How To Install a Lockset

For household safety, make sure your home's locksets are efficient and secure. The lockset is the knob or lever on each door in your home. If your locksets are old, inefficient or broken, replace or update them. Replacing a keyed, keypad, or keyless lockset is a simple project. Also consider simultaneously installing a deadbolt following the appropriate video and instructions available at Lowes.com/Videos.

Preparation

01 Identify the type of door in which you will install the lockset: wood, fiberglass, or steel.
Make sure you buy the correct tools for your type of door.
TIP: Measure the door's thickness. It should be between 1-3/8" and 1-3/4". The new lockset must fit doors of this dimension.

02 Determine whether you will be replacing an existing lockset, installing a new unit in a pre-drilled door, or drilling the door for installation. The following instructions cover all of these situations.

03

Select a lockset and, if needed, an installation kit.

Locksets are available with keyed entry or in combination with a doorknob or lever that uses the same key as the lockset. Some interior doors have keyless locksets with push-button locking devices or no locks. Newer designs include a keypad that allows you to program and use a personal entry code, popular for entry doors. Some locksets are sold as combination kits, which include the handle and deadbolt in one package. Doors without pre-bored holes for locksets require a drilling template, typically included with the unit or a separate installation kit with template.

04 Read the manufacturer’s instructions.
The manufacturer’s instructions should include a diagram of the components of your lockset.

05 If you’re installing in a door that does not have a hole bored for the lockset, skip the removal instructions and start with Boring the Door for a New Lockset.

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Materials

Lockset
  • Screwdrivers (Slotted/Standard and Cross-head/Phillips)
  • Hammer
  • Small Piece of Wood
  • Safety Glasses

If the door is not pre-bored for a deadbolt:

  • Lockset Template - Paper Template—included with most deadbolts
  • Door Lock Installation Kit—optional
  • Tape Measure
  • Ruler or Square
  • Pencil
  • Drill and Drill Bits
  • 2-1/8" and 1" Hole Saws
  • Chisel
  • Dust Mask
  • Masking Tape
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