Demystified: The (Sort of) Easy Way to Install a Deadbolt Lock

 

Have you ever considered installing a deadbolt lock to increase the safety factor of your living space? Do you live alone and possess limited skill with tools? Fear not, because adding a deadbolt to your home’s security measures is a snap.

Even if you have very limited handyman skills, you can easily install a deadbolt lock onto a wooden door. Keep in mind that while the process is simple, it does include many steps. But like a no-brainer recipe for fruit salad, if you follow the sequence carefully and don’t skip anything, your first venture into lock installation should be a roaring success.

After making a trip to your local hardware store and purchasing a standard deadbolt lock kit (starting at around $10 and up), the steps, in order, are:

• Choose and mark the place on the door where you want to put the lock. The most common placement level is 44 inches above the floor.
• Apply the template to the door. This is a sticky piece of paper that comes with the deadbolt kit you purchased.
• Use a nail to mark the exact center point for the latch bolt and the cylinder.
• Drill the lock cylinder’s hole into the frame and drill the latch bolt hole into the door’s edge.
• Use a small chisel and hammer to cut a recess above and below the latch bolt hole. About one-eighth of an inch is the standard depth. This is probably the most difficult part of the entire installation. For newbies, use a piece of scrap wood to practice making recesses of varying depths. This skill will serve you well in the future. Consider it a wise investment of your time, like learning several phrases of conversational Spanish before vacationing in Mexico.
• Install the faceplate and mounting screws over the latch bolt.
• Lubricate the lock mechanism, and make sure to do a thorough job.
• Insert the latch bolt first, and then slide the keyed part of the lock into the exposed latch bolt hole.
• Insert the indoor section of the lock into place, being sure to align the screw holes.
• Tighten the screws so the entire mechanism is securely in place.
• After shutting the door while the deadbolt is in the “locked” position (actually, the door won’t shut all the way because the bolt will prevent it from closing completely), pencil around the spot where the bolt makes contact with the doorjamb.
• Trace and cut another recess the size of the strike plate onto the doorjamb.
• Drill a hole into the center of the doorjamb’s recess, just like the one you drilled into the door itself.
• Install the doorjamb strike plate.
• Test time! Close the door and lock it. Did everything like up just right? If not, you might have to redo one of the recesses or strike plate placements. If so, congratulate yourself on a job that few know how to do well.

The next time you entertain visitors, you can show them your new deadbolt lock and tell them how easy it was to install.

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