A door can fail to close correctly for several reasons, just as the different types of doors vary so widely. Various things can go wrong, including alignment issues, mismatched parts, and repairs that weren’t done right.
Following is a list of solutions to this age-old problem of a door that won’t latch properly. If you successfully repair the hinge, you should take care to keep it in good working condition by applying all-purpose oil or lube annually.
Let’s start a discussion on the tips to adjust the door strike plate!
How to Realign the Door Strike Plate?
Door hardware that automatically adjusts itself is a recent development. As a result, they help prevent misaligned locks and latches and reduce burglaries and door kick-ins, two common crimes.
Strike plate repair is a relatively straightforward process that can be accomplished in just an hour. Here’s having a look at how to adjust the door strike plate! You can also take help from Locksmith in dubai to realign your door strike plates.
Step 1: Tighten Mounting Screws
Mount the strike plate and tighten the mounting screws using a Phillips screwdriver. When screws are loose, the plates sag, and the latches won’t meet securely. Make sure the screws are secure before closing the door.
Step 2: Mark Adjustment
Mark the bolt with chalk. After the door is closed, note where the chalk marks appear. It will also help you determine how much to adjust the plate.
Step 3: Remove Strike Plate
You need to unscrew the strike plate. You need to remove the top and bottom screws, starting with the top screw. Mark the exact location on the doorjamb from the strike plate where you can adjust the opening.
Step 4: Trim the Hole
Ensure that the strike plate has a new mortise, if necessary. Using the mark from the strike plate as a guide, reamer out the hole to ensure that the bolt fits appropriately. You can smooth the opening with a utility knife or sandpaper if necessary. You can also try door locks dubai services if you want to change or install a new door lock.
Step 5: Fill Other Holes
Depending on where you reposition the strike plate, you might have unused holes that must be covered with wood putty. Fill them with the wood putty, allow them to dry, then sand them.
Step 6: Check Fit
Attach the strike plate with tape. Take the bolt off the latch and try to close the door. Smooth closing of the door is essential, so the strike plate does not catch. Whenever the strike plate sees, the mortise has to be adjusted.
Step 7: Align Strike Plate
Tape the strike plate with temporary tape. Close the door after replacing the bolt into the latch. Make sure that it fits appropriately into the center of the hole after closing the door.
A weather change may cause the bolt to misalign again if it’s a close fit, so adjust the hole size and plate size so that the bolt is near the center.
You can do the chalk method again to mark the plate and figure out the problem if it is still misaligned. With a round file, utility knife, or drill, ream the hole until the bolt has reached the center.
Final Step: Install the Strike Plate
As soon as all the adjustments are complete, open the door. Secure the strike plate by installing the screws from the bottom.
Keep the screw from being wholly tightened. After installing the top screw, tighten the screw. Make sure both screws are tight.
FAQs
How do you shim a strike plate?
Make a sketch of the strike plate on the cardboard. Include the screw holes and opening. In the shim outline, drill the screw holes with a power drill. Cut out the shim on the cardboard with your utility knife. Make sure that you also cut the shim opening with the utility knife.
How do you make a strike plate hole deeper?
The bolt pocket or strike plate needs to be enlarged in this case. When the bolt is dragging, add depth, height, or width to the bolt pocket with a chisel until the hole is deep while allowing the bolt to extend fully.
How do you fix a misaligned strike plate?
You need to reposition the Strike Plate if it is positioned too high or too low. You can move the Strike Plate up, down, inside or outside. Enlarge the hole in the strike plate mortise using a sharp chisel. Next, drill new 1/16-inch holes in the strike plate while holding it in place.
Sum Up
It is often settling that causes issues with strike plate alignment, but sometimes weather stripping can have a similar impact. When the latch hits the strike plate and does not secure the door, you can fix it by adjusting the strike plate rather than adjusting the doorknob. This step-by-step guide will help you to adjust the strike door strike plate.
