Hey all:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

If I really yank and slam it, the Kwikset thing finally sits in the
door frame and holds closed, but, of course, don't want to be doing
this forever.

Forgive my technical terms here, but the metal spring-loaded latch
thing retracts into the door smoothly and pops back out with catching
or other trouble, except for going into the "box-thing" in the door
frame.

The weather hasn't been any different than any other of the dozens of
years here. Anything I should start with....

If I understand you correctly, the moving parts work ok when the door is
open but it doesn't latch into the frame correctly. First make sure all
screws are reasonably tight. If they are you might try loosening and moving
the catch in the door frame and retightening it. It may have shifted
slightly. It also may be worn and need to be replaced. Take it to the
store with you if you decide to replace it. Also the weatherstrippping
could be worn out and allowing the door to overclose but it does not sound
like that from your description.


wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey all:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

If I really yank and slam it, the Kwikset thing finally sits in the
door frame and holds closed, but, of course, don't want to be doing
this forever.

Forgive my technical terms here, but the metal spring-loaded latch
thing retracts into the door smoothly and pops back out with catching
or other trouble, except for going into the "box-thing" in the door
frame.

The weather hasn't been any different than any other of the dozens of
years here. Anything I should start with....

I also suggest seeing if the door has come loose. It could easily just
need tightening in the hinges.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey all:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

If I really yank and slam it, the Kwikset thing finally sits in the
door frame and holds closed, but, of course, don't want to be doing
this forever.

Forgive my technical terms here, but the metal spring-loaded latch
thing retracts into the door smoothly and pops back out with catching
or other trouble, except for going into the "box-thing" in the door
frame.

The weather hasn't been any different than any other of the dozens of
years here. Anything I should start with....


Try this simple test. Remove the strike plate, "the box thingee" from the
jamb. If the door closes and the lock works properly then the strike plate
just needs to be adjusted a little. Or perhaps just enlarge the metal
opening just a bit with a file or dremel tool. It is common for these to
get out of alignment a little bit as a house settles.

From your description it would be the inside edge of the strike plate hole
that needs trimming.


Colbyt

On 17 Feb 2006 08:56:02 -0800, wrote:

Hey all:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

If I really yank and slam it, the Kwikset thing finally sits in the
door frame and holds closed, but, of course, don't want to be doing
this forever.

Forgive my technical terms here, but the metal spring-loaded latch
thing retracts into the door smoothly and pops back out with catching
or other trouble, except for going into the "box-thing" in the door
frame.

The weather hasn't been any different than any other of the dozens of
years here. Anything I should start with....

This isn't very likely but it happend to me. During the summer I let
mail, especially newspaper like stuff, pile up by the front door,
which has a mail slot. Eventually I couldn't lock the door easily,
although it seemed to latch ok.

When I had my head on the floor, I noticed that the weather stripping
on the bottom of the door, that is meant to go into a slot in the
aluminum threshhold, had gotten twisted half way across the door.

There had been a period of time when the door didn't shut well. I
thought it was mail etc. that was getting in the way, but it was this
aluminmum strip, when it was twisted but not yet crushed.

It took less than ten minutes with a piece of wood and a hammer to get
the twisted (now vertical) part back to being horizontal, and fitting
in t hat slot again.


P&M

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

wrote:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

OP again. Turns out the little box "thing" (strike plate? LOL) was
extremely loose. One screw wasn't holding at all....stripped out and
the second screw was loose. So, I tried tightening it down, but no
real luck.

I took it off completely and it now and latches fine in the "open hole
in the frame." But it is really loose and moves back and forth quite a
bit. So, the new plan is to go back tommorrow with longer screws and
my electric drill and a grinder bit and grind a bit of steel off the
strike plate thing and then try to tighten down well with the longer
screws....sound reasonable?

You will do better IMHO to take a golf tee or several toothpicks
and a bit of Elmer's glue. Glue the wood in the wallowed out
screw holes, reinstall the screws. If you close the holes with
the golf tees you might need to drill a lead hole for the screw.
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front
door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two
visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

OP again. Turns out the little box "thing" (strike plate? LOL)
was
extremely loose. One screw wasn't holding at all....stripped out
and
the second screw was loose. So, I tried tightening it down, but
no
real luck.

I took it off completely and it now and latches fine in the
"open hole
in the frame." But it is really loose and moves back and forth
quite a
bit. So, the new plan is to go back tommorrow with longer
screws and
my electric drill and a grinder bit and grind a bit of steel off
the
strike plate thing and then try to tighten down well with the
longer
screws....sound reasonable?

Instead of that get some tooth picks and elmers wood glue. Fill up the worn
out holes and let it harden overnight. Then put in the old screws exactly
where they were in the fixed holes.


wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

OP again. Turns out the little box "thing" (strike plate? LOL) was
extremely loose. One screw wasn't holding at all....stripped out and
the second screw was loose. So, I tried tightening it down, but no
real luck.

I took it off completely and it now and latches fine in the "open hole
in the frame." But it is really loose and moves back and forth quite a
bit. So, the new plan is to go back tommorrow with longer screws and
my electric drill and a grinder bit and grind a bit of steel off the
strike plate thing and then try to tighten down well with the longer
screws....sound reasonable?

On Sat, 18 Feb 2006 21:51:23 GMT, "Art"
wrote:

Instead of that get some tooth picks and elmers wood glue. Fill up the worn
out holes and let it harden overnight. Then put in the old screws exactly
where they were in the fixed holes.


wrote in message
roups.com...

wrote:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

OP again. Turns out the little box "thing" (strike plate? LOL) was
extremely loose. One screw wasn't holding at all....stripped out and
the second screw was loose. So, I tried tightening it down, but no
real luck.

I took it off completely and it now and latches fine in the "open hole
in the frame." But it is really loose and moves back and forth quite a
bit. So, the new plan is to go back tommorrow with longer screws and
my electric drill and a grinder bit and grind a bit of steel off the
strike plate thing and then try to tighten down well with the longer
screws....sound reasonable?



I agree, but I'd still use longer screws. About 2 inches. You
probably got the 3/4" ones that came with the lock. It's more secure
if you go into the studs. Here's a trick I heard but never tried
because I dont wear lipstick (sorry guys). Put lipstick on the
striker (not the plate, the thing that sticks out the door. Close the
door and see if any lipstick is visible on the top or bottom of the
striker plate. If it does, the striker plate is off and needs to be
raised or lowered. So, when you get there ask your mom for some
lipstick, and if she asks why, tell her you're trying something new.
(that ought to get her shook up).

They do make oversized striker plates. The hole is longer, and the
whole plate is longer. When the building shifts, you dont have the
problem with the door not latching. A house with a foundation should
not shift much, but on a garage, shed or barn door, I dont even use
the original ones anymore. Those buildings shift and there's no sense
redoing it later, which usually happens in the dead of winter.
Persoanlly, I think all striker plates should have longer holes, but
they wont listen to me.....

Mark

You probably need 4 inch screws to hit the studs. Also, put some bar hand
soap on the threads to make screwing them in easier. The one good trick I
remember from wood shop.


wrote in message
...
On Sat, 18 Feb 2006 21:51:23 GMT, "Art"
wrote:

Instead of that get some tooth picks and elmers wood glue. Fill up the
worn
out holes and let it harden overnight. Then put in the old screws exactly
where they were in the fixed holes.


wrote in message
groups.com...

wrote:

Not much of a carpenter, but I can follow directions. The front door of
my mom's house has always worked perfectly. But my last two visits, the
darn door will not latch when I pull it shut.

OP again. Turns out the little box "thing" (strike plate? LOL) was
extremely loose. One screw wasn't holding at all....stripped out and
the second screw was loose. So, I tried tightening it down, but no
real luck.

I took it off completely and it now and latches fine in the "open hole
in the frame." But it is really loose and moves back and forth quite a
bit. So, the new plan is to go back tommorrow with longer screws and
my electric drill and a grinder bit and grind a bit of steel off the
strike plate thing and then try to tighten down well with the longer
screws....sound reasonable?



I agree, but I'd still use longer screws. About 2 inches. You
probably got the 3/4" ones that came with the lock. It's more secure
if you go into the studs. Here's a trick I heard but never tried
because I dont wear lipstick (sorry guys). Put lipstick on the
striker (not the plate, the thing that sticks out the door. Close the
door and see if any lipstick is visible on the top or bottom of the
striker plate. If it does, the striker plate is off and needs to be
raised or lowered. So, when you get there ask your mom for some
lipstick, and if she asks why, tell her you're trying something new.
(that ought to get her shook up).

They do make oversized striker plates. The hole is longer, and the
whole plate is longer. When the building shifts, you dont have the
problem with the door not latching. A house with a foundation should
not shift much, but on a garage, shed or barn door, I dont even use
the original ones anymore. Those buildings shift and there's no sense
redoing it later, which usually happens in the dead of winter.
Persoanlly, I think all striker plates should have longer holes, but
they wont listen to me.....

Mark

Hi, all OP again. My internet connection went out, so did not get to
check this until after I went back...My mom, of all people suggested
wooden matchsticks in the holes.

So, I ground off a small amount of the striker plate thing, the part
when a piece folds into the hole itself, stuck matchsticks in and
tightened it down. May not be Bob Villa approved, but it worked.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

When it fails use glue with the matchsticks next time.


wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, all OP again. My internet connection went out, so did not get to
check this until after I went back...My mom, of all people suggested
wooden matchsticks in the holes.

So, I ground off a small amount of the striker plate thing, the part
when a piece folds into the hole itself, stuck matchsticks in and
tightened it down. May not be Bob Villa approved, but it worked.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Will do. Thanks for the hint.

On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:35:51 GMT, "Art"
wrote:

You probably need 4 inch screws to hit the studs. Also, put some bar hand
soap on the threads to make screwing them in easier. The one good trick I
remember from wood shop.

My mother taught me that. She might have learned from her father, who
didn't do any of this stuff until he got to the US.


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

BTW, I use far more toothpicks for filling holes in wood than I do for
picking my teeth. A box lasts me about 20 years.

On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:35:51 GMT, "Art"
wrote:

You probably need 4 inch screws to hit the studs. Also, put some bar hand
soap on the threads to make screwing them in easier. The one good trick I
remember from wood shop.

My mother taught me that. She might have learned from her father, who
didn't do any of this stuff until he got to the US.


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

mm wrote:
BTW, I use far more toothpicks for filling holes in wood than I do for
picking my teeth. A box lasts me about 20 years.

On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:35:51 GMT, "Art"
wrote:

You probably need 4 inch screws to hit the studs. Also, put some bar hand
soap on the threads to make screwing them in easier. The one good trick I
remember from wood shop.

My mother taught me that. She might have learned from her father, who
didn't do any of this stuff until he got to the US.


Unfortunately soap attracts moisture which can cause screws to rust.
Better to use vaseline or grease.

I prefer to drill a small pilot hole.

On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 22:47:19 GMT, Rich256 wrote:

mm wrote:
BTW, I use far more toothpicks for filling holes in wood than I do for
picking my teeth. A box lasts me about 20 years.

On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:35:51 GMT, "Art"
wrote:

You probably need 4 inch screws to hit the studs. Also, put some bar hand
soap on the threads to make screwing them in easier. The one good trick I
remember from wood shop.

My mother taught me that. She might have learned from her father, who
didn't do any of this stuff until he got to the US.


Unfortunately soap attracts moisture which can cause screws to rust.
Better to use vaseline or grease.

I prefer to drill a small pilot hole.

We didn't have a drill in those days. We could only afford a gimlet.

I rarely use soap anymore, but I can't use anything else instead. Not
fair to my mother. YMMV

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

I would upgrade to a deadbolt lock its much more secure and elminates
the risk of locking yourself out by accident by pulling the door shut.

from the original description the lock didnt sound like a deadbolt,
which may qualify your mom for a homeowners insurance discount

wrote:
I would upgrade to a deadbolt lock its much more secure and elminates
the risk of locking yourself out by accident by pulling the door shut.

from the original description the lock didnt sound like a deadbolt,
which may qualify your mom for a homeowners insurance discount

Thanks for the note. Actually, there is a KwikSet "door knob" lock and
then a separate KwikSet deadbolt lock. And they are the cheaper end,
which I know is not very secure, but she lives in a ultra-low crime
area, and to be honest, her two rotts, Fang and Lady, would love to
have the chance to "play" with anyone who decided to kick-in the door.
LOL.