Hardware used to secure the opening of windows, doors, cabinets and more. If the latch includes a lock, use the lock tag instead.
Questions tagged [latches]
37 questions
17
votes
8 answers
How to (more) securely attach a latch to a frequently-used wooden gate
Our house's front yard is separated from the street with a low picket fence with a spring-operated gate. The latch of this gate has been consistently problematic because it is exposed to the weather and takes a lot of force and vibration from…
Justin Grant
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7
votes
4 answers
How to prevent push button on screen/storm door latch from freezing?
I came home today and discovered the push button on the front screen door was frozen solid and it wouldn't move even with brute strength banging. I thought, no problem, I'll just go to the back door, but that button was frozen too! I had to ring…
David Bailey
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- 5
3
votes
1 answer
What is this worn part on this door handle assembly?
I've been having problems with our Kwikset front door handle. It's a lever on one side, and a press down latch on the other. When you try to open the door, it doesn't retract the bolt all the way. I took it apart, and believe that the problem is…
Frank
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3
votes
1 answer
How to repair a French Door latch that's keeping the door from opening
I have an exterior French door that, in addition to the normal door latch, also has bars that extend both upward and downward as part of the latch mechanism. The door handle is used to extend these bars up and down into the door frame to lock the…
mschaef
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2
votes
0 answers
Which latch should I get to replace the one on my front (storm) door?
The locking mechanism on my front (storm) door got broken, rendering it useless. What I’d like to do now is replace the latch with a new one, but I can’t find any branding on the door, so I’m not sure what to get. Here are some pictures of the door…
LRitter
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2
votes
1 answer
What could be wrong? My front door latch opens OK from inside, poorly from outside
The following Kwikset lockset on my front door no longer works well. From the inside rotating handle it's fine. From the outside it's sticky, as the bolt does not fully pull in. This particular lockset replaced an older and more sturdier model a…
Bryce
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2
votes
1 answer
My latch allows to double lock from the outside... why, and is it safe?
I am a tenant in the UK.
I live on the first floor (2nd floor in US scheme), there is no fire exit and the flat is big enough for a couple.
The latch on my flat's door is the Ingersoll 'Classic' Nightlatch that is the first being described on the…
Mysterry
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2
votes
6 answers
Type of exterior door lock that always allows exiting?
I am looking for a lock and handle mechanism for an exterior door that is always openable from the inside. E.g. locking with a key locks the exterior handle from opening the latch, but the interior handle always opens the door. Furthermore,…
cms
- 121
- 4
2
votes
4 answers
Magnetic Mortise Latch for American Style Doors
I am looking to make the door handles for my kids' rooms quieter. Today I went through and oiled everything, but the latch / mortise assembly (??correct term?) that I have in my doors are still pretty noisy. I went in search or something that would…
HelpEric
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2
votes
1 answer
How can I both insulate and get a latch to work on this window? Foam kerf insulation strips
After trying many options, I've finally found something that might work to reduce drafts and noise through these 1925 historic windows:
But that latch. Original brass, matches the house, but won't work well with the insulation. Is there a latch…
Bryce
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1
vote
2 answers
What would be a robust way to install the door stop
The aluminium door used to have the latch installed on the wall. And the door used to swing right out to latch to it.
Because the height of the retaining wall was over a metre, we installed this fence. I need to reinstall the door stop.
It is…
Rohit Gupta
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1
vote
3 answers
Stopping cat from opening corner sliding doors
In my bedroom, I have a pair of wooden corner sliding doors, pictured below:
My cat is banned from entering the bedroom when we're sleeping here, since she keeps waking us up. However, actually implementing the ban is hard, because she learned how…
Noctiphobia
- 113
- 4
1
vote
2 answers
How to prevent pool gate plunger latch/lock from freezing?
This MagnaLatch lock is a really nice product, but rain/snow/ice gets under the plunger, then inside the cylinder, then freezes. I have tried rubbing alcohol to unfreeze the latch, but the best remedy is really just a large glass of hot water. Is…
Evil Elf
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1
vote
1 answer
What are these latches at the top and bottom of this window for?
Getting a hernia trying to open these windows. I've unlocked them so they're either stuck or I'm doing something mindlessly wrong. Regardless, scratching my head trying to figure out what these latches are for? And the little boxy thing…
LAMATL
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- 2
1
vote
1 answer
How to deal with sharp door latch corners?
There is a doorway that sometimes people walk through and get scratched on their arms by the latch on the door and occasionally it even draws blood. I think it's because the two external corners of the door latch are too sharp.
How can I make the…
Syncopated
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