Inset locks in metal doors: professional advice

Today we will explain to you how to insert a lock into a metal door, as well as what subtleties need to be taken into account in this.

To date, metal doors are firmly established in our everyday life as defenders of housing. In addition to the thickness of the metal door leaf, the quality of the cut-in lock is of great importance.

You should know! If you bought a cheap “Chinese” entrance metal door with an already built-in lock, then there is a great possibility that an intruder could easily pick up the key to it.

The general sequence of actions when inserting locks into metal entrance doors is as follows:

1. Choose a lock to your door.
2. Mark up space on the canvas for mounting the lock body.
3. We cut in the lock case and the locking mechanism in the door.
4. We install knobs and covers (see. Decorative door covers: types and installation).
5. Making holes on the box for crossbars.

How to choose the right lock for a metal door

Of all the variety for your "defender" fit only mortise locks for metal doors, the body of which is installed directly into the door leaf. It is very rare to see the use of overhead locks on metal entrance doors in everyday life (see. Doors own metal doors).

You should know! If you want to replace your mechanical lock with an electronic one, then be sure to take care of its backup power source.

Here are some guidelines for choosing a lock for your metal door:

• The lock mechanism of the steel door leaf most often contains a handlewhich is also an additional door lock. That is, it has an additional tongue for fixing the web in the closed state.
• It is best to buy a lock with lever or cylinder mechanism. And even better, if you install two locks: one lever and the other cylinder.

You should know! Level locks are resistant to force. When buying, pay attention to its bolts out of the case at a distance of at least 25 mm. Cylinder locking mechanisms are more convenient to use and easy to replace - just change the mask.

• If you chose a domestic lock, be sure to check the certification marks on the packaging.. If they are not, then most likely it is a fake.
• Do not buy a very cheap lock. Not only can it easily be hacked, but in operation it will bring a lot of trouble.
• All mortise locks for metal doors are divided by degree of reliability into four categories. The first is the most easily accessible to hackers (see Breaking in the door and countering this). We recommend to purchase the 2nd or 3rd category. Since they are the most acceptable option. 4th category may be too expensive, but it is the most reliable.

Technology tapping locking mechanism on the front door

A lock insert may be necessary in two cases: you want to change an old one that failed (see Repair of locks in metal doors) or you bought a metal entrance door without a lock.

In the first case, the installation process of the lock can be very simple. You just need to take out the old body from the canvas and buy a similar in size. This will save you from unnecessary work to change the configuration of the door.

If you want to change the existing lock to a more reliable one, or the manufacturer simply did not punch it into your new door, then you should prepare the following tool:

• Electric drill with metal drills.
• Screwdriver.
• Metal files.
• LBM - "Bulgarian" with a cutting disc for metal 1 mm thick.
• Kerner.

Once the tool is ready, you can get down to business. Consider the option when it is necessary "again" to insert a lock into a metal door.

• First of all, you need to mark the place of the entrance of the body into the cavity of the web. To do this, measure about 100 cm from the floor and make a notch at the end of the door.
• We apply
• We drill the extreme places of the entrance of the body from above and below with a drill with a small diameter.

You should know! That the drill did not slide off it is necessary to center the hole with the center punch.

• Next, the grinder gently cut the edges of the opening for the lock body. If there is no grinder, then you can drill one after the other holes of the desired diameter (through the thickness of the lock) and then process them with a file.
• We check if the body enters the well intended for it. If necessary, expand it, use again the angle grinder or file.
• We apply замок к корпусу двери на «родное» место и размечаем место для личины — запорного механизма.
• We drill holes under the secret from both sides of the door leaf.
• The correct insertion of the lock into the metal door is checked as follows: insert the case into the prepared recess, fasten with screws, insert and fasten the mask. After these actions, check the bolt stroke with the key, that is, try to close and open the lock several times.

Fasteners overlays on the lock metal door

The next stage is the installation of plates with handles on the door leaf.

There may be two installation options:

• Fasteners are made with screws that come with handles.
• Fasten the door lining screws.

In the first version, you need to attach the pads to the place where they will be attached and center the hole for the screw with a center punch. In this case, the drill should be slightly larger than its diameter. Drilling must be done from two sides.

After the holes are made, insert the handle-lining in place and tighten the screws.

You should know! If the handle has an additional tongue for the retainer, then it is also necessary to drill holes on both sides of the door.

The second method is simpler - just make the markings in the corresponding holes of the plates and just screw them with screws on the metal. Keep in mind that this method of fasteners is not suitable for doors, "skimmers", in which the thickness of the metal is small!

We finish the installation of the mortise lock in the metal door

The inset of the locks in the metal door ends with the need to make holes for the entry of bolts in the door frame.

Here the same sequence of work as when inserting the lock body into the cavity of the door leaf:

• First of all, we mark the extreme points: top and bottom. Next, do parallel saws grinder (drill a drill for metal) between them. The width of the resulting cavity in the end of the box should be 1-2 mm larger than the size of the bolt.
• After the hole is ready, close it with a special lining, screwing it to the box body with metal screws.