How To Replace A Mortise Door Lock

Hopefully helpful when rehabbing old houses.

How to replace a mortise door lock.

What you will need to replace the storm door hardware. The best example of a cylinder lock is the deadbolt on your front door. When it comes to security mortise locks are one of the top choices of the users. This guide should help you to be able to change the lock cylinder.

If the handle is loose or the mortise lock is worn out and doesn t lock anymore it s time to replace the hardware on your storm door. Mortise locks are most commonly found in older homes and in commercial applications. Convert a door that has a mortise type lock set installed to the newer and cheaper cylinder type lock sets. These locks were common at the turn of the twentieth century and are still in use today.

To ensure the lock body cover also fits in the old mortise it may be necessary to chisel out some depth into the door. The cylinder lock is the modern standard. Therefore even if you pick one of the best mortise locks from the market but don t know how to install a mortise lock properly it may turn out to be a waste of money. Mortise locks may have wavered in popularity over the years but they remain a common way to secure a home.

If you re moving from a mortise lock to a knob set you ll need to first remove the mortise lock. One most often finds mortise locks in aging homes. However installing a simple mortise lock is quite complicated. Secure the lock body into the door with a screw trace the opening with a utility knife then remove the lock body and chisel it out.

Click the links below to see inside. If you re aren t familiar with the name these are the locks that have a door knob with a key hole underneath separated by the wood of the door. There are many variations but they all basically work the same. How to replace the lock and hardware on a storm door.

Here is a quick diy guideline for replacing the mortise latch and lockset on a storm door. However many homeowners prefer the newer cylindrical type of lock set which doesn t require such a large pocket in a door. They are most often seen in houses built before the 1970s.