Although installing a lock on an interior door may seem like a difficult task, you can do it yourself if you have the necessary equipment and a little perseverance. Whether you’re upgrading an outdated lock or adding extra security to a newly installed door, knowing the procedures is essential to getting a polished result.
To make sure everything lines up precisely, the procedure calls for exact measurement, careful drilling, and a little dexterity. This tutorial will take you through every step and divide the work into doable chunks so you can tackle the project with assurance.
You’ll save money by doing it yourself, and you’ll also feel good about yourself for improving the security and usability of your house on your own. Additionally, knowing how to install a lock can be a useful skill for later projects involving home remodeling.
So grab your tools, roll up your sleeves, and let’s get started on installing a lock on an interior door. You can quickly install a strong and secure lock with our comprehensive instructions and a little work.
Step | Description |
1 | Choose the right lock |
2 | Mark the lock position on the door |
3 | Drill holes for the lock body |
4 | Chisel out space for the lock faceplate |
5 | Install the lock mechanism |
6 | Attach the strike plate to the door frame |
7 | Test the lock for proper operation |
- Which lock is better to choose for an interior door
- Latch locks
- Constipation with a key
- Locks with interlocks
- Round lock with knob handle
- Magnetic locks
- Required materials and tools
- Preparatory work
- Removing the door from its hinges
- Marking
- Rearrangement of the castle tongue
- Video on the topic
- Door lock mortise without template. Detailed instructions
- Installing a lock on an interior door
- Mortise a lock WITH YOUR HANDS
Which lock is better to choose for an interior door
Interior doors can have a variety of locks installed. Everything is dependent upon the owners’ objective:
- protect yourself from drafts (doors to the children"s room, living room);
- close permanent access, for example, to your office;
- limit temporary access (bathroom, toilet).
Round and flat locks can help you find solutions to your issues.
We introduce flat locks:
- latches – can be in the same body with a handle, which is rotary and separate. In the latter case, the locking device is embedded separately;
- locking devices with a key and/or a lock in the form of a lever or button.
Two categories of locking devices are representative of round locks:
- with handles in the shape of the letter “G”;
- spherical knob handles.
Latch locks
Interior doors are typically equipped with latch locks because they are the least expensive and have the simplest design. The straightforward design accomplishes a straightforward task by keeping the door leaf from opening on its own.
There are two varieties of these locking devices:
- a latch with a handle that, when pressed, releases the tongue from the strike plate. This is the most popular option for an interior door lock;
- latch with handle in different housings. The secret is in the tongue. It is either roller or halyard, t.e. beveled on both sides, which makes it possible to open the door by pulling or pushing it without turning the handle (fixed tightly).
There are numerous benefits to this kind of constipation:
- simple design;
- high reliability;
- durability;
- easy repair – you can restore functionality with your own hands;
- low price.
- characteristic noise when opening/closing doors;
- The appearance of grooves on the return bar, spoiling the appearance of accessories.
Constipation with a key
Keyed locks are rarely found on interior doors of apartments and private homes. These doors basically lead to rooms that are off-limits to children, such as offices, safes, or rooms filled with pricey items. But this happens frequently in offices. Limiting unauthorized access to the room is the primary benefit of using locks with keys.
The drawbacks follow from the benefits: a more intricate design is, in the first place, more expensive; in the second place, it breaks more frequently; and in the third place, more challenging to repair.
Locks with interlocks
Locks with interlocks fall somewhere between latches and locks with keys in terms of design complexity. installed in restrooms, bedrooms, and other spaces where it is necessary to temporarily close from the inside. offered as a latch with a lock that enables you to obstruct the locking mechanism when it is in the "closed" position.
One peculiarity of these mechanisms is that the blocker is situated inside the room that needs to be off-limits to family members. This implies that unless the individual who closed the room grants you permission, you are not allowed to enter it from the outside.
The following are some benefits of using a blocker in locking mechanisms:
- simple design of the locking mechanism;
- reasonable cost;
- easy repair.
The drawbacks, until recently, included the necessity of calling a technician if an elderly person or locked child could not open the door. With a special slot in the handle, the most recent models open from the outside using a slotted screwdriver.
Round lock with knob handle
A "knob" in English-speaking nations is just a circular handle. Russia has these kinds of castles. They may resemble a latch, be keyed, or have a lock. Use experience has revealed a number of drawbacks, to begin with:
- not suitable for all doors;
- from the first days of operation, backlash appears;
- low security class (usually the first, rarely the second);
- high probability of blocking due to the inattention of the owners when the room is empty;
- often jam and break;
- After installing the knob, you will not be able to switch to another type of lock;
- classic look of an economy class product with all the ensuing consequences.
Are there any benefits? There are, but just three of them are as follows:
- easy installation and assembly;
- mechanism where everything is in one;
- low price, 2-4 times compared to locks with a key and/or blocker.
Magnetic locks
Interior doors hardly ever have magnetic locks installed, in contrast to entrance doors. Thus, the work won’t take that into account. We suggest that anyone interested in these kinds of locking mechanisms look at the piece "Electronic locks for the front door."
Required materials and tools
Both professional and amateur tool sets can be used to install a lock on an interior door. A professional set consists of well-known masters and a high-precision contemporary power tool; the devices have been tried and tested for a long time.
- vertical router for cutting locks – allows you to quickly, accurately and with high quality select mounting recesses for the locking mechanism and strike plate (if you don’t have your own, daily rent will cost 200-250 rubles.);
- plastic template – professionals have one for all types of locks;
- A hammer is an essential tool for amateur installation. But sometimes even professional locksmiths cannot do without it;
- screwdriver with a set of bits, slotted and cross-shaped;
- Phillips and slotted screwdriver – when assembling the locking mechanism, it is better to avoid a screwdriver. When a bit comes off the hardware head, it almost always damages something: either the door lining or the lock body;
- roulette;
- pencil.
The toolkit for do-it-yourself craftsmen is more varied, with some items always kept around the house. Should you need to purchase something, the expenses are negligible. Required:
- a screwdriver with a powerful battery or an electric drill – you will need to drill holes for the handle and the mounting socket for the lock body;
- crown with a set of knives for 20, 25, 50 and 54 mm – installed on a drill or screwdriver for drilling mounting holes;
- set of feather drills – diameters 16, 20 and 25 mm. The functions are the same as the crown;
- a drill with a diameter of 1 mm for the self-tapping screws that secure the lock itself, the escutcheon, and the strike plate;
- drill bit;
- a chisel with a knife width of 10 and 20 mm (you can get by with one, narrower one) – will help to align the boundaries of the recess for the lock, as well as deepen the seating of the planks;
- hammer – what would we do without it?. Don"t hit the chisel with your fist;
- roulette – no need to explain the purpose;
- a chisel is a thing of the past, but if you don’t have a power tool in the house, you can’t do without it;
- pencil – leave marks for drilling;
- carpenter"s triangle – you can do without it, but it will simplify the work;
- slotted screwdriver for assembling the lock and a set of Phillips screwdrivers. It has already been noted, but it’s better to remind you: when installing the lock, it’s better to work with your hands, because.To. a bit that slips from the hardware head can damage the door. And one more thing: you cannot assemble the lock with a screwdriver.
The materials are purchased at the conclusion of the trip to the store:
- castle;
- tape – some craftsmen cover the surface of the door with it and work on top of the film. This way, in their opinion, the surface of the doors is better preserved.
When purchasing a lock, there are a few details to consider:
- Be sure to measure the thickness of the door before going to the store so as not to make a mistake with the size of the locking mechanism. If the lock is being replaced, it is better to take the old lock with you;
- Mechanism designs can be right-handed or left-handed without the possibility of changes. This information must be clarified by the seller or watch instructions;
- handles are selected to match the interior of the room;
- wooden doors require more durable fittings;
- the tongue should be completely hidden in the body when the handle is pressed all the way.
It’s easy to install a lock on an interior door yourself, and it can save you money and provide a sense of pride. You can make sure your doors are safe and in good working order with just a few simple tools and instructions. Even if you’ve never done home repairs before, this guide will take you step-by-step through the entire process, from selecting the ideal lock to taking exact measurements and finishing the installation.
Preparatory work
Prior to manually installing the lock on the interior door, there are a few things you should do to prepare:
- remove the door from its hinges;
- carry out markings;
- move the lock tongue.
Removing the door from its hinges
A lock is simpler to install on a door that has been removed. If you understand the kind of loops involved, the process is straightforward:
As a result, identifying the type of loops must come first in the removal process. In the event that they are removable, the following steps are taken during the operation:
- the door opens 90 o or more. It is important here that when lifting the door leaf does not rest against the door frame;
- decorative caps and overlays are removed from the hinges;
- loosen the adjusting screws, if any;
- A strong long item is inserted into the gap between the floor and the canvas: mount, agricultural stalk, scrap, ax, etc.d.;
- the canvas rises until the loops disengage.
As there is no chance of the door falling to the ground, it is preferable to complete the task collaboratively. The order of assembly is reversed. One-piece hinged doors make it simpler to remove the door leaf:
- doors open;
- Decorative decorations are removed from the hinges;
- use a screwdriver to unscrew the screws from the jamb or door side.
Marking
There are various reasons why marking is required when insertion of a locking mechanism.
Choose the location of the lock installation first. The height at which the insertion is made is irrelevant for a wooden door, but for MDF doors, the lock’s placement is crucial. She is internally hollow. A unique, short-length beam is fastened to the housing in order to install the locking mechanism. The canvas is harmed by any attempt to drill a hole outside of the beam area.
Second, a neckline beneath the latch should be connected to the holes beneath the handles.
Consequently, the first step in any marking process is to measure the handle’s height, which should be between 90 and 100 cm from the door leaf’s bottom edge. To accomplish this, mark the door leaf’s horizontal lock axis with a pencil and a tape measure. Experts believe that 97 centimeters is the ideal height.
Using a pencil and square, draw a horizontal line through the indicated point to the door leaf’s edge and then move it to the end.
The type of locking device determines what needs to be done next.
Indicating a round lock. Immediately, we observe that if you use a professional tool, a plastic template is fastened to the horizontal line, which serves as the guide for all operations.
A paper diagram template, which is nearly always included in the package, will assist with additional marking when working on the task yourself. It is applied to the side and end of the door and bends. Mark the locations of the holes that need to be drilled with a sharp object.
A visitor with a keen eye will see that the handle has two marks, measuring 6 and 7 cm. This was carried out for various doors. When opening or closing a wooden panel, the mark is positioned farther away so that the hand does not come into contact with the box. MDF doors should be spaced six centimeters apart. The size of the timber for the lock determines the requirement. This method is built into the architecture of the castle itself.
The mark is positioned precisely in the center at the conclusion. If there’s no template, it’s easy to use a square and a previously drawn line to mark six or seven centimeters beneath the holes.
As an alternative, you could fasten a latch to the door’s side and use the opening beneath the handle to mark the spot for drilling.
Indicating a flat lock. The flat lock body does not have any templates. To avoid errors, you must complete everything on your own and slowly in this situation. The following order is followed when marking is done:
- at the end of the door is the middle. Marks are placed in several places;
- a vertical line is drawn along the marks. The intersection with the horizontal line (drawn earlier) will be the center of the locking mechanism;
- the lock body is placed on the end so that its center is at the crosshairs of the vertical and horizontal lines. A shift of a few mm down or up is not critical;
- The bottom and top of the body are marked with a pencil;
- using a pencil and a square, the lower and upper boundaries of the mechanism are transferred to the side surface;
- there are points for drilling holes for the cylinder and handle. You can do this in two ways:
- place the body on the side of the canvas and mark the centers of the handle and cylinder with a pencil;
- using a square, take the required dimensions on the body and transfer them to the door.
Rearrangement of the castle tongue
Castle systems can be left or right. This is dictated by the tongue’s position, which is to remain in the way of the door closing on the side that has been mowed. The majority of manufacturers consider this and offer the option of a 180-degree coup to alter the factory execution for a particular door. Depending on the manufacturer, there are several ways to carry out the operation:
- USK. The dog is pulled out of the body with pliers until the rectangular shape is replaced by a round. After that, the tongue turns in the right direction;
- "Bonaiti". Here the dog is pulled out of the body completely, and then it is placed by the right side. But you must first move the lock located next to the larva;
- "Morelli". It’s even easier to change the location of the pawl on MORELLI locks: remove the lock and completely push the pawl into the mechanism body until it clicks. The tongue will pop out already upside down;
- MVM. The model has a little trick. You can change the position of the tongue when the lock is closed – the pawl is pulled out, turned over, and put in place.
It can be easy and satisfying to install a lock on an interior door on your own. You don’t need expert assistance to improve the security and functionality of your home if you have the right tools and a little perseverance. The necessary actions to guarantee a seamless and effective installation process have been described in this guide.
To prevent any errors, don’t forget to measure precisely and adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions. The accuracy with which you mark, drill, and chisel will have a big impact on how well the lock fits and functions. Take your time and make sure you’re checking your work as you go.
Do not be afraid to ask online forums or hardware store employees for help if you run into any problems. They can offer practical advice and solve typical problems you might run into. You can achieve both security and peace of mind with a properly installed lock that requires a little work and attention to detail.