Tools for the job

Top tips

• Mark the height and width of the lock body centrally onto the latch stile of the door. Create the cavity for the lock body by drilling several holes of the right depth with a drill bit of diameter just larger than the lock body into this marked area. Use a hammer and chisel to neaten up the edges and remove any remaining waste.
• Push the lock into the recess and draw around the face plate. Remove the lock and chisel a thin layer of wood away up to these new lines. Reverse the lock and offer its face up to this hole to check you have removed enough wood to recess it flush with the edge of the door.
• Drill pilot holes for the face plate.
• Hold the lock side on to the face of the door with its face plate flush to the edge. Mark the position of the keyhole and/or spindle. Carefully drill these holes, taking care when the drill exits the other side of the door not to splinter the wood.
• Vacuum away any debris and sawdust before screwing the lock home and testing its function.
• Now close the door against the frame and mark the top and bottom of the latch and or deadbolt on the frame. Transfer these lines horizontally to the frame rebate.
• Hold the strike plate in position on the frame rebate, such that its cutout area is central and lines up with the horizontal lines just made. Draw around the outside and the inside of the strike plate.
• Chisel away enough material to recess the strike plate flush with the door frame and to accommodate the deadbolt and latch. Check for a neat fit before drilling pilot holes and screwing the plate tight.
• Finally check the door opens and closes freely and that the lock works smoothly, making any adjustments if necessary.

Further information and useful links

• Door security
• Introduction to doors
• Introduction to painting doors
• Full list of windows & doors topics

• Find a Door Furniture supplier near you
• Find a Door Security supplier near you