Installing a deadbolt is a simple way to add security to your home. Best of all, it is a relatively easy process which most people can do themselves. With a few tools and some patience, installing your own deadbolt should be painless.
The first step in installing a deadbolt is deciding what type of lock to get. The most secure lock are the double-cylindered, double-keyed lock. These locks have the security advantage of requiring a key to get in or out of the door, but can prove a hazard in the case of an emergency, such as a fire, when you don’t have time to be struggling with a key. By far the most popular deadbolts are the single-keyed lock, which requires a key to get into the door but has a latch on the other side.
Once you’ve decided on a deadbolt, you should gather your tools. Different types of locks require different size tools, and the deadbolt packaging should provide these specifications. For the most part, though, you’ll need a power drill, a spade bit, a hole saw, a tape measure, hammer, chisel, and screwdriver. Again, the sizes of these items depend on the specific deadbolt you’ve purchased.
You are now ready for the installation. First, decide how high you want to place the deadbolt. Most people like to place it at least a few inches above the doorknob, but make sure that it is in a comfortable position. Locate the template from the deadbolt package. This piece of paper provides the guidelines for where to drill the holes. This is a very important step, because if you incorrectly drill the holes, you can not only render your lock worthless, but ruin an entire door. Instructions for the template will be provided with the deadbolt; follow them carefully. Place the template on the door as instructed and make two small marks with a sharp instrument where the template indicates. These marks indicate where you will drill the holes for the cylinder and the latch itself.
The next step is to use the hole saw to drill a hole for the cylinder in the door face. It is important to drill this hole first. Make certain that you line up the pilot drill in the center of the hole saw with the center of the hole you wish to drill. Drill straight and evenly, exerting enough pressure to move through the door while not pushing too hard, which can cause jamming. Once the teeth of the hole saw peek through the other side of the door, extract the hole saw and drill from the other side. This will prevent the hole from splintering.
Once you’ve finished with the hole saw, switch to the spade bit, and prepare to drill the latch hole. Line up the tip of the spade bit with the template mark you made earlier on the edge of the door. Begin to drill, being extra careful to stay straight and true, until the hole opens up into the cylinder hole you’ve already drilled.
After your holes are drilled, you are ready to install the latch plate, which provides support and added security for the latch. Do this by lining up the latch plate over the hole you drilled with the spade bit on the side of the door. Once the holes are evenly aligned, outline the latch plate with a pencil, and set the latch plate aside. Now take your chisel and carefully gouge the wood where the latch plate will sit. You can use a hammer to tap lightly, making sure the sharp part of the chisel is cutting into the wood at all times. You want the latch plate to be set into the wood so that it doesn’t interfere with closing or opening the door. Once you’ve chiseled enough wood for the latch plate to set flush, use your pencil to make marks where the screw holes of the latch plate sit on the door. Use your drill to make small pilot holes (using a bit slightly smaller than the screws themselves), and then install the latch plate with the screws provided.
Next you can install the bolt itself. The deadbolt will most likely be in two pieces which much be assembled from either side of the door – follow the instructions provided for how the mechanism fits together. Make sure that the keyed portion of the cylinder is facing out. Slide the two pieces together through the cylinder hole, and then tighten the screws provided. This will clamp the deadbolt to the door. Turn the latch a few times to make sure that the bolt slides smoothly through the latch plate.
The final step to a deadbolt installation is putting in the strike plate. This is a similar process to installing the latch plate, except on the door frame instead of the door itself. There are different types of strike plates, but all of them require you to drill a hole into the door frame for the bolt to slide into. It is absolutely imperative that the latch plate and the strike plate match up evenly, or the deadbolt will not work properly. Using the same spade bit you used before, drill a hole deep enough to accommodate the length of the latch into the door frame. Line up the strike plate, outlining it as you did with the latch plate earlier. Using the chisel, gouge enough wood so that the strike plate will fit snugly into the wood. As with the latch plate, drill your pilot holes, and then install the screws that come with the strike plate.
That’s all there is to it. If you allow yourself plenty of time, and are careful with your measurements and drilling, you can go to sleep at night both with the satisfaction of added security and the knowledge that you did it yourself.
