western australia

Watch your knuckles!

@JudyEv (381739)

Rockingham, Australia

May 13, 2025 10:41pm CST

House-sitting in an interesting occupation. I like seeing how different houses are laid out and how people organise their lives. One thing I’ve noticed on quite a few houses is that door-knobs are often placed much too close to the edge of the door, making it difficult to open without scraping your knuckles. When Vince was involved with new buildings at schools, he had the same problem with architects placing door-knobs too close to the jamb. We always reckoned that architects should have to live/work with their creations for a few months.

19 people like this

16 responses

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (69156)

• Centralia, Washington

14 May 25

I love little details in houses. My house has black china knobs and solid wooden doors.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

That would look lovely. These knobs are all silver but it's an old house.

1 person likes this

@DaddyEvil (174208)

• United States

14 May 25

I don't remember having a problem scraping my knuckles when opening doors... Maybe some people have larger hands/knuckles?

2 people like this

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@DaddyEvil (174208)

• United States

14 May 25

That just makes it sound like you ARE hoping it happens to me!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

When you turn the knob, it's easy to knock your fingers/knuckles against the door jamb. I hope that, now we've mentioned it, that it doesn't happen to you.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

@DaddyEvil I didn't pick up on that but I certainly wouldn't want you banging your knuckles.

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@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

14 May 25

Hmm, don't think I ever scraped my knuckles on a door. You have all the luck!

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@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

15 May 25

@JudyEv Ha, maybe but if there wasn't ever a problem in 67 years of life, I don't see why it would start now

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 May 25

@snowy22315 Fair enough.

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 May 25

You forgot to add 'Touch wood, don't think I ever ...'!!

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@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

14 May 25

I do not like that kind of knobs, hard to turn and often too close to the jamb. We have door handles, with the key separated from the handle.

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@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

14 May 25

@JudyEv Exactly, the round ones are not comfortable, even when you have wet hands.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

That's what we have at our own house. You can actually open the doors with your elbows if you need to.

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@wolfgirl569 (135583)

• Marion, Ohio

14 May 25

That's never good.

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@wolfgirl569 (135583)

• Marion, Ohio

14 May 25

@JudyEv All the door knobs we have bought had to be a certain distance away because of how they are made. I don't think I have ever seen one too close

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

No, it can be quite painful if you're hurrying through and catch your fingers.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 May 25

@wolfgirl569 Maybe the design has changed to stop the problem.

1 person likes this

@thislittlepennyearns (68159)

• Defuniak Springs, Florida

14 May 25

I hate when door knobs are so close that you hurt your knuckles. Working on houses I've seen that a lot. how long are you ugys doing house sitting for this time.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

We're here till June 3rd so another couple of weeks.

@thislittlepennyearns (68159)

• Defuniak Springs, Florida

14 May 25

@JudyEv Well thats fun! Tell your husband you need to come to the states and housesit fo rme, or just let me cook for you lol

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

@thislittlepennyearns It's been good but I doubt we'll be doing any more. We're getting too old for anything too physical just as lugging hay to horses, etc. Cats and guinea pigs are about our limit now. But we might take you up on the cooking! lol

@rsa101 (40946)

• Philippines

14 May 25

That's a great observation—I’ve noticed that too! Some doors really do make you feel like you're about to scrape your knuckles just trying to open them. I’m not an expert either, but it seems like the handle might just be placed too close to the edge, which makes it uncomfortable to use. I think sometimes the people designing or building the doors just don’t think about how it will feel when you actually use it. They might be following some plan or doing what looks good on paper, but they don’t always test how it works in real life. I completely agree with you—if architects or builders had to actually live or work in the places they design, they’d probably notice these little things and fix them! It’s funny how small details like that can make a big difference.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

Another problem is that the taps in a shower are placed where you could get scalded trying to get to them to adjust them.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

@rsa101 Once you jamb your fingers or bark your knuckles, then you look for the same problem in the next house! lol I'm not sure it has much to do with being clever.

1 person likes this

@allknowing (153544)

• India

14 May 25

In India it must be different as I have never had issues with my knuckles while opening doors.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 May 25

It's not all doors, just some.

1 person likes this

@rakski (156200)

• Philippines

14 May 25

I haven't experience problems with scraping my knuckles when closing or opening the door

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

It's just with some handles that are right on the edge of the door frame.

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@rakski (156200)

• Philippines

14 May 25

@JudyEv oh that is a possibility

1 person likes this

@RasmaSandra (97912)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

14 May 25

There should be a specific guide rule for builders as to what the distances should be,

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 May 25

There might be now but for some of the time, there hasn't been. There certainly needs to be.

1 person likes this

@BACONSTRIPSXXX (18025)

• Torrington, Connecticut

14 May 25

My backyard door is a knuckle scuffer for sure, very little thought went into door handle clearance lol

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@BACONSTRIPSXXX (18025)

• Torrington, Connecticut

14 May 25

@JudyEv Yeah its annoying

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

So you know what I'm talking about.

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@Deepizzaguy (122067)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

14 May 25

You have a good point there about architects should have to live/work with their creations to know what their customers are going through.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 May 25

Sometimes the hot taps in a shower are very awkward to get at. That's something else they don't think about.

1 person likes this

@Deepizzaguy (122067)

• Lake Charles, Louisiana

15 May 25

@JudyEv You are right.

1 person likes this

@Shiva49 (28366)

• Singapore

14 May 25

These can lead to scratches while opening the door. I have had issues with sharp edges around houses.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 May 25

Yes, that's true. The door issue is only on some houses but it's still annoying.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222222)

• United States

14 May 25

I've never run into that problem. Interesting.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

There is only a very small clearance between the knob and the door frame.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238268)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 May 25

Yep.I have had knuckles damaged by poorly placed door knobs .Weird.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

They place them way too close the door jamb sometimes.

@Beestring (15373)

• Hong Kong

14 May 25

I checked mine. The distance is okay.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 May 25

That's good. This house is very bad in this respect.

1 person likes this