Hi everyone, an older lady, one of my neighbors has a need for a dead bolt installed on an exterior, metal door. The door has not been predrilled for a deadbolt, but has what looks like a removeable set of plates on the latch side of the door. Does someone know off hand if these removable plates cover a mortise for an additional deadbolt? If not I am wondering how to handle the backset mortising and mounting? Drilling and locating the deadbolt itself in the steel door is not a problem. It is just that I am not certain about the backset mounting. I have drilled and installed several wood door sets, but none on a metal door that is not predrilled. any advice would be appreciated.
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Doubtful that it covers a mortise.
Typicaly, it is removable, exposing the edge of a wood insert that supports the deadbolt and latch.
Drill your holes as you would for any wood door - just use a bimetal holesaw through the metal skin.
Terry
Ok that works for me. I have done several on wood doors either way, undrilled, or predrilled.
I have the dewalt lockset installation jig which will accomodate 1-3/8 to 1-3/4 doors. It comes with two bimetal holesaws.
Thanks Terry.
Instead of a dead bolt, which requires a substantial mortise, consider a surface mount 'jimmy proof' type lock. Now, you only need to bore a single (1 1/4"?)hole thru the door.
If security is a real high concern, cover the cylinder opening on the outside with a cylinder cover plate, which is bolted thru the door. Now the cylinder cannot be pulled from the lock.
With the right screws used on the lock (countersunk machine screws and nuts on the inside) and strike plate (long deck screws that go past the trim and into the framing) a jimmy proof ought to be even more secure than a deadbolt.
Good luck.