Close the door, reopen it, and observe the results. Use extreme caution and wear safety glasses when using these tools. If necessary, remove the door's hinges and adjust them to reposition the door. All locations are individually owned and operated. 5. If the route of travel does not align with the opening in the striker plate, you have found the problem. 4.5 out of 5 stars (3) 3 product ratings - YALE CHROME TUBULAR LATCH 2.5"/64mm Internal Interior Door Handle Mortice Catch. A properly installed door features a 1/8-inch gap along the latch side to allow the door to swing and function correctly. 687 sold. Back Next . Step 2 – Chisel out the Strike Plate. Is the lipstick line too low, or too high? If this is not your problem, see 'Door Repair' for all of the Door Repair topics. Close. Is the Door Adjusted Properly. 6 watching. Get it as soon as Mon, Dec 28. Make a series of closely spaced cuts into the mortise area. After I replaced the strike plate for the door knob on an exterior door, I found that the predrilled screw holes were slightly too far forward. Gaps along the latch side of a door may be reduced by shimming out the hinges in some cases. 3. Then it would be a matter of the door not pushing tight enough for the latch to drop into the strike plate hole. Close the door and test the fit. The misalignment may not be visually apparent, so the first thing to do is the "lipstick test". 36. The Fix – A short term fix is to move the strike plate to align better with the stuck door latch. Use a sharp chisel to enlarge the strike plate mortise. Mark the area around the strike plate that you want to install flush with the wood. To shim the hinges, remove the screws from one hinge, then slide a layer of cardboard between the hinge and the door frame. Double check by standing on the hinge side of the door and close it until the latch bolt just hits the strike plate. If the mark is more than 1/8 inch above or below the strike plate … First, shut the door and take a look at how far off the strike plate is in order for the latch barrel to align with the plate hole. If you have a door in your home that won't close properly, chances are that it has settled over time, along with the house. Turn the knob to open the door and release the knob slowly. Your health and safety are our highest priority during this time. Archived. It's a five-minute fix. The strike plate receives the door latch and/or deadbolt for your door lock. She received a bachelor's degree in economics and management from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. Emily Beach works in the commercial construction industry in Maryland. By shutting your door, you can mark the point on the door frame that latch is coming in contact with. 26. If the latch is off by 1/8 inch or less, remove the strike plate from the door jamb and enlarge the hole slightly with a file. There is a pretty easy way to determine where the door latch is hitting the strike plate. $9.99 $ 9. If the gap on your door exceeds this standard clearance, your door may fail to latch, leaving you vulnerable to security and privacy problems. This article describes a trick to relocating holes like this, by fill in the old holes and fix the problem. The Easiest Way to Install a Replacement Entrance Door on Your Home, How to Replace a Front Door Lock With a Keyed Deadbolt, This Old House: Fitting Old Doors in New Frames, The Family Handyman: Interior Door Repair -- Interior Doors That Won't Stay Closed, How to Reinforce a Door for Security Cheaply, How to Convert a Solid Door to a Dutch Door, How to Replace a Residential Front Door Entry Hand Set. Or is the gap between the door and strike plate too wide? £2.39 to £5.39. If the gap along the latch side of your door is allowing unwanted air to infiltrate your space or letting expensive heat or cooled air out, weatherstripping can help reduce or eliminate this space. If the latch is still sticking, you may need to add another piece of cardboard. If it hits too high or low then the door lock won’t latch. Door Latch Strike Plate Stainless Steel Plates D Shaped Mortice Latch UK. State and local laws may impact the services this independently owned and operated franchise location may perform at this time. Turn the knob to retract the latch, close the door, then release the knob so the latch just barely touches the strike plate. A common problem that we see with interior doors is that they seem to close OK but don't latch. 10 $26.99 $26.99. Please contact the franchise location for additional information. If the latch is off by 1/8 inch or less, remove the strike plate from the door jamb and enlarge the hole slightly with a file. If they don't line up the lock won't work properly. If the latch seems too low, that's usually because the door has sagged. Available in a large variety of sizes and finishes to ensure you can replace like for like and match with your current decor. Smaller than other variations of locks meaning these tubular latches can be fitted with much less effort and minimal cutting and drilling of the door. Repairs range from making minor latch adjustments to repositioning the door. 2. Latches that don't fit properly into these plates will allow doors to rattle, or prevent them from closing. You may have to repeat this action to add a second or even a third layer of cardboard as needed to reduce the gap. If the mark is too low, raise the latch by tightening the hinges at the top of the door. If the sound persists, adjust the metal plate that is attached to the door frame so that it doesn’t grind on the latch when the door is being closed. Door can be pushed open. Step 7 Check that all writing is upright. Gator Door Latch Restorer - Strike Plate (Satin Nickel) 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,206. A strike plate is a piece of hardware that works with a lock to keep a door secure. Adjust accordingly. Copyright © Mr. Handyman, All rights reserved. Image Credit: Debbie Williams Place the cylinder assembly through the door edge hole. Door Lock Doesn’t Latch Properly. too high or too low, you'll need to reposition the strike plate. Take your chisel and enlarge the opening in the door frame for the strike plate, so that it will still … Place the strike plate on so the two lines are central in the hole, like in the picture above. Consider equipping the door knob from each side with a door silencer like Latchy Catchy to prevent the latch from engaging and making any noise. Use cardboard cut from a food packing box, not corrugated cardboard. The edge strike not being cut in too, Dec 28 bolt on the strike too... 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