How to remove door latch?

[TJP]

Hi folks,

I am having some trouble removing a door latch. What the problem is, is that the one screw that is installed had to be drilled through but the head snapped off when extracting it so I am now left with (see image) and on-top of that the other fitting securing the latch seems to be an Allen key fitting but I might be wrong. Any advice to remove these would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

T.

  

[JacobZ]

Hi @TJP,

Is this the striker plate on the door jamb? 

Looking at its condition, I imagine you won't be looking to reuse it. Is that correct?

You could remove the paint from the top fixing using some paint stripper to reveal exactly what you are working with. It looks like it could be one of three things; a hex head screw that would require an allen key to remove, a damaged phillips head screw or a rivet. If it was a damaged phillips head screw or rivet, then it would need to be drilled out anyway.

Considering the bottom screw has already been drilled out, doing this again is likely your best option. Without the heads on the screws, there is nothing actually holding the striker plate in place, so you should be able to remove it using a pair of pliers, or by levering it off with a flat tool like a screwdriver or chisel. 

Once the striker plate has been removed, if you needed to use these same screw holes, then you could just continue to drill out the rest of the screw that remains, or you could try using a screw extractor to remove them. 

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[TJP]

Hi Jacob,

Yes this is a striker plate, I thought it would as called a latch, and yes will not be reinstalling as the deadlock I've installed came with a new striker plate.

Thanks for the info on removal, one question, if I drill out the remainder of the screw and the diameter of the hole is too big for the new screw, will I require a puddy of sorts to put in the hole to give the new screw something to screw into?

Regards,

T 

[JacobZ]

Hi @TJP,

If you screw out the hole and it is too big for the new screws, just use some wood glue to stick a wooden dowel, that's the same diameter as the hole, in the hole. You can then redrill the pilot holes and install your new screws.

Let me know if you have further questions.

Jacob

[TJP]

Appreciate you Jacob,

Cheers,

T.

[TJP]

Hi @JacobZ 

I managed to drill the top bit out of the door strike, but am having difficulties with the bottom screw as the only part remaining is the right half of the screw. Would this be a screw extractor job?

Regards,

T.

 

[R4addZ]

Hi @TJP 

Ok so a larger drill bit to take out the head but then you will need to get a grip on what is left of the screw and extract it. If you can't do that, then you will have to drill it out completely which may not be easy and then fill the hole, preferably with a dowel and glue.

[JacobZ]

Hi @TJP,

Unfortunately, there's probably not enough there to use a screw extractor anymore.

As @R4addZ has already mentioned, you might have to use a larger drill bit to get the head out.

Or you could try putting a flat head screwdriver on the outside of the screw head and striking it with a hammer to bend the head towards the centre of the hole. There's a good chance it will snap in the process, but this isn't a huge issue.

Depending on how much of the screw shaft is left, and the location of the new striker plate, you might be able to just leave what is left in the hole where it is and install your dowel in the existing hole.

If the striker plate puts the screw hole firmly over the location of what's left of the screw, you'll have to drill it out with a larger drill bit.

Let me know how you go and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[TJP]

Hi @R4addZ 

For drilling out the remainder of the screw, I've been using a HSS drill bit as the screw is metal, seeming I'm drilling primarily wood should I swap out for a brad point or even a multi purpose drill bit?

Cheers,

T 

[JacobZ]

Hi @TJP,

You're likely doing more harm than good if it is taking this much effort to get it out. It's not going to change much if you use a different drill bit.

I'd probably just call it at this point and install the dowel and attach the striker plate. 

As long as the tip of the new screw isn't hitting the old screw, it should just push it to the side as it is driven in.

Let me know how you go.

Jacob