Which way do you turn a knob to open the door?

Chantae

left/right Jan 04 06, 6:36 AM

Pat in Halifax

counter-clockwise? Jan 04 06, 8:25 AM

lothruin

Most of the doors here open as long as you turn the door knob far enough in either direction. I'm sure this is probably the case with mostly newer doors. Since I have old doors in my old house, though I can't test it at the moment, I would say from my experience, such as I remember it, the doorknob should be turned away from the doorjam. After all, if a doorknob only turns one direction to open a door, then it will have to turn clockwise if you stand on one side of the door and counterclockwise from the other side of the door. Although, I do have a door on the back that will only unlock if you turn the doorknob counterclockwise (from the outside) with the key in the lock. Jan 04 06, 10:06 AM

musikfreakster

Clockwise, :D Jan 04 06, 10:08 AM

idamore321

I think clockwise for righthanded and counter clockwise for lefthanded..I'll watch the door for a while longer and get back to you. Jan 04 06, 4:24 PM

iamtheotaku

counter-clockwise (at least for me) Jan 04 06, 6:29 PM

gmackematix

There is no generally applied standard here. Most of our doors are either of the lever-open variety or the open-by-doorknob-that-twists-either-way varity. Some of those are on the left and some are on the right of the doorway. One door into our living room has a knob that turns clockwise toward the jamb to open it, but any attempt to twist it otherwise leads to an inflexible clunk. The latter will happen especially if someone is trying to carry a tray full of carefully balanced drinks or/and if the twistee is already in a bad mood. Just to show that I haven't given up on trivia, I will point out that Aunt Clara in the TV show "Bewitched" was very proud of her extensive doorknob collection. Jan 04 06, 6:34 PM

gmackematix

Oh yes, and of course, when I say "lever-open", I mean that I have to turn a lever to enter the room, not that I have to jemmy the door open with a crowbar. Jan 04 06, 6:38 PM

helenasykes

Away from the lock, so if the lock is on the left hand side of the door you turn the handle right and vice versa. Jan 23 06, 4:48 PM