Change or rekey · Georgina
Deadbolt Installation
The front door has a handsome lever and a keyed knob, and that is all.
In plain words
Most of the value in a deadbolt is on the frame side, which is why a good installation spends as much time on the jamb as on the door. The bolt is only as strong as the pocket it throws into and the screws that hold the strike. Short screws in a standard strike bite only into the thin jamb board; a reinforced strike fastened with 75 mm screws passes through that board into the stud behind, so a blow against the door meets the house rather than a strip of pine. The pocket is cut deep enough for a full throw and aligned so the bolt slides home freely.
How the visit goesYou bought a keypad deadbolt online and pulled the old one off, only to find the hole in the door is a different size and the bolt latch sits at a backset the new kit does not list. The door is now open and the box is on the counter.
Deadbolt Installation
How the visit goes
The frame behind the strike
A bolt is only as good as what it throws into, so the jamb gets a hard look before anything is ordered. The locksmith checks whether the jamb is wood or steel, whether it is backed by solid framing at lock height or by a gap of shims and air, and whether earlier screws have torn out or been stripped. A jamb that flexes under a palm tells its own story. Where a strike has been fitted before, the old pocket is examined for depth and position, since a shallow or offset pocket is the usual reason an existing deadbolt feels stiff. This check decides between a plain strike, a reinforced strike with long screws, or a full-length jamb reinforcer.
Swapping an old deadbolt in place
When an existing bolt is being replaced, the work starts by backing out the two inside screws and lifting off both housings, then removing the bolt from the edge. The bore and backset are measured against the new hardware, and any difference is dealt with before the new bolt goes in: a larger bore for a smart deadbolt, a different faceplate shape, or a spacer for a thinner door. The new bolt, cylinder and thumb-turn go on in the usual order. The old strike comes off too, the pocket is deepened if needed, and a reinforced strike with long screws replaces it, so the upgrade happens on both sides of the gap.
The rest of the door, tidied
A deadbolt installation usually leaves the whole entry better than it found it. Hinge screws that were loose have been replaced with longer ones that bite into the framing, so the door hangs square. Weatherstrip that pinched the door has been trimmed and the latch below the new bolt has been checked against its own strike. The bore edges are clean, any shavings and steel filings have been vacuumed from the sill and the core, and the finish around the new hardware is unmarked. Open and close the door a few times over the next week and let the locksmith know if anything changes as the door settles.
Deadbolt Installation
In the van
Single-cylinder deadbolt
Jamb reinforcer
Reinforced strike plate
Rekeying pins and key blanks
75 mm (3 in) strike screws
Deadbolt Installation
What affects the quote
Removing and disposing of the old hardware
Some visits end with the old deadbolt and strike left with the homeowner, and others ask for it to be removed and hauled away. Taking the old hardware away adds a small amount of time and is agreed before the new deadbolt goes in.
New bore or replacement into existing holes
Boring a door that has never had a deadbolt takes more time and tooling than dropping a new bolt into holes that are already there, and the quote reflects which of the two your door needs.
Number of doors
One front door is the simplest case. Front, back, side and garage-to-house doors done in one visit share the travel and setup, so the per-door figure usually eases as the count rises.
What to have ready
- Have you already bought the hardware, and if so which model and does the template come with it?
- Would you like a keyed deadbolt, a keypad, or a smart lock you can control from a phone?
- Is there glass in the door or a sidelight beside it within arm's reach of the lock?
Deadbolt Installation: questions
QuestionsDo I need a deadbolt on the door from the garage into the house?
It is worth having. The door between an attached garage and the living space is in practice often the softest way in, since a garage door left open leaves a passage knob as the only barrier. A thumb-turn deadbolt there costs a few minutes a day and closes that gap.
Can a keypad or smart deadbolt be fitted instead of a keyed one?
Yes, and the preparation is the same. Many electronic deadbolts use the standard 54 mm bore and the same edge bore, so a door cut for a mechanical bolt often accepts one, and a keyed bolt fitted today can usually be swapped for a keypad later, subject to that model's own bore, backset and thickness needs. The locksmith checks door thickness against the model, fits a reinforced strike as usual, sets up codes with you and shows where the backup cylinder or battery terminals are.
Someone forced my door. Can the new deadbolt go into the same frame?
In most cases, yes. The locksmith examines the jamb for splits and stripped screw holes, glues and pins any cracked section, and fits a full-length jamb reinforcer under the strike so the new long screws bite into sound wood and the stud behind. A new pocket is bored to the correct depth. Where the jamb is beyond repair, replacing that section of frame is discussed before any lock goes on.
Related services
- Lock Replacement & UpgradeThe lever on the side door droops toward the floor and rattles in your hand.
- Vintage Mortise Lock ServiceThe old skeleton key still fits the keyhole, but it now needs a jiggle, a lean on the door and a little luck before the bolt moves.
- Smart Lock InstallationThe kids get home before you do and the spare key has been lost twice this school year.