Project details
Skill
3 out of 5Moderatethe work isn’t all that difficult, but it does take patience, practice and a deft hand to produce a clean, snug-fitting lockset
Cost
$20 and up for mortised lockset
Estimated Time
About 1 hour
In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shares his tricks of the trade for installing a mortised lockset.
Installing a vintage lockset
- Hold the lockset’s escutcheon plate on the door and mark the doorknob hole onto the vertical rail approximately 36 inches from the door bottom.
- Trace the lock mortise onto the door rail, and mark the hole for the doorknob.
- Use a combination square to mark the mortise outline onto the edge of the door. Mark a centerline down the edge of the door, too.
- Stand the door on edge and mount a portable drill press drill onto an electric drill.
- Make a jig from two 2x6s and two plywood blocks. Set the jig onto door edge and bore out the mortise with a spade bit. Vacuum out the wood chips from the mortise.
- Use a chisel to remove the excess waste from the holes and square up the mortise.
- Set the lock into the mortise, and trace around the lock plate with a utility knife.
- Chisel out around the mortise until the lock plate sits flush with the door edge.
- Clamp a scrap board to the backside of the door and drill the doorknob hole through door.
