Are you looking to improve the security of your front door? If you have a wooden front doors then you may want to consider updating your mortice lock. A mortice lock is a traditional type of lock which are often found in wooden doors. We also have mortice locks suitable for bathroom door usage, including the Disabled Toilet Reversible Lockset to Suit National Key Scheme.
We have a huge range of mortice locks and latches, which can be viewed below. If you have any further queries about any of our products then please get in touch with our team of experts by phoning 0800 304 7355.
How Secure Are Mortice Locks
When looking for a new mortice lock there are two main considerations when looking at how secure they are: the lever count and the standards which the locks have achieved. Standards to look out for include BS3621, BS8621, EN12209 and EN179.
Lever Count
In simple terms, the more levers a mortice lock has the harder it is to be broken in to. Mortice locks commonly come in with either 3 or 5 levers, so if security is high on the priority list for your new mortice lock then we would highly recommend going for a 5 lever lock.
How To Measure For A Replacement Mortice Lock
When replacing a mortice lock it will be much easier to make a replacement like for like in terms of size. This means that no adjustments will need to be made to your door when fitting the new lock.
When measuring for a replacement lock you’ll probably want to avoid taking your lock out so the below instructions will tell you how to best get these measurements whilst the lock is still in place. However you’re likely to get more accurate results if you remove the lock first.
- Backset – This is the measurement from the centre of the keyhole to the forend (plate visible when the door is open). It may be easiest to measure from the centre of the keyhole to the edge of the door.
- Case Depth – This is harder to measure without removing the lock. However this usually is related to the backset which there are two common options for. If the backset it 45mm then you’ll need a 64mm (2.5”) case depth or if the backset is 57mm you’ll need a 76mm (3”) case depth.
- Case Height – This is also harder to measure without removing the lock. For a rough estimation you can measure between the fixing screws on the forend, however this won’t be an accurate measurement and it will be best to look at the full forend length.
- Forend Length – The forend is the plate which can be seen when the door is open. The length is usually the longer edge of this plate.
- Forend Width – This is the horizontal measurement of the forend.
How To Replace A Mortice Lock
If you’re looking to replace your mortice lock yourself, then these following instructions should give you a good idea of how to do so. We would recommend reading any instructions before attempting to install a mortice lock in order to ensure it is installed correctly.
- Unlock and open the door.
- Remove the handle and spindle.
- Remove the screws from the forend and remove the lock.
- If using a lock which is the same size you should be able to just insert the lock straight into the existing hole. If the lock is bigger you may need to remove further wood in order to make room for the lock.
- Ensure the latch is facing the correct way and screw the new lock into place.
- Push the spindle back through the lock and reattach the door handle.