Comments on: Why do some (mostly older European?) doors have the knob in the center?

Question: Why do some (mostly older European?) doors have the knob in the center?

jbelkin — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:45:31 -0800

Why do some (mostly older European?) doors have the knob in the center? Was there some technology reason? security reason? Design carry-over from the door latch design before knobs?

By: furtive

furtive — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:52:38 -0800

The bolt locks at both ends, so it only makes sense that the knob would be equidistant.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:04:39 -0800

No advantage that I can see. Seems like it's probably just a symmetry fetish. I'd rather have the leverage, to tell you the truth.

This does give me an idea for a prank to play on Donald Norman, though.

By: jet_silver

jet_silver — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:52:26 -0800

It is done to trap the unwary and to promote neighborhood cohesiveness. In my house the bolt locks at one side only. The latch hardware that's contemporary with the door isn't inset in the door but is attached to the inside, and the old key is long to reach right through the door's thickness. You can detach the lever from the knob that trips the latch, so you must have the key to open the door (the doorknob doesn't help in that case). This is fun when you've neglected to re-set the latch hardware and the door blows shut with you outside. It promotes neighborly solidarity when you have to go borrow a ladder to get back inside.

By: JJ86

JJ86 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 05:35:31 -0800

Most of the ones I see have a knob that never actually turned the latch. Not to mention the fact that they are much larger than standard knobs which would make it difficult to function as such.

I assume it has to do as Hidalgo mentioned with symmetry.

By: JJ86

JJ86 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:01:16 -0800

For those thinking it has to do with a latch, here is the type of door that jbelkin talks about. So it has nothing to do with the lock.

By: Wilder

Wilder — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:42:05 -0800

it is more to do with having having a useful prop to move the door, or hold it steady while you are locking it (if it is that kind of lock) Traditionally these were brass, and it was a way of keeping fingermarks off the door, since you only touched this knob.
Shining the brass with Brasso was one of my first chores as a 5 year old!
I'm more used to seeing one knob in the centre of a door, rather than the image linked to above.