How to fix bathroom door lock?

Kightleys

My daughter is locked out of her bathroom. There's no one on there and she can't get in through the window. Any suggestions? I have a video but no photos and can't seem to find how to upload a video on here. It's a round knob like the one in the photo my son sent from his house. But the knob in question is intact.

EricL

Hello @Kightleys

You are actually halfway there; I suggest getting your Philips screwdriver and removing the mounting screws on the faceplate on the door. Once the screws are out you should be able to pull out the face plate and push the door knob assembly out with your screwdriver. From there you'll be able to see the latch and locking mechanism, you should in theory be able to unlock the latch and turn it using a flathead screwdriver.

I've placed an image below to give you a better idea of how the door knob is assembled.

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing the door unlocked.

Eric

Jason

Hi @Kightleys,

I hope you found Eric's advice helpful. Please let us know if you need further assistance.

You can embed YouTube videos in your posts here on Bunnings Workshop, but apologies you cannot directly upload a video file. If you have your video on YouTube, you can hit the Insert video button when replying and enter the video URL and it will appear in your reply.

Thanks,

Jason

Kightleys

Thank you but as mentioned in my post, that photo is not the knob in question. The "broken" door knob is intact and my daughter isn't able to get to the face plate to unscrew it. She can't get the door knob to dismantle at all.

EricL

Hello @Kightleys

My apologies for missing that detail. I propose grabbing onto the silver flange of the door and turning it anti clockwise. If you have a Gainsborough model the flange will unscrew off and take the handle with it. Another method to access the door latch is to remove the timber beading on the side of the door. You can use a sharp chisel combined with a hammer to lift the timber beading off the timber door. Once the beading is off you can use a flat steel paint scraper to slide the latch open.

However, if you are not keen to go in that direction, I can only suggest engaging the services of a locksmith to open the door knob for you.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @Noyade for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Kightleys

Thx Eric. I have forwarded your last reply to my daughter. May I ask what you mean by "beading"?

EricL

Hi @Kightleys

That would be the timber moulding surrounding your door frame. Please note that some door frames don't have a timber moulding, and it's rebated into the frame itself. If you can post a photo of your door frame, I can tell you if it has one.

Another method has come to mind, If the bathroom window is open would it be possible for you to use a long pole to flick open the door lock? You can use duct tape at the end of the pole like a fishing hook and stick it to the door knob to turn it.

If you need further assistance, please let me know.

Eric

Dave-1

Evening @Kightleys

There is usually a pin hole to unlock a bathroom style lock. Its located somewhere a little outside the line of sight. Either underneath it or underneath on the spindal and its in the same plane as the pin that goes through the handle to the inside handle. I know its a stressful when you are the person in the middle trying to translate the messages back and fourth between people but is there any chance of a photo of the door know in question as one of us may recognise the lock and know what can be done.

Crossing fingers atm

Dave

Kightleys

Yay!!! She did it!! Thx for all your help 👍

Kightleys

Thx Dave. She enlisted the strength of a man who was able to get the knob off the door so it's all fixed now. BTW, it was one of those knobs with the little metal lock piece that slides a few millilitres along the curved edge of the metal circle that rests against the door, if that makes sense?