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#1
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Door latch problem
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.... |
#2
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Door latch problem
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.... |
#3
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Door latch problem
I also suggest seeing if the door has come loose. It could easily just
need tightening in the hinges. |
#4
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Door latch problem
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 |
#6
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Door latch problem
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#8
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Door latch problem
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 |
#9
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Door latch problem
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 |
#10
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Door latch problem
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. |
#11
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Door latch problem
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. |
#12
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Door latch problem
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? |
#13
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Door latch problem
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. |
#14
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Door latch problem
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. |
#16
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Door latch problem
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 |
#17
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Door latch problem
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