Locks are a precision instrument, and mortice locks are one of the trickier varieties to maintain and fit! However, that makes it that much more satisfying when you fit one that works properly. Mortice locks are used for most inside doors, which makes it not so imperative that you do an excellent job, as there really isn’t a security issue. Remember to measure twice and cut once, and you can’t go too far wrong!

The first step is to decide how high up the door you want the lock to be – this will depend on whether children need to be able to open it … or need to be unable to open it! Put the lock against the broad part of the door and draw in pencil around its body, and mark on the door where the keyhole and spindle holes are in relation to the drawing. The pencil should rub off with normal eraser without any damage. Make sure you measure the location on the lock, and then measure the same distance on the drawing, rather than guessing by eye. You can then use a set square (two rulers set at exactly ninety degrees to each other) to draw lines along the narrow edge of the door where the top and bottom will be.

Next, measure the thickness of the door, along the narrow edge, determine the halfway point and mark it. Put the centre-back of the lock on the centre line and draw around it – this is the part to be cut out. Drill a row of holes in the narrow edge of the door, the same thickness as the lock. Measure the lock and then pop some electrical tape on your drill bit to make sure that you go deep enough.

Use a chisel to get the rounded edges of the row of holes out. Clean out the splinters also. Chisel out as much as you need to until the lock fits inside, then push the lock in until you can draw around the face plate. You can then chisel a recess of 1-2 mm, or however deep your face plate is, to make it flush with the edge of the door.

Drill out the spindle hole and key hole from the broad side of the door. This is the nerve-wracking bit! Fit the spindle, and test it and the key. When things are working from that side, use a bradawl to start off the screw holes in the narrow side of the door, then screw the face plate on. Fit the handles on the spindle.

To place your striker plate on the door frame, partially close the door and mark where the top and bottom of the door catch is. Fully close the door and measure how far it is from the catch to the edge of the frame. Use your marks and measurements to determine where to chisel out a hole for the catch – then you can fit the striker plate over the top of it.

It almost sounds too easy, doesn’t it! We’d love to know how you managed, if you have tried fitting your own mortice locks.

          

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