Simple tips: how to lock doors that don't have a lock

by Alexey | Tools | Tuesday, July 27, 2021

These temporary solutions can help you secure bathroom doors, bedroom doors, and even front doors when the main lock is faulty.

Locks have long been considered the best way to lock a door. But if your lock fails, if your door doesn't have a lock, or if you don't trust your apartment's current lock, you can take steps to ensure your safety.

Fork

In a pinch, a simple plug can be used to temporarily lock a door that opens inward. To secure the door, bend the tines of the fork until the tips of the tines fit into the lock strike plate, then break off or cut off the fork handle. Insert the fork into the lock striker, making sure the curved prongs engage the striker securely, then close the door. With the door closed, insert the fork handle through the prongs, creating a horizontal barrier that prevents the door from opening inward.

Let's figure out how to close the door (if it doesn't have a lock).

Man created the first locking devices more than 4 thousand years ago. Wood latches have come a long way and have evolved into modern combination locks and smart gadgets. Humanity needed security, especially rich people. Nowadays, in small rural areas, premises without locks are still found. Meanwhile, locksmithing is evolving, and some locks are exquisite works of art or secret electronic masterpieces.

Locks fall into the category of things that can be ignored until the task of opening or closing the door arises. For example, when entering a public toilet, everyone closes the door behind them and doesn’t think twice about it. But if you enter the cubicle and realize that the lock is broken, then you need to hold the door to do your business, and this is already a stressful situation.

In an article for BobVila.com, Timothy Dale offers a number of solutions to keep your door closed without locks.

The editors of 1Gai.Ru provide several tips from this material that may come in handy one day.

Door stop

Door stops are typically used to prevent doors from closing, but when a door stop is placed behind an inward opening door, this simple mechanism physically prevents the door from opening even if the lock is open. This is a simple and effective way to secure your home if the door lock is broken. However, it will not work on doors that open outward, and with enough force, an intruder will be able to bypass the door stop. Consider using an additional method from this list below.

Who should I contact for help?

In cases where the problem cannot be solved on your own, you need to call a specialist.
In most cases, this will be cheaper than trying to open the door yourself by breaking the lock. Do-it-yourself actions often lead to the key breaking in the keyhole, and this in any case leads to calling a technician and completely replacing the lock. Our staff will open the lock with special tools. Prices for their services vary in different cities and companies, and depend on the source of the problem. The craftsmen will try to preserve the integrity of the lock if possible, but if this is not possible, they will offer an additional service to replace the mechanism on site. The average time for emergency opening of locks is 15-20 minutes.

If the lock breaks, there is no need to panic. Some problems with the door can be solved independently. The main condition is that if you can’t fix it, you need to contact a specialist.

Chair back

Sturdy chairs can be a good choice to hold up a door because they can be tilted so that the top of the chair fits under the doorknob and the legs are firmly on the floor. This creates pressure between the door and the floor along the back and legs of the chair, preventing the door from opening. The backrest can also block lever-type door handles from opening downward. If the handle can be turned up to open the door, then this method will not work. In this case, it may be a good idea to use a belt or rope to tie the lever handle to the chair.

Possible methods

Latch offset

One of the effective methods of opening the door to a room. Basically, models installed in openings inside the home have a push or turn handle.

• Without a lock. The most convenient locks to open. It is enough to press the tongue and the door will open. When installing the block, there is always a small gap between the canvas and the box. All you need to do is press the sash a little, insert a flat, hard object into the slot and try to move the latch. As a rule, it gives in easily, and if you pull the door towards you, it will open. What can you use? A nail file, a kitchen knife, a screwdriver with a thin blade, or something similar. For lack of anything better, a bank (plastic) card will also come in handy.

If the child has locked the latch from the inside (for example, the door to the bathroom), but for some reason cannot move it on his own (or simply fell asleep), then this method is also suitable for such a situation. By “playing” with the door a little, you will be able to dislodge the lock and enter the room.

• With a lock. These models, if they were not installed independently, with a security key, can be opened easily. The mechanism is turned by any flat and narrow object - the same thin screwdriver, wire loop, paper clip, hair clip. It is enough to insert the “tool” into the well, and after two or three attempts the valve will open.

Some interior door locks have a button-shaped plug. It is necessary to grab its “head” with pliers and turn it in the desired direction. The latch will definitely move.

Opening the lock

Some owners equip interior doors with lever and cylinder locking mechanisms. How to open such a lock without a key? It's not a fact that it will work, but it's worth a try.

If the interior door slams, then first you should pull it a little. The bolts in the simplest models of locks, as a rule, bounce off and the sash is unlocked.

• Try to open the lock with a key of a similar configuration. If the mechanism is very worn, then most likely it will work.
• Knock out or drill out the cylinder.
• Disassemble the handle and move the valve bar from the inside.

When choosing a technique, you need to focus on the design features of the lock. But at least one of them will definitely help if there is no simpler option.

Dismantling

If you cannot open the interior door lock without a key, you will have to choose this method. The nuance is that it is not always possible to implement it. Canopies differ in design and installation specifics, and if they are hidden, then this is not an option.

Belt or rope

Lever-type door handles are generally easier to lock than round door handles because a strap or rope can be used to restrict the physical movement of the handle. Simply attach one end of the strap or rope to the handle and the other to a stationary object. Consider using two straps to completely prevent movement when the handle can open either up or down.

A strap or piece of rope is also a good option for securing an outward-opening door because it can be tied to a heavy object such as a refrigerator or sofa. For French doors, wrap both handles with string to prevent them from opening.

Portable door lock

These useful devices are great for renters and travelers who are unable to install more permanent solutions. As the name suggests, a door lock can be used and removed as needed. They usually consist of a metal piece, sometimes called a claw, which is inserted into the lock striker, once the door is closed, a retainer is inserted into the claw to prevent the door from opening. However, these locks are ineffective on outward opening doors.

Tools needed when opening a door without a key

The choice of opening tools will depend on the type of lock and the direction of opening, indoors or out. Most of the products are universal and interchangeable. The basic set of “safeguard” includes the following devices:

• pliers;
• jigsaw file;
• Bulgarian;
• metal crowbar;
• steel wire;
• screwdrivers of different sizes with flat and Phillips blades;
• hairpin for pinning hair;
• drill with a set of drills;
• hammer;
• a universal master key from a hardware store.

Mechanical stop

A mechanical stop is a simple alternative to do-it-yourself door locking solutions without a lock. The device is installed on the floor and supports the edge of the door leaf. When acting on the front door from the outside, the horizontally directed force is converted into a vertical load. The greater the load on the blade, the greater the resistance of the stopper.

Remove the door handle

While it's not the best way to keep a door secure, removing the door handle completely poses a challenge for anyone trying to gain access to the home. Without a handle, a door cannot be opened in the traditional sense, although anyone interested in using this method should keep in mind that with enough force and one or more homemade tools, the door mechanism can be turned even without a handle. It is best to combine this option with another temporary door lock, such as a door stop or door stop.

Other options

The simple tongue design of the locks is easy to open. In this case, take any suitable tool (knife, screwdriver) or plastic card and clamp the tab. The tool is advanced between the leaf and the door frame. All that remains is to turn the handle and open the door.

The latch lock is opened by unscrewing the screws located on the metal handle panel. The latch is clamped with the end of a screwdriver or some other sharp object and, without releasing, the door handle is turned. The door should open.

You can use special master keys for doors. They are easy to purchase in a store, but you should be careful when handling these items so as not to fall under criminal liability. If you open someone's door at a request, make sure that the person asking is the owner of the property. If you are the victim, it is good if you have a passport with your place of registration. Call a special team and they will help you return to your apartment after checking your documents.

The best way to prevent your lock from being picked is to have a place where you will always keep a spare key. This could be relatives, neighbors, a mailbox, etc. but take the choice of such a place very seriously, so that later you do not find yourself in a difficult situation in search of missing property.

So, let's summarize. We have listed the possible methods on how to lock the door so that no one can enter without using the key? As a rule, all of them lead to the fact that it is possible to close it, and quite firmly, but then how can you get into the apartment or house if the locks were not used?

There are no painless ways to close and subsequently open doors without damaging the locks; you will still have to resort to extreme measures to replace the locks. Therefore, try not to get into such situations, and when leaving the apartment, do not forget to check for the keys.

More detailed information on the topic: how to close a door without a key, in the video presented:

Voted over 286 times, average rating 5

Comments

Unfortunately, there are no comments or reviews yet, but you can leave your...

Add a comment Cancel reply

We recommend reading

Miscellaneous Installation of a threshold for the front door in a private house: we select and do it ourselves The threshold under the front door prevents entry into the house...

Miscellaneous What to do if condensation appears on the front door? During the off-season or winter, owners of private houses face...

Miscellaneous How and with what to lubricate a metal entrance door if it creaks? A door that squeaks is a nuisance, especially if it...

Miscellaneous Varieties and manual installation of seals for interior doors No matter how good and expensive an interior door is, its ...

Striker lock

A striker lock is a small device that can be installed on the door frame where the striker is attached. It works similar to a standard door latch, except the strike has a metal hinge. This method is more secure than using a set of screws on the back of the door to secure the door from being forced into. Additionally, this lock can be installed using the existing strike plate screw holes to prevent further damage to the door frame.

Follow us on Pinterest for more interesting articles.

Useful short videos from Make-Self.net

Fill with polyurethane foam

• Blow off dust and brick chips from the filling areas. Wet the wall surface with a spray bottle.
• Fill the mounting gap with mounting foam.

• Foam especially carefully at the bottom in the threshold area. This way you will avoid blowing and drafts.
• Fill the bolt holes with foam and insert plugs on top (we also provide them in the kit).