How to remove and disassemble the interior door lock?

A door lock, at first glance, is not a very noticeable accessory in our apartments, houses, offices, garages and other premises. At the same time, it is the locks that are the most important part of ensuring our security. In this article, we'll talk about how to properly remove and disassemble the interior door lock.

Door locks for interior doors can be classified according to several criteria. By the type of locking, there are lever and cylinder products, and by the type of installation - mortise, overhead and hinged.

• Suvald castle is a fairly massive device, which can be unlocked and locked with levers. They, in turn, push the crossbar. This type of lock is rarely installed on interior doors, since it has a larger weight and size compared to others. But sometimes there is a need to install the product in question, for example, on the door to the pantry, or to ensure the reliable safety of any items in another room.

• Cylinder lock with the main mechanism of action on the bolt or tongue has a pivoting cylinder. This type of lock is the most suitable for use on interior doors, as it has a rather simple design, small size and, accordingly, low weight.

• Mounted options most often they are used on the doors of utility rooms, garages, basements, cellars, since this type of product assumes ease of installation with sufficient reliability. At the same time, the aesthetic function is completely absent, therefore, such products are very rarely installed on interior doors.

• Overhead locks also have the property of ease of installation and are most often used on entrance doors, but sometimes they are also found on interior doors.

• Mortise lock - the most common type of product for interior doors, as it has very important properties, such as aesthetics, for example. Its mechanism is hidden inside the door, it is possible to install handles of various types, sizes, colors, etc.

Let us consider the mechanism for removing the lock from the interior door using the example of the most common type - a mortise product. At the preparatory stage, it is important to prepare the appropriate tool that will be needed in the process of work:

• screwdrivers with a flat and cross-shaped end (curly);
• hammer;
• nail;
• puncture or other metal object with a sharp tip.

Before directly removing the mortise lock, you must remove the existing handles. In the lever lock, the handles are attached to the mechanism with cotter pins. To remove them, you need to take a nail or a breakdown and knock out the cotter pin on the handle from one side of the door with a hammer and remove it, and then remove the other handle from the lock. In the cylinder mechanism, use the appropriate screwdrivers to unscrew the door handle covers, which, as a rule, are fixed with self-tapping screws or screws, then remove the handles.

Then we take a flat-end screwdriver and, prying from the end of the door, we begin to pull the mechanism out of it. In this case, one should not make great efforts, since the door can be damaged, which will entail additional work to restore or replace it.

To disassemble the mortise lock, it is important to prepare the place where it will be carried out. The wisest thing is to use a desk or kitchen table. It is also worth preparing a cotton cloth, on which we will disassemble, screwdrivers with a flat and cross-shaped end.

• We lay out the fabric on a flat, even surface, on which we put the mechanism with the fastening screws up. We unscrew the screws with a screwdriver, usually their number is from 4 to 6.
• Carefully, prying with a flat-end screwdriver, remove the top plate. After removing it, the entire lock mechanism is visible. Taking into account safety precautions, we take out the spring in the lock, while making sure that it does not fly out of the seat, as it is energized (as a rule, in a compressed state and when removed from the seat it expands sharply).
• The next step is to disconnect the levers from the crossbar and take them out. Disassembly is over. The assembly is carried out in the reverse order.

Almost all specialists in the removal and disassembly of interior door locks note several points to which special attention should be paid.

• You can remove the spring manually or pry it off with a screwdriver, covering the mechanism with a rag or hand.
• It is important to wipe all parts of the mechanism with a dry, clean rag in order to remove old grease and assess the degree of wear, as well as the possibility of further use or the need for replacement.
• Before assembly, it is very important to lubricate all parts of the lock mechanism, including the spring, with special grease. This procedure contributes to a more durable, trouble-free operation of the product.
• The lubricant must be selected from a range of graphite options. Substances based on graphite are less susceptible to temperature extremes, dust accumulation, etc.

From the video you will learn how to independently remove the door handle of an interior door and install a new one.