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How to fix door lock not locking?

Have a standard door leading out to the garage, the door is latching but the lock is not locking.

I think there is a misalignment with the strike plate, and had to pull the door inwards in order to lock it previously but it wasn't smooth. Now it got to the point where I can't even lock it but I can still close the door fine.

Wondering if adjusting the strike plate position will help bringing the door inwards?

Appreciate any advice on this matter, thanks in advance.

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EricL

Hello @aton5

Thanks for sharing your question about your door not locking. Would it be possible for you to post a few photos of your entire door with the door frame included. This will give our members a chance to assess the doors condition and the way it is currently sitting on the frame. There are number of possible reasons your door is not closing properly. It can range from misalignment, loose hinges, moisture contamination and latch misalignment.

Can you also please tell us if the side of your door has any dragging scratches or that you feel that the door is catching on the frame itself. Any extra information you can share with us will be very much appreciated.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

aton5

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your reply. I have attached pictures of the garage door.

Noticed that when I removed the screws of the first hinge bracket (with the screws of the other 2 door hinges remain), I am then able to lock the door.

Door garage 2.jpeg Removed screws from first door hinge, door is then able to be locked. Door garage 3.jpeg

MitchellMc

Hi @aton5,

It does sound like you’re dealing with an alignment issue. You can usually address this by making small adjustments to either the door or the striker plate. From your description, it seems that shifting the striker plate slightly might be enough to resolve the problem. If you were also having trouble closing the door, that would point more towards the door itself needing adjustment, but since it closes fine, I’d start by carefully moving the striker plate over a little to allow the lock to engage smoothly.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

aton5

Hi Mitchell,

Appreciate the advice, is there any guide on how to move the strike plate?

And tools that I need to perform the job?

Thanks.

MitchellMc

Hi @aton5,

You should only need a Phillips head screwdriver or a drill driver to remove and reattach the strike plate, and possibly a hammer and chisel if you need to remove a little timber to reposition it. To figure out which direction to move it, close the door and watch where the latch meets the plate — if it’s hitting above or below the opening, you’ll need to move the plate in that direction; if it’s hitting to the side, adjust accordingly. Remove the screws holding the strike plate, reposition it slightly in the needed direction, and check the fit before securing it again. If you need to shift it more than a couple of millimetres, use the chisel to carefully remove a little timber so the plate sits flush in its new position.

Mitchell

AlanM52

Hi @aton5.,

Clamp the striker plate in a bench vice and file down the edge that is binding.

You could also if needed shim the top hinge with cardboard.

Cheers

aton5

Thanks, when I removed the lock strike plate, the door can be locked. Recalled that a tradie removed some timber in the lock plate slot when he did the repair years ago for the same issue. Have attached a pic of the lock strike plate. Should I remove the bits of timber (circled)?

MitchellMc

Thinking about it @aton5, if the door locks when the striker plate is removed, then it's likely the plate itself that is the issue, not that timber. Removing the wood might not have an effect unless it allows the strike plate to move further.

Mitchell

aton5

Appreciate the advice! I will try filing the plate like what @AlanM52 suggested.

aton5

So I managed to fix this issue, all it took was readjusting the door lock strike plate a few mm higher.

However after I have fixed it, I think I did a stupid thing by spraying the internal door lock mechanism with this spray. https://www.bunnings.com.au/3-in-one-150g-lock-lubricant_p4131028

And now the door lock is completely jammed.

Any solutions for this? Or get a new lock?

JacobZ

Hi @aton5,

I can't see why spraying lubricant in your lock would make it seize up unless it moved some dirt or grime around inside the lock body.

My suggestion would be to unscrew and remove the door handles and the latching mechanism. Sometimes, when door locks are in place, they can be under tension that misaligns things ever so slightly. By unscrewing and removing it, it might remove that tension and allow the movement to return.

You can reassemble the door handles and latching mechanism outside of the door to test it. If you do this and the mechanism is still not working outside the door, then it may be time for a new lock.

Give this a try and let me know how you go.

Jacob

aton5

Hi Jacob,

Thanks for your suggestion, will give that a try.

So I sprayed the lubricant at the door key hole, it worked fine but the door lock wasn't turning 100% smooth, maybe 80%. Then I unscrew the door lock and sprayed directly on to the middle section of this bolt here circled in green. Wondering will that cause permanent damage to the lock?

JacobZ

Hi @aton5,

No, it really shouldn't cause any damage to the lock. Lubricant should do the opposite; it should make things run smoother. If anything, things probably seized up when you screwed it back into place.

I've hung and installed hardware for a lot of doors in my time, and I can tell you from firsthand experience that the tiniest bit of pressure from things like misalignment or an overtightened screw can make the whole lock stop working. If you remove the door lock and it is still seized up, then it is probably broken, but if it works outside of the door, then you've probably just overtightened a screw or it is sitting a bit funny in the hole.

Uninstalling and reinstalling it will oftentimes fix the issue.

Let me know how you go.

Jacob

aton5

Haha okay that is good to know, I thought I caused some damage to the lock by spraying into the internal lock.

I will try assembling the lock outside of the door to see if it works. Thanks for your advice.

aton5

After reassembling it and the lock works, thanks again for the advice!

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