside down haha. I’m sure that basically nobody will notice. I only do because we did some research (i.e. Googling “vintage door knockers”) to figure out which way to hang one after we got it at an antique store.

    ANYWAY- it looks lovely I really enjoy reading when you recycle your own! :) Thanks!

    Reply

  29. Rachael says

    Random question – are you guys going to the Haven Conference in Atlanta this year? You’re listed under speakers however it looks like they haven’t updated all of their website yet. I know you were there last year so I’m not sure if its residual or not…

    Reply

    • kristen says

      she’s bad for your brand. may be a good friend, but doesn’t seem like a good business partner.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re just speaking on a panel together, so we’re not business partners – just two bloggers answering a Q&A with two different perspectives. And as friends go, she’s one of the best :)

      xo
      s

  30. Anne says

    I’m curious…did you “prop” up the handle portion of the knocker and spray paint underneath, or just leave it as is (under the assumption that that part isn’t visible for very long)?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I sprayed it in the up and down position back and forth (after it was dry I flipped it up, sprayed again, let it dry, flipped it down, etc).

      xo
      s

  31. Claire says

    Great re-use tip! And THANK YOU for obiliterating the grammar error the previous owners clearly lived with for years. Misplaced/misused apostrophes are nails on a chalkboard to me. The Smiths not The Smith’s. #firstworldwriterproblems

    Reply

  32. Jen says

    The title had me thinking of the “What knockers!” line from Young Frankenstein and then Weezer got a shout out! WOOT! I found our door knocker at Hobby Lobby 5 years ago and it was half price so I paid about 4 bucks for it. I gave it a fresh coat of ORB earlier this year, but that’s it. It’s held up really well!

    Reply

  33. Louise says

    OMG Petersik’s!!! I’ve only been away a little while, and you go and move bloody house lol! CONGRATS!!! it’s lovely, and i’m so happy for the 4 of you (yup, I included Burger :)
    I have to say, this place looks like a keeper, soooo much you can do! i’ll be popping in more often to keep an eye on you… obvs you can’t be trusted to stay put for 5 mins lol!
    ps – I wouldn’t mind, but I’ve only stayed away because you two with your blog & book gave me a boot up the bum to get my own house in order, so thanks for the inspiration! xx

    Reply

  35. Lauren says

    Am I the only one who had flashbacks to the door knockers in the movie “Labyrinth” while looking at the shopping pictures? Clearly I spent way too much of my childhood watching David Bowie parade around in tights…

    Reply

  37. Kim says

    Our door knocker is a pretty round rock wrapped around with metal. We inherited it with the house. Everyone loves it and comments on it. We decided we would take it with us if we ever move.

    Reply

  39. Kim says

    Wow, love how cleaned up and polished the knocker turned out! I think I would have been too afraid of making matters worse by DIYing it, but I guess if there is nothing to lose, might as well give it a try!

    Reply

  41. Diana says

    Between the door painting yesterday and the hardware painting today…you are posting exactly what I need inspiration/a nudge to do! Actually all the door hardware in our whole house needs updated. I’m thinking ORB thanks to you….maybe I’ll actually do those projects this weekend!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Fed Ex uses it for drop-offs which is nice since the bell is louder (and sometimes they come during naps). Clara would probably sleep through the bell anyway, so it was definitely more of a looks thing for the door.

      xo
      s

  43. Analise says

    Have we talked about the fact that you guys are now living in “The House with the Blue Door,” a la Hugh Grant in “Notting Hill”? Love it.

    Reply

  44. Melissa says

    Hi! Love the door knocker!
    Where did you get the front door mat? I am looking for one like that to replace the similar one we have.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  45. Albita says

    Wow, and to think we were thinking of getting rid of our original knocker (the same exact Lion one you showed above). We have a 1950’s ranch home and everything is original. Thanks to my father’s appreciation for these things we decided to keep it. Thanks for posting! I love your new home! Wish you all a happy healthy life in your newest home! God Bless!

    Reply

  47. Emily says

    eBay has some great options if you ever decide to go with something more unique. I think I remember seeing some at urban outfitters also.

    Reply

  48. Rachel says

    We just bought a house and the previous owners also had a personalized door knocker, but they took their’s with them so now we have 2 holes in the door! We are looking to replace it ASAP. This post gave me lots of ideas!

    Reply

  50. meghan says

    Oh my goodness! We have that $188 fox knocker on our door and I hated it. It was old and brassy looking. I literally just ORBed it last week, lol!

    Reply

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