If you want your door lockset to operate smoothly and not bind up when you turn the doorknob or try to lock it it s imperative the two holes you drill align perfectly in both directions.
Hole in door frame for lock.
Align the edge of the strike plate s hole just to the door side of the mark and proceed with scoring around the strike plate.
Chiseling a recess called a mortise for a door lock plate is one of those jobs that s very simple in theory but also very easy to mess up.
2 cut the faceplate outfit a rotary tool with a 650 router bit and 335 plunge router attachment.
Remove the door latch.
The lock cylinder leaves a hole over 2 inches in diameter completely through the door and there s an additional hole through the door edge where the bolt used to reside.
Cross or edge bore.
Close the door and turn the deadbolt several times to mark the doorframe.
Poor alignment can occur because your house has settled or shifted over time the door frame is old or warped or the door is sagging on its hinges.
But if you look at the last door that i installed you will quickly see that i am not a professional carpenter.
Drill pilot holes and secure the striker plate with screws.
Slide the door latch into the latch hole and trace the outline of the faceplate onto the edge of the door with a pencil.
Mortise the area around the hole so the strike plate will fit flush with the doorframe.
The hole on the other side that is the hole in the door that the bolt slides through is called the edge bore.
Usually the backset measures 2 3 8 inches or 2 3 4 inches.
The distance between the edge of the door and the center of the lock hole.
Use a 7 8 spade bit to drill two overlapping holes in the doorframe for the deadbolt.
Luckily fixing the alignment of your door doesn t have to be a chore.
New wooden doors typically already have holes drilled to accept doorknobs but they may not be ready for deadbolt lock installations.
Use this checklist and our suggestions to get your new lock and door working in perfect harmony.
The small hole along the edge of the door frame usually measuring about 1 inch in diameter.
Set the depth of cut on the router attachment to match the thickness of the faceplate.