How to Replace a Deadbolt Lock

Ready to get rid of your deadbeat deadbolt? Learn how to install a new one in our step-by-step guide.

If you want to make your home more secure, start with the front door. Whether you want to upgrade your current deadbolt or your old one’s been acting up, replacing it with a better deadbolt or front door lock is so easy that even a DIY novice can do it.

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Next, remove the strike plate (the thin horizontal plate that makes contact with the door frame). This will also have two small screws holding it to your door.

Once these two pieces are free, you can remove the front faceplate.

You’re ready to start installing your new deadbolt lock once all these pieces are gone and you’re left with a hole in your door.

Before screwing in any new pieces, adjust the new deadbolt to your door. Most deadbolts come with two sizes built right in: one for wider diameter holes and one for smaller.

The one we used has two sizes: 2 ¾” and 2 ⅜”. We used the first (and smaller) option for our door. The good news is it’s easy to switch on most deadbolts if you need to change the size.

You can tell which is the right fit by looking at the center latch where the front of the bolt connects to the back. The latch (usually a cross or straight line) should sit in the middle of the hole.

Now that the deadbolt fits, attach the strike plate and core of the lock into the door. Insert the main piece with the strike plate on the outside. Make sure the “Up” marking is pointing up and the latch is in the middle of the door’s hole.

Once that’s all aligned, screw the new strike plate into the door.

Now here’s the tricky part.

Align the front and back plates on the door. You’ll see bolt holes in the front face plate where the included screws go into. Those will line up with the back face plate.

You can hold the front plate yourself or grab some tape to make the job a little easier.

Next, screw in the two bolts holding the back plate to the front plate. This might take some patience and maybe a couple of attempts if you’re doing it alone.

Finally, test the lock to make sure it’s aligned and working. And you’re done! You can test your deadbolt by trying to lock it from the inside and testing the lock from the outside with the included keys.

Now you’ve got a shiny new deadbolt ready to go.

Deadbolts may be old fashioned, but they’re a tried-and-true way to keep any door secure. We installed our new deadbolt in around 20 minutes and now have a tight new lock on the front door ready to go.

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