How To Replace A Door Jam For Lock

Remove the two screws from the latch plate on the edge of the door and remove the latch from the opening.

How to replace a door jam for lock.

Begin by removing the screws from the door knob on the interior side of your door. Open the door and stand with your back to the hinges. If the doorknob is on the left you need a left handed door. Some blank doors have a specific swing direction.

In some cases the door lock jam can be resolved in a matter of minutes. Hang the door in the jamb. Coat your door key with powdered graphite or spray. Unless you are installing a prehung door you ll need to trace the outline of the hinges on the jamb and cut an indentation using a router or utility knife.

You ll need to cut a mortise a small shallow recess in the wood of the door and doorjamb for the latchbolt and strike plate to rest. If the knob is to the right select a right handed door. Screw the hinges onto the correct side of the jamb. The strike side the side with the lockset of these doors has a beveled edge so the door can swing freely.

The first step in learning how to fix a door lock that is jammed is diagnosing the cause of the problem. In some cases door latch plate mortises might need to be cut or enlarged. Place the door in the jamb and fasten it to the hinges. Diagnosing the door lock jam.

If your door got kicked in due to a break in the most important thing is feeling secure again. Knowing how to cut a mortise is essential for installing a deadbolt lock. This allows you to pull the door knobs off the door from both sides. Fortunately cutting out this mortise isn t nearly as difficult as it sounds.