Replacing the lock on the front door - step by step instructions for different types of mechanisms

No matter how reliable and indestructible the locks on the front doors are, they periodically have to be replaced. All people need to know exactly in what situations this is done and how exactly this work is done. In addition, the replacement of products may have its own nuances, depending on their design - this must also be taken into account.

Replacing the lock is absolutely necessary if a new door is purchased. In most cases, manufacturers do not complete it with locking devices. Therefore, the choice must be made by the residents themselves. But it is important to take into account that changing the lock on the entrance metal door in an apartment or private house is needed when the keys are lost. If at least one key is lost, there is a high risk that it could be used by intruders. In the worst case, it turns out that the key did not disappear, but was simply stolen, and the robbery is already being prepared.

There are several more situations when a new lock is required even for an iron door:

• if the dwelling is transferred to new owners;
• if an apartment or a house is bought, and the locks are old;
• departure of tenants and preparation for the arrival of new tenants;
• there are clear signs of preparation for hacking, taking casts;
• a house or entrance was chosen by a gang of thieves, which had already successfully entered a number of apartments;
• the new house has locks from the developer, which are clearly not perfect.

Since we are talking about the safety of people and property, it is necessary to pay great attention to the preparatory stage. The first step is to select the right type of constipation. In any case, it is worth abandoning the use of hinged structures. No matter how massive and strong they may look, modern robbers have long learned to overcome this protection without keys and master keys with one brute force. Even for utility rooms, padlocks no longer provide adequate protection.

The overhead lock type is mounted on the inside of the canvas, the counterpart is placed on the frame. The advantage of the design is ease of installation (it does not violate the integrity of the sash). But such products are not very suitable for steel doors. The designers are also dissatisfied with them - the aesthetic characteristics of doors with such locks deteriorate sharply. In most cases, a patch lock plays an auxiliary role.

Mortise modifications, as their name implies, are installed in the sash cavity. These products are quite reliable and well protected from burglary. There is no danger that the interior will be damaged. The mortise lock can be installed on a plastic, wooden or metal door. The security category, directly related to the level of secrecy, is expressed in numbers 1 - 4 (the higher the value, the safer the device).

Having chosen a suitable modification of the lock, you need to prepare a set of tools. Since you always have to drill holes, you can't do without an electric drill.

In addition to her, they use:

• saw;
• pliers;
• small scrap;
• screwdriver;
• jigsaw.

Replacement of locks of each type has its own peculiarities. The cylinder mechanism can be installed very easily, even if you do not go to professionals. First, you only need to buy a reliable device. The work is extremely simple: you just need to remove a single bolt. A Phillips screwdriver is used for this purpose. Competent selection of the mechanism begins with removing the old device and carefully measuring it.

In order not to be mistaken and to put a suitable type of mechanism, pay attention, first of all, to the distance from the edge of the case to the central point. You also need to consider the length of the body. If you use a symmetrical lock with a length of 6.2 cm, the distance between the edge and the middle is exactly 3.1 cm. A cylinder mechanism with a two-way keyhole can be inserted. But it is allowed to use such devices where a toggle switch is located opposite the well.

The core (larva) is perfectly replaceable, even if it and the lock are made by different manufacturers. It is even possible to insert products that differ sharply in terms of security. But we must take into account the importance of the length, which determines the size.

Most often, cores are made, the size of which is:

• 6;
• 7;
• 8;
• 9 cm.

It is very easy to exclude an error in the selection: you need to take into account the thickness of the lining. Asymmetrical cylinders are used when you need a lock insert on the door:

• with a porch;
• with decorative panels;
• entrance group doors.

It is not always possible to find a part that is ideally matched in size. But it is still worth using a design with the same dimensions as possible. A deflection of more than 0.3 cm can lead to serious problems - either the protruding part will get in the way, or the deeply recessed part will make it difficult to open the door. It is recommended to use cores with a large number of combinations - they complicate the actions of criminals.

How exactly to disassemble the old cylinder lock, if it is embedded and tightly held in the canvas, will be prompted by the manufacturer's instructions. There can be no ready-made general instructions on this score. It is recommended that you take all the old parts, and not leave any parts inside. Then you can not be afraid of a mismatch of the parts of the lock, incorrect operation or jamming. The hole cut in the door must be the same diameter as the cylinder.

This part is inserted from the outside. Then it is fixed using mounting plates. Then the connecting rods are inserted. It is imperative to leave some part of the rod on the outside. The rod is used to string the rest of the functional parts. In most cases, a button is placed on the surface of the case, pressing which releases the locking latch.

With all the popularity of cylinder locks, it is impossible to do only with them. All professionals, including those from law enforcement agencies, strongly recommend installing at least two locks of different types on the front doors. In addition to cylinders, it is best to use a lever device. It is very important to install it according to all the rules, otherwise even the most expensive design will be almost useless. It is recommended to place the lock no lower than 90 cm and no higher than 110 cm above the floor.

Next, you need to attach the lock to the door and mark the location of the keyhole. It is obtained by drilling the canvas with a drill or cutting it with a grinder. Now you can install the locking device itself, fix it and evaluate its performance. Having completed this work, they install the overlay, insert the key to mark the places for attaching additional parts. When the pad is installed and fixed, it is imperative to check whether the lock works smoothly.

It remains to mark the places where the crossbars enter. You can cut holes both with a drill and a grinder - it depends on the availability of the tool and on the skills of working with it. Those who have experience of such work will spend up to 2 hours. But inexperienced craftsmen can face a number of insurmountable problems. To solve them successfully and get reliable protection of your home from intrusion, it is sometimes more correct to turn to professionals.

This procedure is a little more complicated than working with leveled models. But it is worth knowing its features if only because such locks are often used in the latest versions of steel doors. They allow you to reliably protect against most hacking attempts. All work is performed only after removing the door from the hinges. Additionally, you will have to disassemble the canvas.

It should be noted that there is no standard size for the crossbar lock. Products installed in garages and homes can be of different sizes. Differences may relate to the shape, the location of the slots on 1 or 2 sides, the angle of inclination. All this needs to be analyzed in advance, even before the purchase. The list of required tools is the same as in other cases.

As always, first determine the place of installation of the lock. Oriented to a height that will allow you to use it with maximum convenience. Next, mark the points where the holes will be drilled. In this case, one must be guided by the contours along which the key will be mounted. Marking the end of the door, they carefully look at how thick the locking device is.

The rectangular contour (outer boundaries of the castle) is marked with holes. The top and bottom lines are shown especially carefully. Most experts believe that a rectangle in metal needs to be cut with a grinder. And if it is not there, it is advisable to use a file. This hand tool also allows you to get the job done, although it will take more effort.

Next, they check whether the lock is normally put in place. As the professionals say, preliminary fixation is performed. Then you need to remove it and mark where the key goes. Then they take a drill and drill a keyhole. Now it is necessary to re-install the lock with sliding bolts.

Before replacing the locks, it is imperative to determine which type of locking device is already installed. Best of all, if a lock of the same type as the old one is installed in a specific place, this will reduce the amount of work. Since all owners are interested in simplifying subsequent repairs, it is advisable to give preference to structures that have an internal secret. They can be repaired (with rare exceptions) without disassembling the entire device, without dismantling it. Choosing a lever lock for replacement, you need to buy models with the largest possible number of levers (this immediately increases reliability).

Let us analyze again the nuances of replacing each type of locks. When working with cylinder devices, it is recommended to have rivets and a gun ready for their use. Removing the larva, they gradually pull the turntable towards themselves, while trying to slowly unfold it. Removing the part is extremely easy as soon as the tongue is in the desired position. Otherwise, you must act if the cylinder is made according to the "key - key" system. In this case:

• insert the key into the well;
• scroll a little (at an angle of 10 to 15 degrees);
• pull it towards themselves.

Next, remove the screws that hold the handles themselves on both sides. When the handles are removed, a square steel bar is revealed. It is removed to gain access to the turning mechanism.It remains to remove the screws located at the end of the case. After that, you can already remove the case itself. Measurements of the larva, parts of the body and handles are carried out. The measured values ​​will allow you to more accurately select the appropriate design. If you need to make it easier to open from the inside, models of locks with a turntable are preferable. For your information: the handle bar should be at least equal in length and width to the previously used handles. All of the above points are typical for working with locks of any well-known manufacturers.

Remember that the fixing screws at the bottom of the lever handle must be tightened. When the installation is complete, evaluate how the handles work, how the lock works on both sides. This is required when the door is open. Then the slightest errors in the work will be visible immediately. A similar check is carried out after the door is closed. It is often found that something is interfering with the girders. After applying a layer of toothpaste to them, try again. A mark will appear showing where and how much to remove the metal. You need to remove it with a grinder, but as carefully as possible. It is even better to repeat the procedure several times than to remove too much material.

When done correctly, the mechanism runs extremely smoothly. They turn the handle or turn the key - and there is not the slightest feeling that something clinging somewhere slows down the movement of the working parts. There is no need to press, press down on the canvas, forcefully rotate the key or handle. But since usually cylinder locks in entrance doors are used together with lever locks, it is necessary to look at the features of working with this mechanism. If the trims are held in place by rivets, it is recommended to drill them out.

Like a cylinder lock, it is most correct to change a lever lock to an exact analogue. It is worth remembering, however, that it is often necessary to widen the holes a little. For this work, you will have to use a cone cutter. Checking the result is simple: both from the inside and from the outside, the key should easily enter the well. If this condition is met, you can permanently attach the lock to the door (for example, using rivets).

Both cylinder and lever locks are most difficult to change in a metal door. Correction of the bore holes is significantly complicated or even impossible. To eliminate the problems associated with this, you must always buy the lock directly from the company that made the door itself. If this is not possible, you should be interested in the list of compatible models. In some cases, it is not necessary to replace the entire lock, but only its individual parts.

In addition to the two main types of locks, it is useful to pay attention to the "invisible" type constructions. They are significantly better in terms of burglary resistance. Professionals advise to always think about the strength of not only the lock, but also the door. Sometimes the box itself also has to be reinforced. But even if this is not necessary, it is necessary to work so that changing the lock does not weaken the canvas. As for the disc models of locks, they are divided into two types - automatic and semi-automatic. In both cases, there is a larva. It is changed in case of damage, but it is still worth completely replacing the mechanism. If the handle of the cylinder lock breaks, you can limit yourself to replacing it. Regardless of the type of device, when the structure is worn out, it is necessary to replace it entirely.

Lever locks made abroad cannot be “simply” replaced. You will need to recode the device and pick up new keys. Russian models are changing, so recoding is not practiced in them.It is also important to consider this point: all decorative parts of the fittings that do not interfere with the replacement of a part of the lock can be left in place. The main lock is usually placed under the handle or directly above it. If it is necessary to change the case in the cylinder lock, they begin by opening the mechanism. The crossbars must be fully retracted. Now you need to pull out the cylinder, remove the handles, latches and the armor plate. But the overlays covering the keyhole can be left alone. But you need to remove the end screws - there are 2 or 4 of them in different designs.

After completing this step, pry the lock on the end plate and carefully remove it. Instead, a similar product is placed in the opened cavity. As with other things, it's best to buy the same model of lock case to make your job easier. Almost always, it boils down to performing the same actions, only in reverse order. Only in a few cases will it be necessary to grind metal or wood, expanding the entrance channels.

Of course, if the instruction requires a different approach, you can violate any of the rules described above. The owners of the Cisa leveler locks do not have to change the mechanism at all. All they need is to use the device's multiple transcoding function. The new code is determined by replacement keys, which will have to be purchased additionally. In some cases, even replacing the lock with a completely new one and installing it correctly does not help.

So, if the door is difficult to open, it is imperative to check - perhaps it is not the constipation that is skewed, but the box itself. Sometimes the tight movement of the key is caused by a blockage in the well. It is enough to clean and lubricate it properly so as not to remember the problem for several months or even years. If you have to change the larva, it is recommended to measure the thickness of the doors together with a layer of insulation - then it will be possible to more accurately estimate the required length of the part.

Disk, as well as cruciform mechanisms are fully justified to change. All the same, no matter what good parts are selected, no matter how carefully the repairmen work, new defects will soon appear. If the spacers break down, you will have to remove the door from the hinges, and then disassemble the canvas. It is recommended to choose the larvae of the same color as the door itself. Then they will stand out less and will definitely not spoil the interior.

For information on how to replace the lock on the front door with your own hands, see the next video.