How to properly embed a lock into an interior door: instructions for installing a lock, do-it-yourself latches

Category: Accessories

Published 05/15/2020 · Comments: · Reading time: 9 min · Views: Post Views: 11,558

Installing a lock into an interior door yourself is not difficult if you follow the instructions. We have prepared a detailed description of the complete installation of a mortise lock, as well as the separate insertion of the cylinder with the handle installed.

Selecting a locking mechanism

A locking device on interior doors is not required, so many models are sold without them. But it can be useful for a bathroom, office or bedroom. You can install different types of locks on interior doors yourself. Most often they are selected with a latching mechanism, but installation of a magnetic lock can also be selected.

Important! When purchasing a lock, check to see if it is wider than the door leaves.

According to the type of handle, the mechanism can be in the shape of the letter L or a sphere. Also not having or being equipped with a locking device that is locked with a key or lock. Typically, if a blocker is installed, it is located on one side. If there is a well on the handle, then it is on both sides.

Typically, the lock is installed with mortise locks or cylinders with a key. If the model is without a latch, then it will only keep the doors closed, not allowing them to open when air flows move.

If you press the door handle, the latch will hide in the door and everything will simply open. Such a mechanism is not capable of locking a room, so it is installed in general purpose premises.

Interesting! If the lock has a metal tongue and its strong click irritates you, then you can take a plastic model.

Locks with a locking mechanism are necessary not only for bathrooms, toilets, offices and bedrooms. It is also often installed in the basement or boiler room to prevent children from being injured.

Choosing a lock for an interior door

Based on function and design, there are several types of door locks:

• regular latch or halyard lock;
• latch with lock;
• mortise;
• magnetic;
• overhead;
• latch;
• latch;
• level

Regular latch. This is the most primitive type of lock, which is used in almost all interior doors. It is a simple design consisting of a cylinder and a plastic or metal tongue. Often such a mechanism is mounted together with a handle that controls the tongue.

The latch is the simplest mechanism installed on interior doors

The purpose of a halyard lock is to keep the door closed. A conventional latch is simple, reliable in operation, and characterized by a wide range of designs . However, due to the overly simple mechanism, it has not found widespread use.

Latch with lock. It is considered a variation of a regular latch, which is equipped with an additional latch. It blocks the movement of the handle. There are two types: lever and push-button. The first type is more practical and reliable. A push-button lock is no worse, but it can cause such an unpleasant situation as accidentally slamming the door.

The latch with a lock has a number of advantages: simple installation, simple design, wide selection of models. The disadvantage of this type of lock is its weak locking mechanism.

When purchasing a product, pay attention to whether the movements of the tongue are smooth and whether the spring returns it inside the door.

Mortise lock. It was popularly called a mechanism with a key cylinder. Outwardly, it is similar to a lock for street doors, but has a simpler design. The device includes a cylinder and a lock block.

Mortise locks are reliable and durable

There are two types of cylinder: “key-key” and “key-turner”. The first is installed if the lock is used occasionally. The second, on the contrary, is suitable for more frequent use.

Mortise locks are used to close bedrooms, offices, and storage rooms. They reliably protect against penetration, are durable, and rarely break . If we talk about the disadvantages of the device, then this includes the complexity of installation and the dependence of the device parameters on the thickness of the door.

Magnetic lock. If you can afford to splurge, then this type of lock is for you. It is intended primarily for rooms where it should be as quiet as possible: bedrooms, children's rooms, offices.

The magnetic lock is quiet, but its cost is quite high

Silent operation is ensured due to its design, consisting of a crossbar, a strike plate, a magnet, and a case for the magnet. The bolt is attracted to a strike plate with a magnet, which is located on the box.

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Along with the advantages of the product, there are disadvantages. Firstly, this is the impressive cost of the castle. Secondly, the lock case is not very compact in size, which is why it looks bulky.

Padlock. Products of this type can rightfully be called a rarity. However, despite this, the demand for it has not fallen to this day due to the simplicity of the mechanism and uncomplicated installation.

Current models boast a comfortable body. The device is mounted on the inside or outside of the door, thereby providing protection against unexpected entry.

Espagnolette. The original purpose of the lock was to secure one of the double doors. Currently, it is installed mainly in the bathroom and toilet.

Espagnolette installed in bathrooms

The operating principle of this product is so simple that even a small child can handle it. Its installation does not require special knowledge and experience.

Latch. This is the simplest type of castle. A latch is a metal plate with a retractable lever. It is installed as a main or auxiliary lock.

Level castle. The mechanism has become widespread due to its high degree of reliability and protection. It is used for both street and interior doors.

To fix the bolt in the mechanism, plates (levers) with grooves of various shapes are used.

Level lock has a high degree of security

Each insert has a corresponding key bit profile. The lock will open only when the levers are in the correct position and the groove is free for the bolt to pass through. .

If you have made your choice in favor of a stylish but simple lock, you can get to work.

Required tools for installation

To secure the lock structure, it is not necessary to call a specialist. It is enough to determine the tools for independent operation.

A marker is required for all operations; chisel; drill with a diameter of 2.3 cm. (feather type); a simple pencil; screwdriver; screws, lock and handles included in the kit; stationery knife; construction tape; electric drill; wood cutter with a diameter of 5 cm. If you don’t have a marker, you can replace it with a simple pencil.

Basic and additional tools for manual installation

An additional, but no less important tool is a drill. For manual installation it is required. You can buy it in departments with door fittings (furniture, hypermarket, construction market). It’s better to take not just one, but a set of wood drills.

The drill bits must be wider than the locking device, so having a set you can select the required size. You will also need a hammer drill to level and enlarge the opening. A jigsaw is suitable for processing hard-to-reach parts.

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Markers are good at making markings on canvases, but they are absorbed and difficult to remove if you miss. The pencil will leave less marks, but a little will be visible on the surface. Use a pencil of medium hardness so that something too soft does not smear, and a hard one does not leave irreparable marks.

It is necessary to accurately take measurements and marks, not only so as not to leave unnecessary marks, but also to cut out all the parts evenly. If not cut correctly, the structure will jam or the locking mechanism will not be able to be inserted into the grooves.

For accurate measurements you need a tape measure, a building level and a caliper. A caliper allows you to measure the required position of decorative strips, grooves, and canopies.

A convenient length of a tape measure or metal ruler is 3m-5m. The metal ruler will not be damaged if it accidentally collides with other tools, so it will last longer.

A level is needed to install doors evenly and identify distortions that will affect long-term operation. For sawing trims and bars, it is better to use a miter saw. It does not split the edge like a jigsaw or hacksaw. A screwdriver may be needed to install handles, locks and awnings (to tighten hardware). After preparing all the tools, you can begin installation.

Selecting a router for self-assembly

Installing a lock on an interior door using a router is simpler and easier than using a drill. It speeds up the work, because you quickly get a neat hole. The milling cutter can be vertical (submersible), which can arbitrarily set the depth of the grooves. The device is very powerful and heavy.

Therefore, for working at home, it is better to use a special router, which has less weight and power. During installation, the tool for inserting locks should be convenient, then the work will come out neat. If the specialized framer is good, then the operation button allows you to control the degree of rotation, adding smoothness.

When selecting a device, the length of the cord, weight, location of control elements and functions are important. Before purchasing, be sure to turn on the machine and look at the movement of the head (it must be free). If there are distortions or play, the device will not be suitable for work.

For comfortable work, adjusting the rotation speed is important. A switch with a discrete rotation principle is good. The presence of protection on the switch will protect the device from dust, sawdust and mechanical damage. The cutter overhang indicator is also important. If it is larger, it will be difficult to drill the hole to the required mark.

Among the additional functions, the width of the surface view, minimal noise, backlight, various attachments, etc. are important.

Do you know how to work with a router?

Not really

Hole for handle and lock core

After the above procedures, you can begin drilling holes to install the lock core and handles. Here the work is faster and easier. You need to drill 2 through holes - one for the handle, the other for the lock core.

Lock core installation

But do not forget about the markings: here it must be done, taking into account the design of the lock and the drilling process. Please note that drilling must be done very carefully so that at the exit the pen does not break through, but drills through the front part of the canvas. It is best to avoid drilling through and make 2 marks on both sides of the door, then drill one hole and a second one on the other side.

Important! Make the marks for the holes as accurately as possible; if they do not match, further insertion will be impossible.

The main snag at this stage of the lock insertion process is drilling a hole for the lock core. To make a hole of the desired shape, you will need to work with a jigsaw or chisel.

We cut locks into interior door leaves - detailed instructions

We select the location and make a hole for the locking part

It is necessary to determine the optimal location for the lock and mark it. To avoid damage to the door due to sloppiness, it is necessary to cover the end part and the approximate place for cutting; masking tape is best suited for this. In addition to protecting the door, it will be easier to mark the surface. Usually the lock on the interior door is placed at a distance of approximately 100cm, so taping is done at a level of 90cm-110cm. from the floors.

First you need to mark the place for the door handle. Usually it is mounted at 100cm. higher than the floor in the room. The required interval is measured with a tape measure and marked with a simple pencil.

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The most important thing is to mark the center point, because usually the exact templates with the marked holes are included in the box with the cylinder lock. However, different brands of interior locks differ in diameter and volume, so cutting locks into doors with your own hands should be done with a crown-shaped wood cutter. If the template was not included in the set, you can find the required diameter in pictures on the Internet and print it out.

To correctly mark the template, you need to attach it to the door so that the points on the end indicating the hole for the latch are strictly in the middle, and the rest of the template is parallel to the floor level. To prevent the template from moving, you can secure it at the edges with masking tape. Now you need to use some kind of point to make the central marks of the holes so that they can be seen on the door surface (on the front and end parts). Then a hole is drilled using a screwdriver and a crown-shaped cutter.

Important! To prevent chips from appearing, do not drill through the door on one side. Watch the drill, when it sticks out a little, stop drilling and continue on the opposite part.

Then you will need to drill a hole for the latch in the interior door. Take a 23mm drill. and drill through the surface according to the mark so that the rod reaches the hole made. The device also needs to be parallel to the doors so that the grooves are even and the structure does not jam in the future.

Installing the lock latch

Self-installation of a mortise lock continues by inserting a latch device. To correctly insert the latch into the interior door, it must be aligned with the groove on the end side and the frame must be contoured so that it does not move during installation.

Then, using a stationery knife, you need to remove the latch and make cuts on the drawn outline. After making the cut, the groove is determined using a chisel. It is necessary that the recess be at a depth slightly less than the thickness of the decorative frame at the latch. This arrangement will allow the structure to be pressed perfectly into the door leaf when screwing in the screws.

Important! Some people make the mistake of not making cuts before determining the sweat. If you do not cut the film, then when screwing in the screws it will be damaged and you will get a sloppy appearance.

Now you need to make places for the screws, do this with a drill with a diameter of 2 mm. Afterwards, all that remains is to insert the latch into the hidden part and tighten it to the door using self-tapping screws. If the latch device fits tightly, cut a wider groove with a chisel.

We put the handles

Many people are interested in how to place a handle. This is no more difficult than everything before. First, it is assembled according to the instructions included in the kit. If the structure has a tongue, then when installing, make sure that it is located indoors.

To install, you need to remove the decorative rosette. Then the structure is applied to the canvas and lined, then the second part is applied on the reverse side and proceed in the same way. Now you need to tighten the fastening pins on one part of the doors and the screws on the other. There is no need to tighten the screws because the handles will not work properly.

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Now you need to attach the missing parts to the handle and the installation is complete. To clearly see the installation of handles, watch the video tutorial below.

Selecting a suitable lock

To choose a suitable lock for an interior door, you need to clearly define the requirements for it. The emphasis when choosing is on:

• quality;
• unique design;
• color;
• noiselessness;
• key lock;
• latch functionality.

In order for the door to open and close well, it is very important to embed the lock correctly.
For an interior door, a handle is a must, but a lock is not always necessary. The product is selected according to this principle. For the bathroom and toilet, a lock is required, but for the bedroom, an ordinary latch is enough. There are 3 types of mortise locks:

1. WC type. This type of lock allows the user to close it on one side only, without using a key.
2. Patent type. The most popular type of lock. Allows you to close the door with a key that fits all locks of a certain product model.
3. Yale-type. Equipped with a Eurocylinder system, the uniqueness of the key depends on the secrecy of the lock. Such products are installed in the doors of a room to which access is limited, for example, in an office.
4. Pen lock. This type of lock does not restrict access; it only makes it possible to close the door tightly.

Advice! If there are small children in the house, install locks with a child safety feature or a locking device.

Naturally, you can combine some requirements, but when you go to the store to buy a product, you should have a rough idea of ​​what it will look like. The color of the lock is selected to match the door or, conversely, so that it contrasts against its background. When purchasing a lock, you should pay special attention to the appearance of the product. Any scratch or dent is a sign of mechanical damage. You always have the right to refuse such an item before purchasing. Carefully examine all moving mechanisms. The springs must return the tongue and handle of the lock to the starting position without delay. Check the quality of the assembly: when the handle is turned, the tongue should be completely hidden inside the product. If you do not follow this procedure, you will not be able to open the door. Also make sure that your door leaf matches the thickness of the structure. And try opening/closing the lock (if you have one) several times to make sure it works without unnecessary squeaks or crackles.

We mount the counter part

The final step for inserting locks into interior doors is installing the counter part (on the door frame). To determine the location, you need to pull out the latch and make a mark on the doorway. Then measure the width of the latch and mark it on the box. It is important to correctly mark the place for the counter part so that during operation the doors in the closed position do not knock due to drafts.

Depending on the gap between the doors and the doorway, it is determined whether it is necessary or unnecessary to recess the counter part. If the gap is large, it is not worth recessing, so mark the inner contour of the lining. If there is no gap, it is necessary to install the overlay tightly; for this, an additional outer contour is marked.

Now you need to drill holes for the latch, the upper and lower screws. For self-tapping screws, a diameter of 2 mm is also used. After that, attach the answer and try to close the door. If there are excess parts (plays) that interfere with operation, remove them by bending the tab.

Installing a lock escutcheon

When installing a lock with your own hands, some craftsmen install a lock plate on top of the door leaf, so that when the door fits tightly to the opening, it clings.
To prevent this from happening, the lining is recessed into the canvas exactly to its width and compared with the surface of the door. Inserting a lock is an engineering process, so each stage requires detailed markings. Insert the lock into the drilled hole and make a mark around the entire perimeter of the plank. Make notches with a chisel along the edges of the intended place for the overlay. And carefully remove the inner part by lightly tapping the chisel with a hammer. Advice. Work with extreme caution to avoid chipping the canvas. And do not drown the lock deep into the door leaf.

Instructions for inserting the lock cylinder

Many people are interested in how to install locks when the fittings (handle) are installed on the door. You can insert a lock with a cylinder. They are rectangular in shape, but a standard set of tools is suitable for installation.

See the installation plan in the table below.

The counter part is installed in a similar way: the places of the retractable rail, decorative trim are marked and cut on the jamb, then holes for the rails and screws are drilled, the decorative part is secured and the functionality is checked.

Attaching decorative lock linings

Before installing handles in some lock designs, it is necessary to install decorative trims separately under the handles and under the keyhole. The overlays are attached to decorative screws that match the color of the overlays. Sometimes, instead of screws, studs are used that pass through the door leaf and the lock mechanism.

When installing such a structure, special care will be required; you need to drill holes of a certain diameter, hold the nut during installation and at the same time screw in the stud. Decorative linings of the cylindrical lock fit onto special stops and are fixed on them.