DIY guideDoor
Replace a door lockset, deadbolt or smart lock
Measure so the new one fits, take the old set and latch out, fit the new latch and both halves, and test the throw: a knob, a lever, a deadbolt or a keypad.
- 30 min to 1 hr
- 8 steps
- Every step animated
8 steps
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Measure the hole's width and the backset, from the door's edge to the hole's middle, and buy a set that matches.
On the inside, undo the two screws, pull the two halves apart, and lift them out.
Undo the two screws in the door's edge and slide the old latch or bolt out.
Slide the new latch in, its slanted side facing the way the door closes, and screw its plate on.
Feed the outside half's bar through the latch, set the inside half on it, and screw them together. A keypad's cable goes through first.
Put in its batteries, and follow its app or booklet to set the codes and which way the bolt throws.
With the door open, lock and unlock it every way. Then shut it and lock it: the bolt should slide all the way into the frame.
The bolt won't reach the frame, the door's edge splits, or the holes need cutting bigger: ask Handyman for a locksmith.
What you need
- The new lockset, deadbolt or smart lock
- A screwdriver
- A tape measure
- Batteries, for a smart lock
Call a pro if
- The bolt won't reach or line up with the frame
- The door's edge is split
- The holes need cutting bigger
Handyman says: Won't line up? I'll find a locksmith.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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