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Install an exterior door handle or lockset

  • Difficulty: hammer
    Close Difficulty
    Beginner Do-It-Yourselfer - Easy
    Intermediate Do-It-Yourselfer - Moderate
    Experienced Do-It-Yourselfer - Difficult
    Professional - Expert
  • Completion Time : 1 Hour

By installing a new handle or lockset on your exterior door, you can both spruce up the overall appearance of your entrance and enhance your home’s security. This is a job for everyone, though it requires a few tools, some basic knowledge, and a certain amount of time. This guide provides you with detailed steps to successfully installing a door handle and deadbolt lock system, the kind of lock that is a major deterrent to burglars. Although door handles come in a variety of sizes and models for all tastes and budgets, the installation process remains essentially the same.

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Tools and materials required

TOOLS

  • Wood chisels
  • Cylindrical drill bit
  • Bit
  • Hammer
  • Drill
  • Screwdriver
     

MATERIALS

  • Handle and lock
  • Screws
  • Sand paper

Before Assembly

MEASUREMENTS

If you are renewing the handle and lock in your door, the holes already exist. You will need to carefully note certain measurements in order to buy an appropriate replacement.

Measure the thickness of your door.

Measure the distance between the centers of the holes for the handle and lock.

Measure the diameters of the holes.

Measure between the hole for the handle where the spindle is inserted and the screw hole on the bottom of the handle. If the lengths differ (the length is shorter for the new handle), the holes will be visible, require filling and may still be apparent.

If you are replacing the door, choose your handle and lock at the same time. When you place your order, the manufacturer will drill the necessary holes in the appropriate places.

If you are buying a new door and the holes are not pre-drilled, a drilling template will be provided by the lock manufacturer to ensure holes are drilled correctly.
 

INSTALLATION

Before you start, compare the dimensions of the holes on the lock and handle with the installation template guide included with the lockset. The drilling template will be a sheet of paper indicating drilling locations for the installation of your deadbolt lock.

Use a cylindrical drill bit (a bit with a set of teeth at one end) to drill the required holes.

Use the image below to clearly identify all the parts of your lockset.
Anatomy-exterieor-door-handle-lock

Steps

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Exterior door handle or lockset
Install an exterior door handle or lockset