Replace door deadbolt


  #1  
Old 04-07-15, 01:03 PM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 305
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Replace door deadbolt

Do deadbolts come in different sizes? I thought I could just run up to my big box store and get one off the shelf. It won't fit. It's too big
 
  #2  
Old 04-07-15, 01:10 PM
P
Temporarily Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 10,265
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I'm not sure what you have or how old it is. Is it a double cylinder dead bolt where a key is needed on both sides or does it have a flip lock on the inside? Is the hole in the door 2 3/8" ?
If there is glass in the door, a flip lock is worthless because the glass can be broken & the lock can be opened.
 
  #3  
Old 04-07-15, 01:18 PM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 305
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
The lock in there is probably 15 years old. Not a double cylinder. Flip lock on inside. hole in door is < 2 ". That seems crazy
 
  #4  
Old 04-07-15, 01:24 PM
P
Temporarily Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 10,265
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Yes, it does seem crazy. What is the problem with the lock? Why does it need to be replaced? Let's start with that.
 
  #5  
Old 04-07-15, 01:31 PM
Gunguy45's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 19,281
Received 6 Upvotes on 6 Posts
Some (most?) locks come with a small adapter plate. Normal/common bore size is 2 1/8" with a 2 3/8" or 2 3/4" backset. The backset is adjustable.

The adapter plate will allow install on bores as small as 1 1/2".

This is just one link that showed up, not a brand recommendation, but read the more information section.

You really need to measure the bore diameter and backset from the edge to get the right item.
 
  #6  
Old 04-07-15, 01:56 PM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 305
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Darn. I was hoping for a quick fix. For some reason the part that turns the bolt doesn't work. I think I'm just trying to do too many things at once. Last weekend was the beginning of the bath demo and I'm trying to get the dust contained from that. Yeah right.

I think I might just nail the door shut and see about getting a new one and have it installed with the hardware.

I need to calm down and regroup here.

What's in there is a Schlage. I have the door almost ready to paint so I wanted to just temporarily put something cheap but sorta safe in until I could install the new pretty hardware I got to go with the new paint.. I got a Defiant Deadbolt for now. I don't know one brand from another and thought all door locks would be the same size.

The latch part is too big to go in on the side of the door and the cylinder part is too big also.
 
  #7  
Old 04-07-15, 02:10 PM
Gunguy45's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 19,281
Received 6 Upvotes on 6 Posts
Well, without exact measurements, we are guessing. My guess is that you have a 3/4" inch edge bore and a 1 1/2" cross bore, though that would be odd for the homes age. More common is 1" and 2 1/8" in modern homes.

Sorry, my link didn't show, probably fat fingered it. Here's another with good info from a locksmith site.

An Overview of Cylindrical Deadbolts | Locksmith Ledger

Just for info...Defiant is the cheapest...almost as bad as Dollar store stuff. Kwikset is ok in upper ranges, Schlage is better and there are many much higher and secure...though of course more $$$.

Almost every brand has cheap and just ok levels, some only make quality, but you pay for it.

Btw...I think your terms are off a bit. The cylinder is what you put the key in in the knob or outer housing.
 
  #8  
Old 04-07-15, 02:11 PM
K
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 647
Upvotes: 0
Received 4 Upvotes on 4 Posts
Most, if not all, of the good brands now are made to fit both 1 1/2" bore (which it sounds like you have) and 2 1/8" bore (same size as for a door knob. The really cheap brands, like defiant, will usually only fit the 2 1/8" bore. The latch should be a standard size. Do you mean it is too big to fit in the diameter of the hole, or does it bottom out, and stick out from the door because it cant go in all the way. If the latter is the case, you have a 2 3/8" backset, and your latch is currently set to 2 3/4". This should be adjustable on any latch. Read the directions for that particular lock, and it will tell you how to adjust it.
 
  #9  
Old 04-07-15, 02:12 PM
P
Temporarily Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 10,265
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
DO NOT nail any door shut. Contact Schlage.

Schlage FAQs | Schlage
 
  #10  
Old 04-07-15, 02:40 PM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 305
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
KW - the latch is too big to fit in the hole. House was built in 1958 so it's an oldie.

You're right I don't know the terms. I was trying to look at a quick guide to explain myself but it didn't work.

Sounds like I need to get off the cheap thing and get something decent that will cover the smaller dimensions I'm looking for. Maybe at my local big box store?

Could it be as easy as that?
 
  #11  
Old 04-07-15, 02:44 PM
P
Temporarily Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 10,265
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Why don't you want to contact Schlage & get the correct replacement? It makes me laugh when people say that a house built in 1958 is old.
 
  #12  
Old 04-07-15, 02:45 PM
Gunguy45's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 19,281
Received 6 Upvotes on 6 Posts
Oh, I mis-read...I thought the house was only 15 y/o. A house that age would probably have 1 1/2 cross bore and 3/4" edge bore.

Yes, you can find something to fit if you move up a bit. A Kwikset would prob work...just read the specs.
 
  #13  
Old 04-07-15, 02:49 PM
K
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 647
Upvotes: 0
Received 4 Upvotes on 4 Posts
No matter what you get, you will have to re-drill the latch hole to 1". That is the standard for todays locks. After that's done, any decent lock should work.
 
  #14  
Old 04-07-15, 02:52 PM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 305
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Now that I think about it Pulpo that wouldn't be too good an idea to nail it shut.
 
  #15  
Old 04-07-15, 04:19 PM
P
Temporarily Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 10,265
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I'm glad to hear that. Now please call Schlage.

Schlage FAQs | Schlage
 
  #16  
Old 04-08-15, 07:21 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 305
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
S/O came over this morning and somehow got it all back together. It had something to do with the cylinder. it had come apart from the housing (?) At least I think that's what it was. Bottom line is that it's working now. And I won't paint the door and put the new hardware on until I figure out about how the new hardware is going to fit.
Thank you all so much for your help. I will be referring back here for the next part.
 
  #17  
Old 04-08-15, 12:43 PM
GlobalLocky's Avatar
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 795
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I think it is possible that the lock on a 1958 door could be a Dexter (By Schlage). Many of the cylinder cross bore holes for early Dexter locks, used 1-1/4" cross bore holes. The edge hole is 1" standard across virtually all brands of deadbolts.

Schlage dedbolts use a removable tailpiece that just sits in the back of the cylinder. Often these tailpieces come out, causing the lock to not operate. Just put the tailpiece back in and screw the lock back on.
 

Last edited by Shadeladie; 04-08-15 at 01:05 PM. Reason: Removed unwarranted remarks
  #18  
Old 04-08-15, 07:55 PM
R
Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 1,378
Received 45 Upvotes on 42 Posts
Global is correct in that deadbolts of that era would tolerate crossbores as small as 1-1/4", altho 1-1/2" was most common.

Older edgebores could have been as small as 3/4" but most were 7/8" and today 7/8" is common for residential while commercial is 1".

At least in these parts, at any rate.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: