If you install your strike plate and find that it is too far from the latch, try adding wooden shims behind the plate to bring it closer to the lock. Consider equipping the door knob from each side with a door silencer like Latchy Catchy to prevent the latch from engaging and making any noise. too high or too low, you'll need to reposition the strike plate. Defender Security U 9496 Latch Guard Plate Cover – Protect Against Forced Entry, Easy to Install on Out-Swinging Doors – Stainless Steel 3"x7" 4.6 out of 5 stars 200. Thankfully, the door latches and knobs don't have to be moved to correct these problems. You will need to use a hole saw to create new openings in the door to accommodate locks or other hardware. Then it would be a matter of the door not pushing tight enough for the latch to drop into the strike plate hole. 36. 4. 26. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Some services are subject to state and local licensing and may not be available at all locations. Use your drill to unscrew the strike plate. If the gap along the latch side of your door is allowing unwanted air to infiltrate your space or letting expensive heat or cooled air out, weatherstripping can help reduce or eliminate this space. Problem is, it only barely extends into the door frame cavity. Copyright © Mr. Handyman, All rights reserved. Or is the gap between the door and strike plate too wide? To know if that’s the case, you can typically just look at the strike plate to get an idea of whether or not things are lined up properly. When there is a very large gap between the frame and the latch side of a door, the only way to avoid replacing the door entirely may be to add a strip of wood to the existing door to increase its width. Double check by standing on the hinge side of the door and close it until the latch bolt just hits the strike plate. Get it as soon as Mon, Dec 28. Repairs range from making minor latch adjustments to repositioning the door. Some simple door and hardware adjustments can help you narrow the gap along your door to maintain security and avoid unwanted air leaks. If the mark is more than 1/8 inch above or below the strike plate hole, you may need to reposition the strike plate. Start by rubbing red lipstick onto the edge of the deadbolt. 99. Turn the knob to open the door and release the knob slowly. Free postage. Hold the strike plate in the proper position and drill new 1/16-inch holes to accommodate the screws. The Easiest Way to Install a Replacement Entrance Door on Your Home, How to Replace a Front Door Lock With a Keyed Deadbolt, This Old House: Fitting Old Doors in New Frames, The Family Handyman: Interior Door Repair -- Interior Doors That Won't Stay Closed, How to Reinforce a Door for Security Cheaply, How to Convert a Solid Door to a Dutch Door, How to Replace a Residential Front Door Entry Hand Set. The latch from the door lock should insert directly into the hole in the center of the strike plate on the doorframe. Use the chisel to deepen the outline marks. Jan 13, 2012 - To fix a door that won't latch, simply file the edge of the striker plate until the latch clicks into place. Is the lipstick line too low, or too high? I seen the edge strike not being cut in too. A strike plate -- the metal plate affixed to a doorframe with an opening for a door latch or deadbolt -- that needs repair will show itself when the door lock's latch bolt misses the hole in the strike plate, or when the door won't stay latched or closed. First try tightening the screws in both the handle and the striker plate. Close the door, reopen it, and observe the results. Place the strike plate on so the two lines are central in the hole, like in the picture above. A strike plate is a piece of hardware that works with a lock to keep a door secure. 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