How to Fit a Door Lock   

A door lock plays a big part in the security of our homes. Your home will be more secure when stronger and higher quality door locks are utilized. While most of them are easy to install, it is a bit difficult to choose the right door lock for a specific door. Consider the design, size and function of your door with a door lock’s specification. A small-sized door lock fitted on a large door for example will look awkward and may not serve its purpose of providing the maximum security in your home.

Fitting a door lock is relatively easy, that is, when you have the right tools and knows what to do. But before we go any further, let us first select the right door lock for you using these guides:

Selecting the Door Lock

1. Find out if the door is left or right handed. Stand outside the door and determine where the hinges are installed. The hinges should be located on your right if you have a right-hand door, and hinges will be on your left when you have a left-hand door. A number of door locks will fit in any of these arrangements but some will only fit with a particular door handing.

2. Determine the breadth of the door. With this information you can choose a lock that will fit the breadth of your door. Majority of doors used in homes has a 1 3/8" thickness while most doors used in commercial establishments have 1 3/4".

3. Check the span between the centerline of the knob bore hole and the border of the door – this is called the backset of the door lock. If you are going to fit a standard lockset, then the backset should normally be 2 3/8" or 2 ¾". However, some locks are designed to be adjustable and will fit varying backsets.

4. Select the correct type of lock to install on your door. Commercially available residential doors are typically ready for lock installation which means they already have holes for locks. A bore hole with a diameter of 2 1/8" is intended for a cylinder lock but if you see a large pocket on the border of the door, it is designed to accept a mortise lock. However, if your door is customized you can choose whatever kind of lock you wish for as long as it will serve its purpose well.

Fitting the Door Lock

1. Get the lock template and attach it to the door. Your new door lock should include a paper template which will illustrate where the lock is supposed to be fitted including the positions of the screws.

2. If your door doesn’t have a predrilled hole for the lock, start drilling a hole according to the measurements shown on your paper template. Pilot drill screw holes too.

3. Mount the lock. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer to install the lock or if you happen to have misplaced it, begin by fitting the latch through the wall of the door followed by the knobs. Install and line up the connecting rods, and check whether the tail end of the cylinder is attached to the proper slot on the body of the lock. Fix the screws to secure the door lock.

4. If you do not have an existing lock strike on your door frame, make one by using a chisel. Check the installation guide for instructions and measurements. Finally, fix the screws on the strike plate and try the lock to see if it works.

We provide an door lock fitting service in London.

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